The Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens is an English rugby union sevens tournament, organised by Rosslyn Park F.C., that has evolved into the world's largest rugby tournament with some 9,500 boys and girls aged 13 – 19 competing annually from over 800 schools. There are now well over 1,100 matches on the 5 groups of pitches (each one having its own Ground Management Team) every year. A separate tournament for the U11 age group takes place the week before.
Originally a tournament played amongst British public schools, the tournament has evolved and expanded over the years and now accepts sides from all over the world. Countries from which schools have participated included Canada, China, Denmark, Guernsey, Hungary, India, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Kenya, Nigeria, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Spain, and the Ukraine as well as England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
NS7 Open Titles
Format
The play for the tournament is centred on Wimbledon Common and adjoining land to the south, where there are 24 pitches having outgrown the original home of the tournament at Rosslyn Park's home ground at nearby Priory Lane. All the pitches are close together and there is just a short walk between them all.
Each Tournament has a similar format of Group matches on the first day with possibly a knockout round or two. The second day is for the knockout rounds, which culminate in the relevant Final. The Junior Tournament and the Preparatory Tournament (both under 13s) start on the Monday, the Festival (one term rugby schools) starts Tuesday, the Colts (under 16s) Wednesday, and the Girls Tournament and Open Tournament (both under 18s) start on Thursday.
History
There has been some recent speculation (November 2008) about the reasons for the Schools 7s' inception. Research by Richard Cable of the BBC shows that Rosslyn Park started holiday games for schoolboys following the Great War. These were held in January and were believed to be in commemoration of Rosslyn Park members killed in action. This was the beginning of a strong link between the club and youth rugby – something that continues to this day. In 1938, it was known that an internal tournament took place at the club in which members played as old boys representing their schools. The following year, and possibly as a result of some disagreement among the members as to whose school was better at "rugger", the Schools 7s was born.
The event was first held in 1939 and has been held every year since, becoming one of the oldest continuous tournaments for schools and the oldest ongoing schoolboy rugby tournament in England. The first tournament was won by St George's School, Harpenden, which was a fee-paying independent school at that time. It was intended to be a knock-out competition for English public schools but as interest grew it was extended to include state schools (both grammar and comprehensive) and preparatory schools. The format was also changed into pool groups so that no U16 or girls side played fewer than three matches and no U18 boys side fewer than four. Almost all the founding 16 schools compete to this day and, although it remains an invitation event, no eligible school would be refused entry upon application. In 1956, the Preparatory Schools competition was started for IAPS schools and in 1973 the Juniors (U13s) were held for the first time. In March 1997, a new competition was introduced for the U16s and it has been the policy during the past few years to invite schools from overseas who may be touring the UK to play in the tournament. Each year the number of schools applying increases. In 1998, the first girls (U18) competition was inaugurated, and a recent popular inclusion has been a sevens challenge match between Old Boys RFCs, the first of which was between Ampleforth and Millfield, who between them have won the senior tournaments a remarkable 21 times.