Middlesex Sevens

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The Middlesex Sevens was a Rugby Sevens tournament held annually at Twickenham stadium in London, England until 2011. It was first held in 1926, and started by Dr J.A. Russell-Cargill, a London-based Scot. [1] The event was held at the end of the rugby union season in May every year for 75 years and moved to August in 2001 due to lack of available stadium dates and players in May. The Middlesex Sevens tournament was last played in 2011, as the new Premiership Rugby 7s Series caused many of the top clubs that previously took part to pull out.

Contents

This Rugby Sevens tournament was a charitable event, officially called the Middlesex Charity Sevens, with the beneficiaries being Wooden Spoon and the RFU's RFU Injured Players Fund. Middlesex Charity Sevens has raised over £10 million for charities.

It was famously won by Rugby league side Wigan in 1996 and again by a Rugby league side in 2001 (Bradford Bulls).

History

Traditionally the Middlesex Sevens was an invitation tournament with entertainment derived from overseas and qualifying sides challenging the rugby union top teams. In 2005 the tournament became a twelve team competition with Rugby Premiership teams only participating. In 2008 the tournament reverted to sixteen teams. The 2010 final was played between London Irish who fielded three Armitage brothers and ULR Samurai with a strong international contingent. Brazil was amongst the teams invited to take part in the 2011 Vauxhall Middlesex Charity 7s. The Final was played between Esher RFC and Samurai.

Two rugby league clubs have won the Middlesex Sevens: firstly Wigan, who brought a star-studded team including Offiah, Shaun Edwards, Andy Farrell, Tuigamala and a young Jason Robinson to Twickenham in 1996 as a tune-up before the union leg of their historic Clash of the Codes series against Bath. Wigan were joined on the honours list by Bradford Bulls, champions in 2002. [2]

The Women's Middlesex 7s was introduced in 2011, the final year of the tournament, and was won by Wooden Spoon Women.

List of winners

By wins

TeamTitlesYears of Titles Won
Harlequins 141926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1933, 1935, 1967, 1978, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2008
Richmond 91951, 1953, 1955, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1983
London Welsh 81930, 1931, 1956, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1984
London Scottish 71937, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1991
London Wasps 51948, 1952, 1985, 1993, 2006
Loughborough Colleges 51959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1976
St. Mary's Hospital51940, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946
Rosslyn Park 41947, 1950, 1954, 1981
Barbarians 31934, 1997, 1998
Blackheath 21932, 1958
British Army 22001, 2004
Penguins21999, 2000
ULR Samurai22010, 2011
St Luke's College21957, 1969
Bath 11994
Bradford Bulls (RL)12002
Cambridge University 11941
Cardiff 11939
Gloucester 12005
Heriot's FP 11949
Leicester Tigers 11995
London Irish 12009
Metropolitan Police 11938
Newcastle Falcons 12007
Northampton Saints 12003
Nottingham 11945
Sale 11936
Stewart's Melville FP 11982
Western Samoa 11992
Wigan (RL)11996

See also

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References

  1. Bath, Scotland Rugby Miscellany, p82
  2. "Bulls wins Sevens". BBC Sport. 17 August 2002. Retrieved 7 April 2020.

Bibliography