Schedule - Sunday 7 May, Moulton College, Northampton
12:45 Mixed Final - Oxford City x Cambridge University
14:30 Women’s Final - Blues x Oxton
16:15 Men’s Final - Hampstead x Stockport
Sunday sees the crowning of our 2023 English champions with the annual National Club Finals featuring our league champions from across the Men’s, Women’s and Mixed games in competition at Moulton College.
Blues are back to defend their Women’s National crown from last year following victory against Stockport, and a 2022/23 season that has included a 100% record in the SEWLA Premier and a European Club Championship crown back in September.
A side featuring England internationals Claire Faram, Emilie Chandler, Laura Beaman and Emily Gray will prove hard to beat as they showed last year, although this year’s opponents Oxton have their own internationals experience that should prove stiff competition.
Milly Home, who picked up the MVP award at last month’s Home Internationals, as well as England’s Anna Boyne and Scotland’s Lottie Robertson will all present tough opposition for the Women’s Final.
Meanwhile, the men’s final features two new teams for 2023 - Stockport winning the NEMLA Premier for the first time since 2016, and Hampstead pipping Spencer to the SEMLA Premier title by the tightest of margins with both teams level on points and Hampstead coming out on top on GD in the games between the two sides.
Hampstead feature an internationally packed roster, featuring past England internationals Zac Guy and Will Hardy, in addition to Australian Will Pickett, New Zealander James Devine, and Irishman Dara McCreary to name but a few of their formidable squad.
However, Stockport bring a squad no less impressive, with their own string of England representatives in what promises to be a formidable Men’s Final.
Three of the Stockport team; Andrew Baxter, Danny Hilditch, and Mike Pomfret, will all suit up for England at the upcoming Men’s World Championship, while the blend of youth and experience of four-time World Championship representative Sam Patterson, mixed with the upcoming talents of Hugo Peel and Dan Flisk should make for compelling viewing.
In the Mixed Final, we have a repeat of last year’s fixture after our 2022 winners Cambridge University beat Surrey University 9-6 and runners-up Oxford City squeezed past London City Panthers 9-8 in their respective Mixed League semi-finals.
It is the second year of the Mixed Lacrosse final being incorporated into the National Club Finals following last year’s successful inaugural staging and the mixed league has proven hugely competitive this year giving the promise of another cracking final to begin the Club Finals day.
Unfortunately, our Women’s Division 1 Final, which usually pits the South West Champions against the SEWLA Division 1 winners, will not be played this year as Central London are unable to field a team, meaning Cheltenham will automatically be awarded the Division 1 Final.
We would like to thank Moulton College for hosting the National Club Finals for the second year. Moulton College are part of the England Lacrosse Lacrosse Accredited Colleges Scheme (LACS), delivering the sport to pupils aged 16-18 as well developing leadership skills for the future.