The IRFU have today launched an exciting new domestic game initiative with the announcement of the IRFU Club Sevens Championships.
There will be four provincially-based tournaments and an All-Ireland Club Sevens Championship in May, with the winning team representing Ireland at an Ultimate 7s tournament in Europe during the summer.
The IRFU Club Sevens tournaments will see Men’s (senior and junior) and Women’s teams drawn from clubs that compete in the regular fifteen-a-side leagues.
The top two teams from each provincial Sevens competition will go on to compete in the IRFU Club Sevens All-Ireland Championship.
The programme will be further extended in the 2012/13 season to include a Schools and Youths Championship.
Four provincial rounds of the IRFU Club Sevens will take place in May with the All-Ireland Championship taking place at St. Mary’s College RFC on Saturday, May 21 this year.
The Munster Championship will be hosted at Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) on Saturday, May 7, with the Ulster Championship at Belfast Harlequins RFC on the same day.
The Leinster and Connacht Championships take place a week later with Terenure College (both the rugby club and school) and Galway Corinthians RFC the respective venues.
IRFU Domestic Game Manager Scott Walker said: “The advent of Rugby Sevens as an Olympic sport will see a surge in interest and popularity for the game as a whole.
“The IRFU Club Sevens programme aims to introduce the skills of the seven-a-side game at grassroots level with the emphasis on the development of Irish players and the transition to the fifteen-a-side game.
“We conducted an extensive survey of players and coaches in recent seasons, and Sevens was high on the list of things that they wanted to see.
“The IRFU Club Sevens Championships will be a great addition to the rugby calendar, a wonderful social occasion and also a fantastic way for players to develop and hone their skills”
More information on the IRFU Club Sevens, including tournament details, coaching and playing tips and registration details, can be found on www.irishrugby.ie/sevens.
2010/11 IRFU CLUB SEVENS TOURNAMENTS:
Saturday, May 7: IRFU Club Sevens – Munster Championship (Cork Institute of Technology), Ulster Championship (Belfast Harlequins RFC)
Saturday, May 14: IRFU Club Sevens – Leinster Championship (Terenure College), Connacht Championship (Galway Corinthians RFC)
Saturday, May 21: IRFU Club Sevens – All-Ireland Championship (St. Mary’s College RFC)
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