IT MIGHT not have been three in a row for Gloucester Rugby at this year's Singha Premiership Rugby 7s final but skipper Steph Reynolds says his side can hold their heads high, writes Marios Papaloizou.

Reynolds was man of the round in Group B as Gloucester cruised through to the final at Twickenham Stoop with some brilliant performances at Kingsholm.

And they once again looked like they were going to be contenders for the crown they won in 2012 and 2013 after picking up an opening 31-26 win over Harlequins.

That set up a semi-final against last year's beaten finalists Newport Gwent Dragons.

And this time it was Gloucester who were on the wrong end of the scoreline as Harry Keddie's late try sealed victory for the Welsh side – who would go on to claim the crown with victory over Wasps.

“It was a great tournament up until the semi-final,” said Reynolds. "We’d won every game through the group stage and picked up bonus points.

“We played Harlequins first up which was always going to be tough in front of their home crowd, but the boys really rose to that challenge.

"We’ve got no shame losing to that Dragons side, they’re filled with quality players. That’s knockout rugby, you lose a game and you’re going home."

While it may not have been three in a row for Gloucester, Reynolds believes the tournament is an invaluable opportunity for young players and says he is proud of his side's efforts.

“The team were excellent but individually it’s given me a great opportunity to get out there and prove what I want the season to be about, which is to have a successful year with the first team,” he added.

“It’s a great chance to put a marker down and hopefully the coaches pick up on the effort and hopefully I’ll get a run in the side.

“That’s the aim for me this season, as it always is. I just want to play more first-team rugby and train as well as I can and hopefully I’ll get a knock on the door.

“The Singha 7s is a brilliant tournament. You get 13,000 fans down at Kingsholm and get to feel what it’s like on a Saturday for the first team. I’m very proud of the effort of the boys.”