Club sevens series looms

A CLUB sevens series has been organised as the spotlight starts to fall on the shorter version of the game.

A women’s and men’s club series is planned which will lead into the selection of the Otago side, and the regional and national tournaments.

The Otago union had a day of club sevens last year but it has grown this season and there was expected to be strong interest.

The women’s competition will play on Friday nights, starting on September 21 and running until October 12.

The men’s competition will start on September 29 and have another day on October 6.

It cannot be played any earlier due to representative commitments.

There will be pool play to start with which will finish with finals at the end of the day.

The national sevens calendar has been restructured this season and the national tournament will now played before Christmas.

It used to be played in mid January. Players and coaches found the date difficult having to fit around holiday commitments.

That should be easier, however, with the change of dates. The national tournament has also been shifted to Tauranga from Rotorua. It will be played in the middle of December.

The regional tournament in Timaru, at which the South Island qualifiers for the national tournament are found, is scheduled to be played in the first weekend of December.