Melrose Rugby Limited have unveiled ambitious plans to revamp their world-famous Sevens tournament into a four-day festival, as part of a long-term drive to host the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2033, on the 150th anniversary of the first ever tournament at the Greenyards in 1883.
The four-day event will involve a concert by a ‘very well-known band’ on Thursday 9th April, an Under-18s tournament with teams from across the UK and aboard on the Friday, followed by an ‘A Question of Rugby’ themed evening with teams made up of some popular past and present rugby stars that evening, then the traditional Ladies Cup tournament on the Saturday and a new competition called The Ned Haig Cup involving Super6 teams and some guest sides on the Sunday.
The weekend will culminate on Sunday evening with another concert featuring ‘a big Scottish name’. The stated aim is to put the Greenyards – the home of the Amateur Sevens game – front-and-centre on the rugby world stage.
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.
“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.”
Mike Dalgetty, Director of Rugby at Melrose, added that while the club is keen to evolve the tournament, it is vital that it remains its traditional values.
“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.”
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 line-up, and ticket prices will be revealed over the coming weeks.
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