Insurance Institute of Manchester Cup 2026 - Event Follow up

What a day, the sun was scorching and the Teams were fired up. Could Pen do it again, would anyone challenge them and what would the unknown quantity in the form of the team who flew in from Gibraltar bring with them.

The answer, No, yes, and a lot!

Pen were brave throughout and were outstanding against some hefty challenges early from AIG, and later in the knockouts the young upstarts from Verlingue but Pen’s quality shone through and earned them a knockout semi-final with the Gibraltan institute. The guys from the sunny island were superb start to finish, a team with loads of chemistry and a good mix of older talent and young pacey forwards, they won their group unbeaten and got through the last 16 and semi’s on penalties against some tough opponents. Sadly, for them their journey came to an end in the semi-finals against very strong and experienced Pen who sailed into the finals. Massive shout out to Gibraltar who brought a new dynamic to the tournament, and we hope to see them again next year.

Meanwhile on the other side of the tournament one of the army of Protector teams was slowly but surely blasting through the tournament, they actually came 2^nd in their Group but once in the knockouts they came into their own. Winning in the last 16 against last years runners up (Howden) 3-0 and again beating their rivals to 0 in the semi’s – Browne Jacobson put on a brave show but lost 2-0.

This set up the final everyone thought Pen were going to do it again, but as their team shirts said, Protector are “The Challenger” and they proved this in style, sadly for Pen who started brightly their (by now) weary legs couldn’t quite get them over the line again but absolute credit to the runners up who came in to defend their title for the third year in a row!!

Ultimate plaudits though must go to Protector Underwriting 1 who smashed it from start to finish and came away deserved winners!

See you all next year