TTRFU sevens series punts off today

STAG Trinidad Northern, having captured the Bruno Browne and Farre Hosein titles last Saturday, in addition to the TT Rugby Football Union (TTRFU) Championship Division title, will go all out to complete a perfect season when the TTRFU sevens series, beginning today, from 11 am.

The series will start with Caribs’ leg, the first of six, over two days at the Barataria Sports Ground, Sixth Avenue Extension, Barataria.

There will be competition in the men and women’s divisions, as well as in the men’s Under-18 division, with the play-offs and finals all scheduled for tomorrow.

The UWI Sevens will follow next weekend at UWI Spec Ground, before the Youth Transformation and Rehabilitation Centre in Arouca, the Rainbow Sevens in Malabar, Police Sevens at a venue to be confirmed, and at the TT International Sevens, which Harvard will host a stone’s throw away St Mary’s College Ground, St Clair, between December 7-8.

The continuously growing sevens series, the only one in the Caribbean, has seen an increase from five legs held last year.

TTRFU president Colin Peters described the sevens series as a major contributor to the continued development and spread of rugby in TT, especially given the worldwide appeal for the shorter format. Speaking on behalf of the executive, Peters said, “(We) wish all clubs hosting tournaments all the best and thanks them for their commitment in striving to improve the quality of the sport at the local level.”

The TTRFU said the series will assist its national technical committees at all levels to identify and review talent on display for potential selection to the various national sevens teams, as well as assisting the union’s fixtures committee in seeding and developing a ranking for local clubs.

The TTRFU, Peters said, aims to partner with the Ministry of Planning and Development, Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, and the Ministry of Tourism in a multifaceted approach toward ensuring that rugby is played, not only for recreational purposes, “but to be developed from the grass roots level to be promoted on the international sporting calendar and in the sphere of sport tourism.”

The sevens series follows the rugby league calendar, with Northern deservedly winning the title after recording two famous league victories over their arch-rivals Caribs, as well as the highly-anticipated Bruno Browne derby affair.

While rugby league players usually specialise in their respective positions among the forwards and backs, the shorter seven-a-side format, however, typically requires a higher level of versatility and variety of skills from players, with fitness, speed and handling usually among the most critical attributes to a top sevens player.

Exiles were crowned winners of last year’s series, securing 57 points after five legs, followed by Caribs, who placed second with 53 points.