For Immediate Release
August 4, 2009
San Francisco to Host the Nations Best Men’s and Women’s Sevens Rugby Clubs
SAN FRANCISCO – The top men’s and women’s sevens teams from across the nation will descend upon the Bay Area when local hosts San Francisco Golden Gate RFC and the San Francisco Fog RFC will kick off their respective Club Sevens Nationals Tournaments, August 15-16, 2009 on Treasure Island.
In its 10th year, the USA Rugby Men’s Club Sevens Championships will get underway with round robin competition from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and will resume on Sunday with quarterfinal match-ups starting at 9 a.m., leading up to the finals at 4:30 p.m.
Among the 16 elite men’s squads vying for the 2009 title are local club and 11th-seed San Francisco Golden Gate. Southern California sides Belmont Shore and San Diego’s Old Mission Beach Athletic Club (OMBAC) will also compete as second and 10th seeds, respectively.
Pool A will see teams from Denver, Life University (Atlanta), Tempe and Schuylkill River (Philadelphia) face off, while Pool B will see Old Blue (New York), OMBAC, Chicago Griffins and Belmont Shore (Long Beach, Calif.) compete for advancement to the cup quarterfinals.
Pool C showcases San Francisco Golden Gate against Northern Virginia (NOVA), Glendale (Colo.) and 2007 Champion Chicago Lions, whereas Pool D will see the reigning Champions from Aspen take on teams from Atlanta, Milwaukee and Boston.
This is the second consecutive year that the San Francisco Golden Gate Club has hosted the Men’s Club Sevens National Championship. Last year’s event saw several matches come down to nail-biting finishes, thrilling the spectators on hand during the two days of sevens action at Rocca Field.
With only seven players per team playing seven minute halves on the same size pitch as a 15s match, rugby sevens offers a spectacle of non-stop action where speed, skills, and athleticism rule the day. The miniversion of the 15-person sport is gaining in popularity and is one of seven summer sports up for inclusion in the 2016 Olympic Games.
Admission is $10 a day for adults. Children 18 and under are free and there will be a $5 fee for public parking. Youth rugby sides with 10 or more members wearing their team jerseys will be acknowledged on game day so coaches are encouraged to come out with their teams. Rocca Field is located at the corner of California Avenue and Avenue M, Treasure Island, San Francisco.
Coinciding with the Men’s Club Sevens, is the inaugural Championship for Women’s Sevens, also held on Treasure Island and hosted by the San Francisco Fog RFC.
The Women’s Sevens National Invitational Tournament will also take place starting at 9 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, but all women’s action will take place at the Gaelic Athletic Association’s field at California Ave. and Avenue H on Treasure Island.
On Saturday afternoon, amidst the women’s pool play, the Gaelic Athletic Association will play the men’s final for Gaelic Football on the same field. Admission to the first-ever women’s club sevens is free to all and for more information or directions to the pitch please visit http://w7nit.squarespace.com/.
For more information on USA Rugby’s Men Club Sevens National Championships, visit www.usarugby.org/goto/usar_championships.
Media interested in attending the event should contact Sara John by email at sjohn@usarugby.org or by phone at 719-310-2606.