Tuesday, 10 May 2011

Selected Scotland 7s players will run out for Glasgow Warriors against Magners League, Aviva Premiership and domestic Scottish opposition in the NCS Glasgow City Sevens, the final leg of the inaugural Legacy Sevens Series, this Saturday.
In a similar fashion to the Scottish Thistles side that won the famous Melrose tournament in 2008, ten of the 16-man Scotland squad announced earlier this week will feature at the Dumbreck tournament as part of the national squad’s preparation for the London and Edinburgh legs of the HSBC Sevens World Series in two week's time.
Scotland 7s head coach Graham Shiel, capped 18 times for Scotland, was introduced to seven-a-side rugby as a school-boy before plying his trade at the birth-place of sevens, Melrose, in the Border circuit, King of the Sevens.
He said: “It’s important we get the most out of our preparation for the last two tournaments and the Glasgow City Sevens is an opportunity to play good quality opposition one week out from London.
Tickets for the Emirates Airline Edinburgh 7s, the final leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series, are priced from ?5 for under-18s, ?10 for students and senior citizens, ?20 for adults and ?40 for a family of four. All tickets are any day tickets – valid on Saturday 28 May or Sunday 29 May.
AND if an adult buys a ticket for one of the EMC August Tests in August (priced from ?10) they can get ticket for the Emirates Airline Edinburgh 7s for half price – just ?10 per day!
“It’s good preparation for what lies ahead. We know the World Series will be a step up in terms of pace and physicality but it provides an important springboard to prepare the players properly for the rigours of international sevens.”
Shiel also believes that the side’s participation in the newly created legacy Seven Series will support the aims of the series and help raise the profile of, and participation in, rugby sevens in the west of Scotland ahead of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.He added: “It’s an exciting time for sevens globally and it’s important that we embrace the opportunity presented to Scotland by Glasgow 2014.
“It’s a chance to recognise what Scotland has brought to the world and promote it as a fantastic tool to develop players and to make rugby clubs successful by hosting big events that make them a big part of the community.”
The Dumbreck tournament, which first started in 1935, was made the the final leg of the inaugural Legacy Sevens Series which links the event with three other club sevens competitions as part of the legacy programme for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, namely Boroughmuir, Stirling County and Howe and Fife.
Defending champions Glasgow Hawks will kick off the tournament and their title defence against local rivals West of Scotland before Whitecraigs, Edinburgh University and Howe of Fife face Glasgow Warriors, Ospreys and London Wasps.
Tournament hosts Cartha Queens Park welcome Aberdeen Grammar to Dumbreck, Perthshire and GHA will take on the top flight of the Scottish club game in the form of Ayr and Stirling County while Biggar open their sevens account against the Royal Scots.
“Seven years ago we re-branded the historic Cartha 7s as the Glasgow City Sevens in partnership with what is now Glasgow Life, to run a sevens event for the city and grow it into something special,” said tournament director, Brian Gervaise.
“With rugby sevens a core sport of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, we have an excellent opportunity to enhance the interest and participation in rugby sevens in the city running up to the Games.
“It’s one of the most entertaining and enjoyable days at the club. Sevens is a game distinct from 15-a-side rugby but it encourages all the aspects that people find most entertaining in the game.
“The atmosphere’s superb, the weather’s better and everyone’s watching rugby with a big smile on their face – it’s a carnival of rugby.”
Despite not winning a tournament so far, Stirling County top the Series table with 27 points having come second to Boroughmuir at their home tournament, to Glasgow Hawks at Meggetland and as losing semi-finalists at the Howe of Fife tournament in Cupar on Saturday.
Cupar winners, Howe, are currently runners-up ahead of Boroughmuir and Glasgow Hawks however, with the inclusion of the professional teams and in increased prominence of the Glasgow competition, the reward is greater with points worth double and a tournament winner’s bounty of ?2500.
Discounted tickets for the NCS Glasgow City Sevens can be bought in advance from www.carthaqp.org. All under-18s go free.
NCS Glasgow City Sevens first found draw
Glasgow Hawks v West of Scotland
Perthshire v Ayr
London Wasps v Howe of Fife
Biggar v Royal Scots
Ospreys v Edinburgh University
Cartha Queens Park v Aberdeen Grammar
Glasgow Warriors v Whitecraigs
GHA v Stirling County

This article was originally posted on 11-May-2011, 11:32 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 11-May-2011, 11:44.