The Safaricom Sevens 2010 edition will be held from 4-6th June, 2010 at the home of Kenyan Rugby – the RFUEA Grounds, Ngong Road, Nairobi, Kenya. Since its inception in 1996, the Safari Sevens tournament has continued to grow in strength as more and more quality sides express interest in attending Africa’s premier 7-a-side rugby tournament. Safaricom having taken over the title sponsorship of the event now dubbed, Safaricom Sevens, promises an even greater event.
Fourteen teams have confirmed participation in Africa’s premier rugby tournament. Defending champions, Kenya will be hard pressed to defend the main cup title they won last year after demolishing the Emerging Boks from South Africa 40-19 in the finals. With last year’s runners up Emerging Boks leading the quality field in town, this year’s tournament promises to be a highly competitive event let alone a quality one. Other teams gracing the event star team Argentina, Grenoble, Bristol, Ponsonby, Georgia as well as African sides Zimbabwe, Namibia, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana and Morocco.
New Zealand Sevens coach Gordon Tiejtens will be the tournament’s Chief Guest. David Rose, a high profile Guinness Premiership English referee will also be in the country to conduct an International Rugby Board (IRB) coaching of match officials' courses
This year’s event will also see IRB seconded officials handle all fixtures at the Safaricom Sevens 2010. Rehabilitation of the RFUEA grounds was underway and will see new stands constructed, capable of seating an additional 1,500 fans, providing a bigger and better setting for one of the region’s greatest sporting and social events of the year. Families will also not been left out either with the setting up of a family corner to enable them comfortably catch all the action.
The tournament proceedings will be aired live on leading satellite television broadcaster SuperSport, showcasing Africa’s premier Rugby Sevens tournament to millions of viewers on the African continent. You may also catch the action on www.safaricom.co.ke or www.safarisevens.com.
Terrestrial broadcaster K24 will also beam the matches live, bringing the game into the living rooms of millions of Kenyans, further raising the profile of Kenya’s fastest growing sport.
Fans will also be able to receive live updates through the tournament website as popular social networking websites Facebook and Twitter. In its quest to leave a legacy, the hosts Kenya will lead participating teams in conducting coaching clinics that will see them impart various rugby tips to budding rugby players.
