Middlesex Sevens

The Middlesex Sevens was a Rugby Sevens tournament held annually at Twickenham stadium in London, England until 2011. It was first held in 1926, and started by Dr J.A. Russell-Cargill, a London-based Scot.[1] The event was held at the end of the rugby union season in May every year for 75 years and moved to August in 2001 due to lack of available stadium dates and players in May. The Middlesex Sevens tournament was last played in 2011, as the new Premiership Rugby 7s Series caused many of the top clubs that previously took part to pull out.

This Rugby Sevens tournament was a charitable event, officially called the Middlesex Charity Sevens, with the beneficiaries being Wooden Spoon and the RFU's RFU Injured Players Fund. Middlesex Charity Sevens has raised over £10 million for charities.

It was famously won by non-rugby union side Wigan (rugby league) in 1996.

Players

The Middlesex Sevens has seen many notable great players take the field including Waisale Serevi, Eric Rush, Lawrence Dallaglio, Henry Paul, Robbie Paul, Clive Woodward, Will Carling, JPR Williams, Prince Alexander Obolensky, Frank Whitcombe, David Sole, Va'aiga Tuigamala, Martin Offiah, Ben Gollings, Simon Amor, David Strettle, Josh Lewsey, Andy Ripley and Ollie Phillips amongst others.

History

Traditionally the Middlesex Sevens was an invitation tournament with entertainment derived from overseas and qualifying sides challenging the rugby union top teams. In 2005 the tournament became a twelve team competition with Rugby Premiership teams only participating. In 2008 the tournament reverted to sixteen teams. The 2010 final was played between London Irish who fielded three Armitage brothers and ULR Samurai with a strong international contingent. Brazil was amongst the teams invited to take part in the 2011 Vauxhall Middlesex Charity 7s. The Final was played between Esher RFC and Samurai.

Two rugby league clubs have won the Middlesex Sevens: firstly Wigan, who brought a star-studded team including Offiah, Shaun Edwards, Andy Farrell, Tuigamala and a young Jason Robinson to Twickenham in 1996 as a tune-up before the union leg of their historic Clash of the Codes series against Bath. Wigan were joined on the honours list by Bradford Bulls, champions in 2002.[2]

The Women's Middlesex 7s was introduced in 2011, the final year of the tournament, and was won by Wooden Spoon Women.

List of winners

By wins
Team Titles Years of Titles Won
Harlequins 14 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1933, 1935, 1967, 1978, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2008
Richmond 9 1951, 1953, 1955, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1983
London Welsh 8 1930, 1931, 1956, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1984
London Scottish 7 1937, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1991
London Wasps 5 1948, 1952, 1985, 1993, 2006
Loughborough Colleges 5 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1976
St. Mary's Hospital 5 1940, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946
Rosslyn Park 4 1947, 1950, 1954, 1981
Barbarians 3 1934, 1997, 1998
Blackheath 2 1932, 1958
British Army 2 2001, 2004
Penguins 2 1999, 2000
ULR Samurai 2 2010, 2011
St Luke's College 2 1957, 1969
Bath 1 1994
Bradford Bulls (RL) 1 2002
Cambridge University 1 1941
Cardiff 1 1939
Gloucester 1 2005
Heriot's FP 1 1949
Leicester Tigers 1 1995
London Irish 1 2009
Metropolitan Police 1 1938
Newcastle Falcons 1 2007
Northampton Saints 1 2003
Nottingham 1 1945
Sale 1 1936
Stewart's Melville FP 1 1982
Western Samoa 1 1992
Wigan (RL) 1 1996

See also

References
  1. Bath, Scotland Rugby Miscellany, p82
  2. "Bulls wins Sevens". BBC Sport. 17 August 2002. Retrieved 7 April 2020.

Bibliography
  • Bath, Richard (editor) The Scotland Rugby Miscellany (Vision Sports Publishing, 2007 ISBN 1-905326-24-6)
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