Published on October 20, 2005
[RUGBY UNION] The annual Bangkok Sevens kicks off next week and the tournament has grown to be one of the biggest in the world, this year featuring 50 teams and 850 players from around the globe and number of firsts for rugby. This year will be the first time men’s and women’s teams from the US will take part, as well as all-Aboriginal men’s and women’s sides from Australia. The Bangkok Sevens will be held from October 28-30 at three venues - the boys’ under-15 competition will be held at Muang Thong Thani Stadium, the men’s and women’s competitions at the Police Club-Stadium Complex and the veterans, or Golden Oldies, at Bangkok Patana School. Tournament chairman David Dufall said this year’s tournament will be more successful than the 2004 event with an influx of new, top international men’s and women’s teams from around the world.
From New Zealand, second-timers Marist North Harbour and Linton Army are bringing very strong sides and are expected to contest the Cup division alongside perhaps the best sevens side in Europe, The Samurai, with a star-studded list of specialist European sevens players.
The Cobra club from Kuala Lumpur will also be contesting the Cup event with a very strong line-up of Fijian and Malaysian national team players. The dark horse in the Cup division might be the Santa Monica Fins, who’s parent club won the US Division 1 Championship last June in San Diego. Other top seeded sides include the Royal Thai Police, the Thai Under-23 Development Squad coached by Usa Rokoni and Cairns Brothers, the Premier club in the Cairns Rugby Union. Completing the line-up of teams will be the Thai Air Force and Navy, Kasetsart University Alumni, Eastern Asia University, the Vientiane Tigers, veteran club the Bangkok Japanese, Les Piliers d’Angkor and the Hanoi Dragons, who will compete for the 11th straight year, plus local expatriate favourites the British Club and Southerners. Of special interest this year will be the Lloyd McDermott Rugby Development Trust teams from Australia. The Trust develops and sponsors indigenous boys and girls through an on-going development program which has seen seven Australian aborigines represent at the national level including Lloyd McDermott, Mark, Glen, and Gary Ella, Lloyd Walker, Barry Lee and James Williams. This year will see a men’s and a women’s side compete at the Bangkok Sevens and it will be the young aborigines’ first trip out of Australia. This year’s Bangkok Sevens kicks off with a guest speakers’ dinner at the Sheraton Grande Hotel on Sukhumvit Road and will feature NSW Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie, Melodie Robinson, a former flanker in the New Zealand Black Ferns, and well known rugby journalist Charlie “Inky” Stone. Dinner tickets are Bt2,500 each or Bt25,000 for a table and include a three-course meal, Australian wines and free-flowing beer. Team discounts are available. For reservations, contact David Dufall on 022491834 or 018225932, or e-mail: davedufa@lox1.loxinfo.co.th. Bookings must be made before October 25. Alan Parkhouse The Nation
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