THIS WEEKEND
Saturday, July 30:
Marin Highlanders HS Sevens in Corte Madera
Sunday, July 31:
Treasure Island Touch Tournament at Sheeran Field
NEXT WEEKEND
For the USA Rugby Club Sevens Championships (men and women) at the SF/Golden Gate facilities August 6-7, we could use a few more volunteers to help out with AR, In-Goal and Fourth Official duties.
With two tournaments going on, it’ll take about twenty people in toto to fulfill these obligations and we are a little short. Please reply if you haven’t already, if you could help out either or both days.
CH-CH-CHANGES
Reno Sevens, originally July 30, CANCELED
Samoan Flag Day fifteens tournament, was August 6, now August 13 in San Francisco
Bloomfield Cup (fifteens), originally August 5-6, now Labor Day Weekend
Fiji Day Sevens at SFGG, originally October 7-8, now October 14-15
PALO ALTO SEVENS SERIES SWAN SONG
The third and, unfortunately, last iteration of this year’s Palo Alto sevens was played this past Saturday.
The event got off with a bang: the first kickoff at 8:43 AM hit the cheating referee directly in the nose when the kicker switch-footed it to the ‘weak’ side. Bruce Carter blew his whistle and stopped the clock with two seconds having elapsed, reassembled his wits, and went with another kickoff rather than a scrum for ball hitting the ref.
Soon sideline calls for a blood sub were heard as a trickle of claret appeared. Of course, those calling were merely jealous referees who wished they’d been able to get a game kicked off early!
Lots o’refs!
Phil Akroyd, Rich Boyer, Bruce Carter, Mike Gadoua, Rhoan Laymon (PNW), Tony Maphosa (PNW), Stephen Moore, Craig Parish (PNW), Edward Parkin (AZ), Eric Rauscher, Bruce Ricard, Brad Richey, Lee Salgado, Pete Smith, Bjorn Stumer, Chris Tucker, JC Van Staden, Scott Wood, Tom Zanarini.
Also on hand to assess Sevens competency for the next day’s course were Mike Malone and David Williamson, assisted part-time by Parish and Carter.
It was as perfect day: sun, Sevens, camaraderie and a post-match picnic. Who needs to go home?
IRB REFEREEING SEVENS COURSE DEBUTS
The IRB introduced a course for Sevens referees late last year. It had been taught once previously, by Mark Aitkenhead and Dana Teagarden in Germany, and this past Sunday it was rolled out at the Doyle Family Clubhouse at Stanford.
Bruce Carter, Mike Malone and Aruna Ranaweera were fortunate to have a roomful of fifteen knowledgeable, eager and attentive students. Tim Day flew up from SoCal pre-dawn to join the group, having worked a qualifier tournament down there on Saturday.
We now a corps of formally-trained folks to help with AR and In-goal duties for the club sevens championships coming up. Tim Day and Tony Maphosa will be flying back to join us, and they will be joined by visitors LuAnn Campbell and Ann Kristoffersen.
INTERNATIONAL HOSTING
Four Japanese, two referees, a manager and a SO, will be spending the first week of August in San Francisco prior to the big Sevens weekend on Treasure Island.
They will be staying in the financial district of San Francisco. If you’d like to squire them around, show them your favorite vista or take them to your favorite restaurant, we are sure that would be much appreciated.
If you have depended on the hospitality of strangers on exchange before, you’ll know what a wonderful part of our game it is. And if not – then you have a chance to pay it forward.
Let us know if you can help, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, August 3-4-5.
THIS WEEK’S PHOTO
Phil Akroyd receives his Grizzly from David Williamson in recognition of having attained the Territorial Panel this past season.
HAIL, PELICUS!
For the Senate
Pelicus Scriptoris
