Watch: the Asian club 7s tournament where Jonah Lomu made his international debut
… Before the late Jonah Lomu stormed onto the world rugby scene at the Hong Kong Sevens, he actually made his international debut at the Singapore Cricket Club International Rugby Sevens.
Played every year on the iconic Padang (literally, the field) in the heart of downtown Singapore, the SCC Sevens is the oldest club sevens event in Asia and the third-oldest sevens event in the world. And as the teams from across the globe kick-off this weekend, fans will be partying in the Singapore sun as the tournament celebrates its 70th year.
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The iconic Lomu, who went on to score 37 tries from 63 tests with the All Blacks, described visiting Singapore when he was just 14 years old, alongside fellow All Blacks Sevens legend Eric Rush.
“I was playing with Eric Rush at the time and he didn’t realise how young I was until he looked at my passport”.
The SCC Sevens is affectionately known as the ‘Friendly Sevens’ and in addition to Lomu and Rush, All Blacks’ Hall of Famer Tana Umaga and South Africa’s former World Player of the Year Cecil Afrika have graced the Padang on their ascendency to rugby stardom.
In this, it’s 70th year, all eyes will be on Fijian powerhouse Daveta, boasting a number of players from Fiji’s historic 2016 Rio Olympics Sevens gold-medal winning squad.
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Alongside six-time champions Daveta, this year’s tournament will feature 15 teams competing for the prestigious Ablitt Cup, including development sides from France, Hong Kong and Sweden; Papua New Guinea’s InterOil Turagu; Japan’s Tamariva; 2014 winner Borneo Eagles from Malaysia; and Tribe 7s Australia, essentially the Australian Sevens Development team. Perth’s Palmyra, one of several club teams from around the Southeast Asia region, will make its 40th trip to Singapore to join hosts SCC in their celebrations.
“The SCC Sevens is embedded in Singapore rugby culture and is one of the key rugby events on our calendar not to be missed,” says Terence Khoo, President of the Singapore Rugby Union. “With the recent success of the HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens and Super Rugby, Singapore is emerging as a rugby hub in Asia and the SCC Sevens adds to this with world-class teams and high profile players competing. To have not one but two iconic sevens events in Singapore is truly a testament to the passion and dedication all involved have in ensuring that rugby continue to flourish and adapt in the changing times.”
For those rugby fans lucky enough to be living in or passing through Singapore this weekend, early bird tickets are on sale at www.apactix.com and are priced at S$20 for an adult three day pass and S$10 for under-18s. An adult pass will be S$30 when purchased at the door from November 3. All tickets exclude a S$1 booking fee.
About the Singapore Cricket Club (SCC)
Established in 1852, the Singapore Cricket Club today counts itself as one of the premier sports and social clubs in Asia. It is the second oldest sports club in Singapore and stands at the centre of the city’s colonial heart and the glamorous skyline of the business district. The SCC entertains 13 sports sections, of which, six hold major internationally acclaimed tournaments annually on the world famous “Padang”.
About the SCC International Rugby 7s
The Singapore Cricket Club International Rugby 7s is organized by the Singapore Cricket Club and is one of the oldest invitational team sports event in Asia. It is the second oldest international Rugby 7s tournament in the world, second to the original home of the 7s, Melrose in Scotland.
What began as a humble tournament for Singaporean and Malaysian teams in the 1940s has grown to be regarded as a spectator-friendly tournament. The Singapore Cricket Club International Rugby 7s celebrates its 70th edition this year, and promises to feature high playing standards from teams all across the world. Continuing the development of rugby in Singapore, the Club also conducts coaching clinics along with youth sponsorships to expand and support youth rugby.
Featured Video Credit: SCC 7s on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgUeW0Xvteu1CbvBBu5vIlw
Comments on RugbyPass
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments