With the XVs season now completed, Shetland Rugby Club have turned their attention to the organisation of their own sevens tournament, which this year will be held over the weekend of 16-18 June and also happens to be the 21st sevens event staged by the club.

The tournament continues to attract considerable interest from mainland teams and the club is therefore delighted to have once again secured significant sponsorship from BP and their partners in the Sullom Voe Oil Terminal.

Terminal manager Neil McCracken, himself a former Stirling County rugby player, was delighted to be continuing the sponsorship, which is now in its 3rd year. "We are pleased to once again be the main sponsors to the 2006 Shetland Mid Summer Sevens Rugby Event. With this being the club's twenty-first sevens tournament we are sure that it will once again be a huge success and that the club will be able to build upon this in what will be its third season in the national leagues".

There will be some minor changes to the event format this year, which will primarily involve the ladies tournament running concurrently with the men's on the Saturday. Friday evening will again be an open touch rugby tournament, while the whole of Sunday will be given over to the survivor rugby matches and fun games.

On the entertainment side, there will once again be live music throughout Sunday afternoon, while the beer tent and BBQ will be open all weekend. Players will also have a disco and dinner to attend as part of the event.
The club is hopeful of attracting new players, whether they are men, ladies or juniors, into the club this summer. It is therefore hoping to organise some taster sessions prior to the sevens, while consideration is also being given to holding rugby road shows throughout Shetland during the summer months.

In addition to the main sponsorship received from BP and its partners, Shetland Rugby Club is also indebted to Northlink Ferries who provide sponsorship towards the cost of the 50 or so visiting players expected to travel north.

Martin Watt
0789 999 0580.