Melrose Rugby reveals its Sevens 20/20 Vision
23 Sep 2019Melrose Rugby Ltd today reveals details of a revamped Sevens tournament as it sets out to put the Greenyards – the home of the Amateur Sevens game front-and-centre on the rugby world stage.
As part of an ambitious plan that sets out the stall for a future pitch to host the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2033, Melrose today announces it is expanding its world-renowned Sevens tournament into a four-day extravaganza of top-class rugby and entertainment.
“This is our Sevens 20/20 Vision”, explained Phil Morris, Commercial and Marketing Director of Melrose Rugby Ltd. “We’re going to put on a fantastic event, maintaining all the rugby traditions we all hold dear but adding new exciting competitions and entertainment.”
• The 2020 Melrose Sevens event will start on the evening of Thursday 9thApril, with a concert headlined by a very well-known band.
• The rugby will kick-off on Friday 10th April. During the day, we’ll be holding an U18’s tournament with teams from schools in the UK and overseas, where we can all cheer on our rugby stars of the future. On Friday night, we’ll be hosting a ‘A Question of Rugby’ with teams made up of some popular rugby stars, past and present.
• On Saturday 11th the Ladies Centenary Cup, the traditional Sevens we all know and love will be played out as usual, with a knockout competition taking place across the day. We will also see a number of preliminary pool games from a brand new semi-professional tournament, The Ned Haig Cup, involving the Fosroc Super 6 teams and some exciting guest sides. Saturday will be rounded off with more evening entertainment.
• On Sunday 12th The Ned Haig Cup will be played alongside a ladies tournament. Our Sevens festival will culminate on Sunday evening with another fantastic concert featuring a big Scottish name.
• Throughout the event there will be food stalls, bars, and family themed entertainment.
“We want our Sevens tournament to be inclusive and fun. Whether or not you’re a die-hard rugby fan, there’s going to be something for everyone, young and old. Melrose is where Rugby Sevens was born in 1883. In 2020, we’re taking things to another level.
Phil Morris
Mike Dalgetty, Director of Rugby at Melrose, added: “We have big ambitions at Melrose, on and off the field. There’s a real energy and buzz about the place and it’s exciting to be part of that. We’re so proud of our heritage as the home of Amateur Rugby Sevens. We’ve proved, year-after-year, that we can put on a top-class tournament that is enjoyed by spectators and visiting teams from around the world.
“We will never take our eye off what has always made the Melrose Sevens so special. Those traditions will remain. But our 2020 tournament is going to be bigger than ever before. We can’t wait to put a spotlight on Melrose in April next year when we’ll host a vibrant new rugby event.”
Melrose Rugby Club’s goal is to be in a position to host the 2033 Rugby World Sevens – the year that marks the 150th anniversary of the first ever Sevens tournament at the Greenyards. The journey to 2033 starts now.
The club is working with the Scottish Borders Council to ensure all logistics are managed.
More information, including details of teams taking part, concert and entertainment announcements and ticket prices will be revealed over the coming weeks.
Photo credit: Derek Ironside / Newsline Media
