Villager Sevens turns 50!
On Friday, 31 August, the 50th tournament of the Villager Sevens will take place at the famous club at Brookside in Claremont.
The brain child of Springbok centres and close friends, Dave Stewart and the late John Gainsford, the first Sevens took place in 1969.
It soon took off and was a great afternoon-evening on the schoolboy rugby calendar, a glorious ending to the season, always the Friday after the last full fixtures.
It has always been an exciting, action-packed tournament. It has often been associated with rainy weather an d there is the remote possibility of some rain on Friday, at a time when rain is most welcome in the Cape. The temperatures forecast are a high of 17°C and a low of 10°C. But its fun to be warm and there are facilities available for friendly refreshment.
It is always a great occasion.
Dave Stewart, who will be there, said of it: "This will be a proud day for all of the Villager members who contributed to our Schools Sevens which has successfully survived for 50 years."
It is the oldest schools Sevens Rugby tournament in South Africa and the longest unbroken schools Sevens tournament in the world. It has always been special.
Some notables who have played over the years include brothers Gary and Peter Kirsten, Percy Montgomery, Gio Aplon, Dillyn Leyds, Kabambe Floors, Robbie Fleck, Mzwandile Stick, Brent Russell, Rob Louw, Dion O' Cuinneagain, Kyle Brown, Dylan Sage and Sikhumbuzo Notshe.
The tournament kicks off at 14.0 on Friday and there will be 24 teams taking part. The final is around 20.40. And it costs nothing to get in. It will be a celebration.
Teams: Bishops, SACS, Rondebosch, Fish Hoek, Plumstead, Bergvliet, Tygerberg Club, Jag Invitational, Bellville South, Langa, Milnerton, Usasazo Secondary, Tygerberg School, Ziishukanyo Secondary School, Paarl Gim, Durbanville his, Bellville Technical, Curro Durbanville and Strand High School.
Winners Down the Years
Villager Sevens Trophy
1969: Wynberg
1970: Rondebosch
1971: Plumstead
1972: Rondebosch
1973: SACS
1974: Wynberg
1975: Rondebosch
1976: Bishops
1977: Rondebosch
1978: Bishops
1979: Bishops
1980: Plumstead
1981: Bishops
1982: Bishops B
1983: Bishops
1984: Rondebosch
1985: Bishops
1986: Bishops
1987: Bishops
1988: Bishops
1989: Bishops
1990: Wynberg
1991: Rondebosch
1992: Bishops
1993: Bishops
1994: Wynberg
1995: Kings College, New Zealand
1996: Bishops
1997: Northerns
1998: SACS
1999: Bishops
2000: Rondebosch
2001: Rondebosch
2002: Bishops
2003: Bishops
2004: Tygerberg RFC
2005: Bishops
2006: Bishops
2007: SACS
2008: Wynberg
2009: Bishops A
2010: Tygerberg Hoërskool
2011: Wynberg
2012: Tygerberg Hoërskool
2013: Tygerberg Hoërskool
2014: Tygerberg Hoërskool
2015: Paarl Gim
2016: Paarl Gim
2017: Bishops
Plate Competition
1975: Westerford A
1976: Lansdowne
1977: Fish Hoek
1978: Pinelands
1979: Westerford A
1980: Bergvliet
1981: Rondebosch B
1982: Camps Bay
1983: Voortrekker
1984: Northerns B
1985: St George’s
1986: Voortrekker
1987: Rondebosch B
1988: Plumstead A
1989: St George’s
1990: SACS B
1991: Lagunya
1992: Windsor
1993: Fish Hoek A
1994: Primrose
1995: Primrose
1996: Lagunya
1997: Bishops B
1998: Voortrekker
1999: Fish Hoek A
2000: Groote Schuur
2001: Lagunya
2002: Jan van Riebeeck
2003: SACS B
2004: Fish Hoek
2005: Reddam
2006: Tygerberg B
2007: No Plate Competition
2008: Zwaanswyk
2009: Excelsior
2010: Temperance
2011: Bishops C
2012: Tygerberg Hoërskool B
2013: Wynberg
2014: Milnerton
2015: SACS A
2016: SACS A
2017: SACS B
Photo: Dave Stewart with the winners, Tygerberg