Several provincial unions at Auckland 7s tournament this weekend

The representative sevens season kicks into gear this weekend with several leading provincial unions competing in both the men’s and women’s divisions of the sixth annual Auckland 7s tournament at the Northcote/Birkenhead Rugby Football Club on the North Shore.

Provincial union teams from the Northern and Central regions are entered in both the Men’s and Women’s sections of this weekend’s Auckland 7s tournament, as part of their build-ups to the regional 7s qualifiers for the National Sevens tournament coming up in December.

The three regional qualifiers for the National 7s in Rotorua in the New Year are being played in Timaru (Southern, date unknown) Levin (Central, 10 December) and Cambridge (Northern, date unknown).

As in past years, the two-day Men’s tournament opens on Saturday with The two-day Men’s tournament with pool play and continues on Sunday with the crossover rounds. The women’s section is played all in one day on Sunday.

The Wellington Men’s team and the Auckland women’s side are the defending men’s and women’s champions respectively.

Wellington beat Counties-Manukau 17-7 in the men’s final last year, winning this tournament for the second straight year. Counties-Manukau went on to win the National 7s in Rotorua in January. Wellington’s Lise Soloa and Lizzie Goulden were the players of the tournament.

Five of the eight entries are provincial union representative sides, while local union North Harbour are fielding two men’s squads. Host club Northcote Birkenhead Rugby Football Club are the eighth side.

The men’s teams are: Counties Manukau, Canterbury RFU, North Harbour West, Northland RFU , Wellington RFU, Bay of Plenty RFU, North Harbour East, Northcote BRFC. The format sees them playing three pool games on Saturday and then three crossover matches on Sunday with Cup and Plate trophies to be won.

The women’s competition on Sunday sees five teams meet in a four-match round-robin series and then a straight final at the end of the day.

The competing women’s teams are: Bay of Plenty RFU, Counties Manukau RFU, North Harbour RFU, Wellington RFC and Northland RFU. 

Of the two club teams entered, Northcote struggled in last weekend’s North Harbour club sevens tournament, while Helensville, featuring some local Kaipara College Condor 7s schoolgirls, finished runners-up in the women’s section.

Auckland 7s tournament details

What: Auckland 7s tournament
Where: Northcote Birkenheard Rugby Football Club
When: Saturday 19 November and Sunday 20 November

Men's Pools and Draws
Men’s Pool A: Wellington RFU, Bay of Plenty RFU, North Harbour East, Northcote BRFC
Men’s Pool B: Counties M. RFU, Canterbury RFU, North Harbour West, Northland RFU

Tournament schedule:
Saturday: Men’s pool matches from 10.20am – 3.20pm approximately
Sunday: Men’s crossover matches from 10.00am – 4.20pm approximately (Cup final at 4.00pm) and Women’s tournament from 10.00am – 5.00pm approximately (Cup final at 4.40pm)