2017 Safland Rugby Sevens launched
The third edition of the Safland Rugby Sevens was officially launched in Windhoek on Tuesday, with the organisers promising a bigger and better tournament this year.
The tournament will take place at Swakopmund on 10 and 11 November.
Tournament organiser Willem Strauss says the national teams of Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho, Uganda, Kenya, Mauritius, Zambia, and Zimbabwe will participate again this year. The Czech Republic will make its debut this year, following in the footsteps of Germany and Poland who attended the previous tournaments. This year the games will be played at the Swakopmund Football Club Stadium, which has two fields next to each other.
“We hope the proximity of these fields will help create a magnificent atmosphere for the tournament,” Strauss said.
Strauss confirmed that the tournament will include club and provisional competitions, while the schools' competition will include under-13, under-15, under-17 and under-19 players.
The event will also serve as preparation for the HSBC World Series starting in Dubai three weeks later.
Elizma Theron, the acting chief executive officer of the Namibia Rugby Union, said the tournament is a boost for sevens rugby in Namibia.
“We saw the massive boost that the Olympic Games had on the already popular sevens game, and if this tournament could help us get in the Games in 2020, then it would be worth it,” she added.
South Africa's Blitzbokke are the two-time defending champions of the tournament, and speculations are that they will bring all their star players in preparation for their defence of the HSBC World Rugby Series title.
Safland is again the main sponsor. Kwesé Sports is the main media partner and will broadcast the games on NBC TV6.
Sevens rugby is growing worldwide and now features in the Youth Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games. The 2018 Sevens Rugby World Cup will take place in San Francisco in July next year.
NAMPA
The tournament will take place at Swakopmund on 10 and 11 November.
Tournament organiser Willem Strauss says the national teams of Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho, Uganda, Kenya, Mauritius, Zambia, and Zimbabwe will participate again this year. The Czech Republic will make its debut this year, following in the footsteps of Germany and Poland who attended the previous tournaments. This year the games will be played at the Swakopmund Football Club Stadium, which has two fields next to each other.
“We hope the proximity of these fields will help create a magnificent atmosphere for the tournament,” Strauss said.
Strauss confirmed that the tournament will include club and provisional competitions, while the schools' competition will include under-13, under-15, under-17 and under-19 players.
The event will also serve as preparation for the HSBC World Series starting in Dubai three weeks later.
Elizma Theron, the acting chief executive officer of the Namibia Rugby Union, said the tournament is a boost for sevens rugby in Namibia.
“We saw the massive boost that the Olympic Games had on the already popular sevens game, and if this tournament could help us get in the Games in 2020, then it would be worth it,” she added.
South Africa's Blitzbokke are the two-time defending champions of the tournament, and speculations are that they will bring all their star players in preparation for their defence of the HSBC World Rugby Series title.
Safland is again the main sponsor. Kwesé Sports is the main media partner and will broadcast the games on NBC TV6.
Sevens rugby is growing worldwide and now features in the Youth Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games. The 2018 Sevens Rugby World Cup will take place in San Francisco in July next year.
NAMPA
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