National Club Sevens: Pools and Draw

The National Club Sevens is this Saturday and Sunday at William Jones Park, Wainuiomata.

The tournament runs all day Saturday and on Sunday from 9.00am to mid-afternoon, with the men’s Cup final scheduled for 2.23pm on Sunday when the 2016 Middlesex County Wavell Wakefield Cup champion will be crowned.

Who will be this year’s winner? Despite the late withdrawals of Manawatu champion Feilding Old Boys-Oroua and Hawke’s Bay contenders Napier Pirates, many of the country’s best sevens rugby clubs will be vying for the title.

Champion teams taking part include Karaka (Counties Manukau), Melville (Waikato), Suburbs (Auckland), Mount Maunganui (Bay of Plenty), the Upper Hutt Rams (Wellington) and Nelson Wanderers (Tasman).

Several other quality club sides from Northland down to Wellington are also lining up in the 14-team men’s draw, making this weekend an exciting, even tournament.

The last back-to-back champion of this tournament was Otago’s Alhambra-Union in 2008-09. Since then winners have been University (Otago) in 2010, Burnham (Canterbury) in 2011, Pakuranga (Auckland) in 2013), Rangataua (Bay of Plenty) in 2014 and Wainuiomata (Wellington) in 2015. 

An inaugural women’s tournament is also being staged this weekend, with host club Wainuiomata joined by Wellington team Marist St Pat’s and Bay of Plenty’s Tauranga Sports. They will play a round-robin series and the top two sides will meet in a final in the last match on day one.

As well as the rugby, there will be much going on around the ground throughout the weekend.

Barbecue food will be available for purchase throughout the day, and the clubroom's bar will be open, with the television on showing the rugby league Nines. Saturday night's entertainment kicks off at 6.30pm with a live DJ playing until late and with drink specials on offer and a selection of food available for purchase.

Entry is free for both days, but gold coin donation buckets will be running.

Pools

Men’s
Pool A: Wainuiomata, Poneke, Rangataua, Melville
Pool B: Upper Hutt Rams, Awanui, Mount Manganui
Pool C: Marist St Pat’s, Karaka, Hamilton Marist
Pool D: Old Boys University, Tauranga Sports, Nelson Wanderers, Suburbs

Women’s:
Wainuiomata, Marist St Pat’s, Tauranga Sports

Draw

As of Friday afternoon – subject to change

Day one men’s pool matches:

9.37am: Wainuiomata v Melville
9.54am: Poneke v Rangataua
10.14am: Upper Hutt Rams BYE
10.31am: Awanui v Mount Maunganui
10.48am: Marist St Pat’s v Hamilton Marist
11.05am: Karaka BYE
11.22am: Old Boys University v Suburbs
11.39am: Tauranga Sports v Wanderers
12.14pm: Wainuiomata v Rangataua
12.31pm: Poneke v Melville
12.48pm: Upper Hutt Rams v Mount Maunganui
1.05pm: Awanui BYE
1.22pm: Marist St Pat’s BYE
1.39pm: Karaka v Hamilton Marist
1.56pm: Old Boys University v Wanderers
2.13pm: Tauranga Sports v Suburbs
2.47pm: Wainuiomata v Poneke
3.01pm: Rangataua v Melville
3.18pm: Upper Hutt Rams v Awanui
3.35pm: Mount Maunganui BYE
3.52pm: Marist St Pat’s v Karaka
4.09pm: Hamilton Marist BYE
4.26pm: Old Boys University v Tauranga Sports
4.53pm: Wanderers v Suburbs

Day one women’s tournament

9.20am: Wainuiomata v Marist St Pat’s
11.56am: Marist St Pat’s v Tauranga Sports
2.30 pm: Wainuiomata v Tauranga Sports
5.10pm: Women’s Final

Day two men’s crossover matches (times to be confirmed):

9.00am – 9.51am: Bowl Quarterfinals
10.08 – 10.50am: Cup Quarterfinals
11.16am and 11.33am: Shield semi-finals
11.50am and 12.07pm: Bowl semi-finals
12.24pm and 12.41pm: Plate semi-finals
12.58pm and 1.15pm: Cup semi-finals
1.32pm: Shield final
1.49pm: Bowl final
2.06pm: Plate final
2.23pm: Cup final