Sevens at Villagers
For South African schools the 15-a-side game is over. It’s time for Sevens.
One of South Africa’s oldest Sevens rugby tournament kicks off its 51st anniversary – the Villager Sevens taking place again at the famous club’s headquarters, Brookside in Claremont on Friday, 23 August 2019. It lays claim to being the longest unbroken schools’ Sevens tournament in the world.
There are 24 teams down to take part, including six teams made up from disadvantaged communities.
The tournament owes its existence to two great rugby men – Villagers, Western Province and Springbok players Dave Stewart and the late John Gainsford.
The tournament kicks off at 14.00 and heads towards two finals, first the Plate and then the Trophy, which is scheduled to start at around 20.40.
Rugby idealist Dave Stewart will be at the Sevens again this year for the 51st time. His message to those who play and those who watch is: “Enjoy the Schools Sevens and remember good passing (not chicken wing or long loopy) is the key to great rugby.”
Tournament director, Villager stalwart Bobby Blows, said: “When this tournament was started in 1969, no one could have imagined that 51 years later this tournament is still an important event in many school’s rugby calendars.”
Some notables who have played over the years include cricketing brothers Gary and Peter Kirsten, Percy Montgomery, Gio Aplon, Dillyn Leyds, Kabamba Floors, Robbie Fleck, Mzwandile Stick, Brent Russell, Rob Louw, Dion O’Cuinneagain, Kyle Brown, Dylan Sage and Sikhumbuzo Notshe.
The weather was in danger of becoming a tradition, as it rained on the Villager Sevens year after year but this year the forecast says that it will not rain on a day when the top temperature will be 21°C dropping to 12°C.
Participating Teams
Bishops A, Bishops B, Connect Sports Academy, Curro Durbanville, Excelsior, Fish Hoek, Jag Invitational, Langa, Milnerton, Plumstead, Paarl Boys High, Paarl Gym A, Paarl Gym B, Rondebosch, Sacs A, Sacs B, Stellenberg, Strand, Tygerberg Hoërskool, Tygerberg RFC, Usasazo, Wynberg A, Wynberg B, Zishukanyo
Winners Down the Years
Villager Sevens Trophy Winners
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 RFC
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
2018: Bishops
Villager Sevens Plate Winners
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 RFC B
1985: St George’s
1986: Voortrekker
1987: Rondebosch B
1988: Plumstead A
1989: St George’s
1990: SACS B
1991: Lagunya RFC
1992: Windsor
1993: Fish Hoek A
1994: Primrose RFC
1995: Primrose RFC
1996: Lagunya RFC
1997: Bishops B
1998: Voortrekker
1999: Fish Hoek A
2000: Groote Schuur
2001: Lagunya RFC
2002: Jan van Riebeeck
2003: SACS B
2004: Fish Hoek
2005: Reddam
2006: Tygerberg RFC B
2007: No Plate Competition
2008: Zwaanswyk
2009: Excelsior
2010: Temperance RFC
2011: Bishops C
2012: Tygerberg Hoërskool B
2013: Wynberg
2014: Milnerton
2015: SACS A
2016: SACS A
2017: SACS B
2018: Strand
