40 schools in North of England Sevens at Birkenhead Park
SCHOOLS sevens remains one of the most enjoyable spectacles the game of rugby union has to offer and the 20th staging of the North of England Schools Sevens at Birkenhead Park on Sunday (March 2) is guaranteed to maintain that proud tradition.
Forty schools from across North and much further afield are involved in this season's tournament, with Llandovery College adding an international flavour and an Isle of Man Select XV broadening horizons to the West.
Sedbergh, from Cumbria, who have won the tournament six times and been runners-up three times, are defending the Bowring Trophy they won by beating Barnard Castle last season, when Hymers College from Hull beat RGS Worcester in the Boodle & Dunthorne Plate.
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"In terms of quality, this must be second only to the famous Rosslyn Park Sevens and the top tournament in the North," said one of the driving forces behind the event, Graeme Marrs. "We have different schools like Bradford Grammar entering for the first time, Ermysted's from Skipton returning to the fold and a strong contingent from the Midlands seeking to wrest the title from Sedbergh.
"While we've had our problems with the weather in recent times, when the elements have been kind we've seen the kind of scintillating rugby that only teenagers can deliver. Looking at the calibre of the field this year, I'm certain we'll be treated to some superb entertainment once again."
The 40 teams are divided into eight groups for the morning qualifying programme, with the winners of each section going into the Bowring Bowl and the runners-up into the Boodle & Dunthorne Plate in the afternoon.
The semi-finals of the Plate and the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of the Bowl will be held at Birkenhead Park RFC on Sunday afternoon with proceedings scheduled to begin at 2.15pm and conclude with the final around 5pm.
Sponsorship from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, The Army, Shell Lubricants, Morris of Shrewsbury, Arizona Chemicals, Coulter Hurst & Company and Britvic is among the backing from a range of organisations which support the event and make it viable, while once again David Mathews, who organises the refereeing of the programme, has surrounded himself with officials of international calibre drawn from all over the country, but not surprisingly, including the best that the Liverpool Society can offer.
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