National Club Sevens tournament: Pools and Draw

Above: Now with the Chiefs, Sevu Reece was a leading player for Waikato side Melville last year. Can they defend their crown? 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 and Melville in 2016.

The National Club Sevens tournament is being hosted by Melville in Hamilton on Saturday and Sunday.

The tournament runs all day Saturday and on Sunday from 9.00am to mid-afternoon, with the men’s Cup final scheduled for 3.20pm on Sunday when the 2017 Middlesex County Wavell Wakefield Cup champion will be crowned.

Who will be this year’s winner? Many of the country’s best sevens rugby clubs will be vying for the title and last year’s tournament was high octane excitement on both days.

Champion teams taking part include [among others] host club Melville, also the Waikato XVs champions, the Upper Hutt Rams from Wellington, Eden from Auckland, the Linton Army Lions from Manawatu, Rangataua from Bay of Plenty, Massey from North Harbour and Ardmore Marist from sevens national provincial champion province Counties Manukau.

There are 14 clubs vying for the Middlesex County Wavell Wakefield Cup, plus Melville and Tauranga Sports Invitational sides that can’t contest the final completing the 16-team roster.

As well as the rugby, there will be much going on around the ground throughout the weekend. Outdoor food, including a BBQ and coffee, is available from 9.30am, with the first match on Saturday at 10am and the outdoor bar open from 11am-5pm.

Social Media 

The tournament’s Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/MCNC7s/

Pools and Draw

Subject to change

Pools

Pool A: Melville, Geraldine, Napier Technical Old Boys, Tauranga Sports (Invitational)
Pool B: Rangataua Sports, Marist Old Boys (Auckland), Linton Lions, Massey
Pool C: Upper Hutt Rams, Eden, Awanui, Ardmore Marist
Pool D: Hamilton Marist, Melville Invitational, Auckland Suburbs, Ngamatapouri

Draw

As of Friday afternoon – subject to change

Day one men’s pool matches:
10.00am Melville v Geraldine
10.20am: Napier Tech v Tauranga Sports
10.40am: Rangataua v Marist Old Boys
11.00am: Linton Lions v Massey
11.20am: Upper Hutt Rams v Eden
11.40am: Awanui v Ardmore Marist
12.00pm: Hamilton Marist v Melville Invitational
12.20pm: Suburbs v Ngamatapouri
12.40pm: Melville v Napier Tech
1.00pm: Tauranga Sports v Geraldine
1.20pm: Rangataua v Linton Lions
1.40pm: Marist Old Boys v Massey
2.00pm: Upper Hutt Rams v Awanui
2.40pm: Hamilton Marist v Suburbs
3.00pm: Melville Invitational v Ngamatapouri
3.20pm: Geraldine v Napier Tech
3.40pm: Melville v Tauranga Sports
4.00pm: Marist Old Boys v Linton Lions
4.20pm: Rangataua v Massey
4.40pm: Eden v Awanui
5.00pm: Upper Hutt Rams v Ardmore Marist
5.20pm: Melville Invitational v Suburbs
5.40pm: Hamilton Marist v Ngamatapouri

Day two men’s crossover matches:
9.00am – 10.10am: Bowl Quarterfinals 
10.00am – 11.30am: Cup Quarterfinals 
11:40am – 12.10pm Shield semi-finals
12.20pm and 12.50pm: Bowl semi-finals 
1.00pm – 1.30pm: Plate semi-finals
1.40pm – 2.10pm: Cup semi-finals
2.20pm: Shield Final
2.40pm: Bowl Final
3.00pm: Plate Final
3.20pm: Cup Final