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A FULL day of extreme rugby action is expected today when the Summer Sevens Series explodes in Bulawayo and Harare. The Series will run under a new format that will see Old Hararians Sports Club host 10 teams from the Northern Region, while Hartsfield Rugby Grounds play host to seven teams from the Southern Region.
Only the top seven in Harare will progress to the second round where they will meet the five teams that emerge tops at Hartsfield.
The top six teams will then progress to battleday.
The matches will be played on a round robin basis, with the Summer Series offering the incentive of prize money for the winners.
Milton Park’s Old Hararians Sports Club get the ball rolling.
Dragons, ZRP, Old Hararians, Southern City, Old Georgians II, Mutare, North Academy, Mabvuku, Harare Sports Club and Harare Sports Club II will be vying for the top seven spots.
The two traditional giants in local Sevens rugby, Red Seal Old Georgians and Harare Sports Club, will field two teams ton Saturday.
The event will this year have a new format which is meant to give Zimbabwe Sevens Rugby selectors an opportunity to scout for talent ahead of next month’s International Sevens tournament.
Old Georgians coach Grant Mitchel, whose side has won the last two editions of the Spar Summer Series, said they had shifted their priorities in line with the new format.
“We have been training for the past three weeks and I can say our preparations have gone on very well.
“We have had a very good turnout from the players and in our last session we had about 32 players, which is a high turnout in Sevens.
“Obviously, with the previous format the focus was on winning, but the new format means our aim is to ensure that the players are well equipped and prepared to showcase their talent.
“We would want to see most of our players making both the provincial and national sides,” said Mitchel.
At Bulawayo’s Hartsfield Rugby Grounds, it will be a battle that will feature Western Panthers, Matabeleland Busters, Old Miltonians, Western Suburbs, Gweru Shabani, Police Bulldogs and Southern Region Academy.
A number of schools will also feature in the Sevens format of the game as a way of creating interest at the grassroots level.
The Zimbabwe Rugby Union is using the tournament to select the Zimbabwe rugby Sevens side that will compete in the Confederation of African Rugby Sevens tournament to be held at Harare Sports Club on November 29 and 30.
The Summer Series will kick off at 11am at Old Hararians and Hartsfield Rugby Ground.
Entry fees in both towns is $2 throughout the day.
Online Reporter