The Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens is an English
rugby union sevens tournament, organised by
Rosslyn Park F.C.
Rosslyn Park Football Club is a rugby union club based in south west London.
History
Founded in 1879 by cricketing friends in north London, at the end of their first season, Charles Hoyer Millar proposed forming a football club to keep the p ...
, that has evolved into the world's largest rugby tournament with some 9,500 boys and girls aged 13 – 19 competing annually from over 800 schools. There are now well over 1,100 matches on the 5 groups of pitches (each one having its own Ground Management Team) every year. A separate tournament for the U11 age group takes place the week before.
Originally a tournament played amongst British
public schools, the tournament has evolved and expanded over the years and now accepts sides from all over the world. Countries from which schools have participated included Canada, China, Denmark, Guernsey, Hungary, India, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Kenya, Nigeria, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Spain, and the Ukraine as well as England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
NS7 Open Titles
Format
The play for the tournament is centred on
Wimbledon Common
Wimbledon Common is a large open space in Wimbledon, southwest London. There are three named areas: Wimbledon Common, Putney Heath, and Putney Lower Common, which together are managed under the name Wimbledon and Putney Commons totalling 4 ...
and adjoining land to the south, where there are 24 pitches having outgrown the original home of the tournament at Rosslyn Park's home ground at nearby Priory Lane. All the pitches are close together and there is just a short walk between them all.
Each Tournament has a similar format of Group matches on the first day with possibly a knockout round or two. The second day is for the knockout rounds, which culminate in the relevant Final. The Junior Tournament and the Preparatory Tournament (both under 13s) start on the Monday, the Festival (one term rugby schools) starts Tuesday, the Colts (under 16s) Wednesday, and the Girls Tournament and Open Tournament (both under 18s) start on Thursday.
History
There has been some recent speculation (November 2008) about the reasons for the Schools 7s' inception. Research by Richard Cable of the BBC shows that Rosslyn Park started holiday games for schoolboys following the Great War
These were held in January and were believed to be in commemoration of Rosslyn Park members killed in action. This was the beginning of a strong link between the club and youth rugby – something that continues to this day. In 1938, it was known that an internal tournament took place at the club in which members played as old boys representing their schools. The following year, and possibly as a result of some disagreement among the members as to whose school was better at "rugger", the Schools 7s was born.
The event was first held in 1939 and has been held every year since, becoming one of the oldest continuous tournaments for schools and the oldest ongoing schoolboy rugby tournament in England. The first tournament was won by
St George's School, Harpenden, which was a fee-paying independent school at that time. It was intended to be a knock-out competition for English
public schools but as interest grew it was extended to include state schools (both grammar and comprehensive) and preparatory schools. The format was also changed into pool groups so that no U16 or girls side played fewer than three matches and no U18 boys side fewer than four. Almost all the founding 16 schools compete to this day and, although it remains an invitation event, no eligible school would be refused entry upon application. In 1956, the Preparatory Schools competition was started for
IAPS schools and in 1973 the Juniors (U13s) were held for the first time. In March 1997, a new competition was introduced for the U16s and it has been the policy during the past few years to invite schools from overseas who may be touring the UK to play in the tournament. Each year the number of schools applying increases. In 1998, the first girls (U18) competition was inaugurated, and a recent popular inclusion has been a sevens challenge match between Old Boys RFCs, the first of which was between
Ampleforth and
Millfield, who between them have won the senior tournaments a remarkable 21 times.
Recent tournaments
In recent years
Millfield have enjoyed the most success in the 'Open', although in 2004
Ivybridge Community College pipped them in the final, just 14 years after the school took up the sport.
John Fisher School appeared in four Open finals between 1997 and 2009, winning twice. After
Ben Gollings
Ben Gollings (born 13 May 1980) is an English former rugby union player who currently works as a rugby coach for Fiji sevens team. Gollings is best known for his time with the England national rugby sevens team. He is the career leader in poi ...
(currently world record points scorer on the IRB 7s circuit) took his
Canford side to success in the 1997 Festival, the trophy was won either by Wellington or Cheltenham until
Colston's School
Collegiate School (formerly known as Colston's Collegiate School and Colston’s School) is an independent day school in Bristol, England, and is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. It is currently in a period of transit ...
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
broke the trend in 2006. The 2003 final seemed certain to be a record five on the trot for Wellington with their impressive international line-up, but
Cheltenham turned round a 0-12 half-time deficit to win. Cheltenham repeated their triumph the following year by beating Taunton, before
Wellington College Wellington College may refer to:
*Wellington College, Berkshire, an independent school in Crowthorne, Berkshire, England
** Wellington College International Shanghai
** Wellington College International Tianjin
* Wellington College, Wellington, Ne ...
won again in 2005. Colston's won in 2006 (despite normally playing in the Open) and
King's College, Taunton in 2007 after going close in previous years.
Colston's made history in 2007 by becoming the first school to win both the Open (U18 Boys) and the Girls' (U18) tournaments.
Benenden School, in only its first season of rugby, pushed them all the way in the final before eventually losing 19–17. Colston's girls could not repeat their feat in 2008, falling to East Norfolk 6th Form College in a high-quality game, while
Sedbergh
Sedbergh ( or ) is a town and civil parish in Cumbria, England. The 2001 census gave the parish a population of 2,705, increasing at the 2011 census to 2,765. Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, it lies about east of Kendal, nor ...
won the Open Tournament. The 2008 tournament was broadcast live on the internet and was watched in over 30 countries.
In the 2009 tournament.
Millfield continued their success, winning both the Open and the Colts tournament. In the Festival,
Epsom College
Epsom College is a co-educational independent school on Epsom Downs, Surrey, England, for pupils aged 11 to 18. It was founded in 1853 as a boys' school to provide support for poor members of the medical profession such as pensioners and orph ...
was defeated by Wellington College, while Neath Port Talbot ended Colston's Girls' dominance to take the title. In 2010, Millfield won the Open, Colts and Prep Schools tournaments;
Tonbridge School
(God Giveth the Increase)
, established =
, closed =
, type = Public schoolIndependent day and boarding
, religion =
, president =
, head_label ...
beat Wellington in the Festival and Hartpury cruised to the Girls' title.
In 2011, HSBC became the tournament's sponsor. By now, the event had four separate food outlet centres, 32 exhibitors and a large screen for results and advertising. Film highlights from the previous day were uploaded the next morning and mixed with the advertising content on a large LED screen. On the pitch, Millfield's recent dominance faded and they failed to make the next day's play-off rounds in any of the competitions.
South Gloucestershire and Stroud College won the Open,
Hartpury College
Hartpury University and Hartpury College, formerly Hartpury College, is a provider of further and higher education which describes itself as specialising in the "agriculture, animal, equine, sport and veterinary nursing" sectors. The university a ...
won the Girls' title and Tonbridge won the Colts.
In 2015 Wellington College beat John Fisher in the final 12–7. In 2016,
Cranleigh School
Cranleigh School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) in the village of Cranleigh, Surrey.
History
It was opened on 29 September 1865 as a boys' school 'to provide a sound and plain education, on the principles o ...
, one of the smaller schools in the competition, beat
Harrow School to take the trophy, and repeated their success the following year by defeating
Brighton College
Brighton College is an independent, co-educational boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 3 to 18 in Brighton, England. The school has three sites: Brighton College (the senior school, ages 11 to 18); Brighton College Preparatory Sc ...
28–7 in the final.
All the results are updated on the official website throughout each da
Video of matches
The rugby sevens matches played on main pitch RE1 are filmed. Video of these matches are live streamed and can be watched on YouTube: '
Playlist here''.
Former players
The tournament is now recognised as a breeding ground for top British international rugby players, many of whom first started out playing in the competition.
;
*
Adedayo Adebayo, Ade Adebayo (
Kelly
Kelly may refer to:
Art and entertainment
* Kelly (Kelly Price album)
* Kelly (Andrea Faustini album)
* ''Kelly'' (musical), a 1965 musical by Mark Charlap
* "Kelly" (song), a 2018 single by Kelly Rowland
* ''Kelly'' (film), a 1981 Canadi ...
, 1987)
*
Rob Andrew (
Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle (, ) is a market town on the north bank of the River Tees, in County Durham, Northern England. The town is named after and built around a medieval castle ruin. The town's Bowes Museum's has an 18th-century Silver Swan automato ...
, 1980)
*
Iain Balshaw (
Stonyhurst, 1997)
*
Nick Beal (
RGS High Wycombe, 1987/88)
*
Kyran Bracken (
Stonyhurst, 1990)
*
Lawrence Dallaglio
Lorenzo Bruno Nero Dallaglio (born 10 August 1972), known as Lawrence Dallaglio, is an English retired rugby union player, former captain of England, and 2016 inductee of the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
He played as a flanker or number eight ...
(
Ampleforth, 1989)
*
Will Carling
William David Charles Carling (born 12 December 1965) is an English former rugby union player. He was England's youngest captain, aged 22, and won 72 caps from 1988 to 1996, captaining England 59 times. Under his captaincy, England won Five ...
(
Terra Nova, 1975/76)
*
Justyn Cassell
Justyn Cassell (born 25 May 1967) is a former a rugby union player who played for a number of top tier English club sides but was also known as an excellent Rugby Sevens player and in this capacity was capped for England and was part of the te ...
(
Dulwich
Dulwich (; ) is an area in south London, England. The settlement is mostly in the London Borough of Southwark, with parts in the London Borough of Lambeth, and consists of Dulwich Village, East Dulwich, West Dulwich, and the Southwark half ...
, 1984)
*
Matt Dawson
Matthew James Sutherland Dawson, MBE (born 31 October 1972) is an English retired rugby union player who played scrum half for Northampton Saints and then London Wasps. During his international career he toured with the British & Irish Lion ...
(RGS High Wycombe, 1986, 1990/91)
*
Phil Dowson (
Sedbergh
Sedbergh ( or ) is a town and civil parish in Cumbria, England. The 2001 census gave the parish a population of 2,705, increasing at the 2011 census to 2,765. Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, it lies about east of Kendal, nor ...
, 1999)
*
Phil de Glanville (
Bryanston
Bryanston is a village and civil parish in north Dorset, England, situated on the River Stour west of Blandford Forum. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 925. The village is adjacent to the grounds of Bryanston School, an ind ...
, 1985)
*
Ben Gollings
Ben Gollings (born 13 May 1980) is an English former rugby union player who currently works as a rugby coach for Fiji sevens team. Gollings is best known for his time with the England national rugby sevens team. He is the career leader in poi ...
(
Canford, 1997)
*
Andrew Harriman (
Radley
Radley is a village and civil parish about northeast of the centre of Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The parish includes the hamlet of Lower Radley on the River Thames. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfor ...
, 1981)
*
James Haskell
James Andrew Welbon Haskell (born 2 April 1985) is an English former rugby union player who played for Wasps RFC and Northampton Saints in the Aviva Premiership, and internationally for England.
In August 2019 he announced he would become a ...
(
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...
, 2002)
*
Damian Hopley
Damian Hopley (born 12 April 1970) is a former rugby union player for London Wasps and England. His position of choice was on the wing or in the centres.
Background
Born in South London, Hopley attended St Benedict's School in Ealing West ...
(
St Benedict's, 1982)
*
Jonathan Joseph (
Millfield, 2009)
*
Tim Rodber
Timothy Andrew Keith Rodber (born 2 July 1969) is an English former rugby union footballer who played at Number eight, flanker or lock for Northampton Saints, England, and the British and Irish Lions.
Background
Rodber excelled at rugby from ...
(
Churcher's, 1986)
*
Chris Robshaw
Chris Robshaw (born 4 June 1986) is an English former rugby union player. He was the captain of the England national rugby union team from January 2012 until December 2015. Robshaw's position of choice was in the back row of the scrum, usually ...
(
Millfield, 2006)
*
Paul Sackey
Paul Henry Sackey (born 8 November 1979) is a retired English rugby union footballer who played on the wing, most recently for Harlequins in the Aviva Premiership.
He is an England international. He has also played for the England Saxons an ...
(
John Fisher
John Fisher (c. 19 October 1469 – 22 June 1535) was an English Catholic bishop, cardinal, and theologian. Fisher was also an academic and Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. He was canonized by Pope Pius XI.
Fisher was executed by o ...
, 1997 & 1998)
*
Chris Sheasby (
Caldicott
Caldicott, also known as Vessey House and Essex Farm, is a historic home located at Rehobeth, Somerset County, Maryland, United States. It is a large frame dwelling constructed between 1784 and 1798. The house stands two stories above a raise ...
, 1978 / Radley, 1983)
*
James Simpson-Daniel
James David Simpson-Daniel (born 30 May 1982 in Stockton-on-Tees) is a former English rugby union footballer who played wing or centre for Gloucester Rugby.
He attended Red House School & Sedbergh School in the Yorkshire Dales, which has produc ...
(
Sedbergh
Sedbergh ( or ) is a town and civil parish in Cumbria, England. The 2001 census gave the parish a population of 2,705, increasing at the 2011 census to 2,765. Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, it lies about east of Kendal, nor ...
, 1999)
*
Rory Underwood
Rory Underwood, (born 19 June 1963) is an English former rugby union player, he is 's record international try scorer with 49 tries in 85 internationals between 1984 and 1996. Underwood's principal position was wing and he played 236 games for ...
(Barnard Castle, 1980)
*
Anthony Watson (St.George’s, Weybridge, 2015)
;
* Terry Price Llanelli 1963 and 64
*
Gareth Edwards
Sir Gareth Owen Edwards CBE (born 12 July 1947) is a Welsh former rugby union player who played scrum-half and has been described by the BBC as "arguably the greatest player ever to don a Welsh jersey".
In 2003, in a poll of international ...
(
Millfield, 1966)
*
Keith Jarrett (
Monmouth, 1967)
*
Craig Quinnell (
Llandovery
Llandovery (; cy, Llanymddyfri ) is a market town and community in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It lies on the River Tywi and at the junction of the A40 and A483 roads, about north-east of Carmarthen, north of Swansea and west of Brecon.
Hi ...
, 1992)
;
*
Simon Danielli (
Cheltenham, 1998)
*
Joe McPartlin (Wimbledon College, 1955,1956,1957)
;
*
Mike McCarthy
Michael John McCarthy (born November 10, 1963) is an American football coach who is the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). From 2006 to 2018, he was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers. In 2011, he led t ...
(
Sedbergh
Sedbergh ( or ) is a town and civil parish in Cumbria, England. The 2001 census gave the parish a population of 2,705, increasing at the 2011 census to 2,765. Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, it lies about east of Kendal, nor ...
, 1999)
Other notable former players include rugby coaches
Les Cusworth (
Normanton Grammar, 1970/71) and
Peter Rossborough
Peter Rossborough (born 30 June 1948) is a former a rugby union international who represented England from 1971 to 1975. He played club rugby for Coventry R.F.C. during the 1970s.
Personal life
A native of Coventry, Rossborough attended King ...
(
King Henry VIII Coventry, 1967),
Liam Botham
Liam James Botham (born 26 August 1977) is a former English sportsman who played both codes of rugby football and cricket. He is the son of England cricketer Ian Botham, the Baron Botham.
Career Cricket
Botham was born in Doncaster and initia ...
(
Rossall
Rossall is a settlement in Lancashire, England and a suburb of the market town of Fleetwood. It is situated on a coastal plain called The Fylde. Blackpool Tramway runs through Rossall, with two stations: Rossall School on Broadway and Rossall Squ ...
, 1995), horse trainer
Ian Balding
Ian Balding (born 7 November 1938) is a retired British horse trainer. He is the son of the polo player and racehorse trainer Gerald Matthews Balding and the younger brother of trainer Toby Balding. Ian Balding was born in the US, but his famil ...
(
Marlborough, 1957) and
Queen Elizabeth's grandson
Peter Phillips
Peter Mark Andrew Phillips (born 15 November 1977) is a British businessman and the son of Anne, Princess Royal, and Captain Mark Phillips. He is the eldest nephew of King Charles III, and 17th in the line of succession to the British throne.
...
(
Port Regis Prep/
Gordonstoun
Gordonstoun School is a co-educational independent school for boarding and day pupils in Moray, Scotland. It is named after the estate owned by Sir Robert Gordon in the 17th century; the school now uses this estate as its campus. It is locate ...
).
National Schools Sevens - Glories and Stories
See also
* NatWest Schools Cup
* Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament
References
External links
*{{official, http://www.rpns7.co.uk
Rugby sevens competitions in England
High school rugby union