Ads by Google Ads by Google

2013 Hawaii International Rugby Sevens tourney set for mid-December

Hawaii Pacific Rugby Federation's (HPRF) Third Annual Hawaii International Rugby Sevens Tournament (HIRS) will be held at Kapiolani Park, Oahu on Friday December 13 and Saturday December 14, 2013. HIRS is the only Rugby 7s tournament of its kind for the open division for men and women in Hawaii.  

 

The 2013 Tournament will be played at Kapiolani Rugby Field Park nestled between world-renowned Waikiki Beach and Hawaii's famous landmark, Diamond Head crater.

 

 There will be teams from Australia, USA and around the Pacific Rim participating in this year’s tournament vying for the Hawaii International Trophy. Last year’s 2012 champion, from Australia (Deadwood Club) will again defend their title in this year’s tournament.

 

The best 7s teams from Hawaii — with its reputation on the line — will again try to capture the trophy that has eluded Hawaii teams two years in a row. According to Saga Mafi, tournament president, the era of professional rugby has arrived, and this type of tournament will undoubtedly provide great opportunities for Pacific rugby players. More Pacific island rugby players now make a living in rugby than in the US National Football League and soccer combined.

 

According to MacKay Schwenke, tournament director, more and more US colleges and Universities are now offering rugby scholarships for the youth, creating more opportunities to further their education. Rugby is the second largest spectator sport in the world after soccer, and emerging as a fast growing and popular sport in the US. An estimated 4 billion viewers worldwide in over 100 countries watched the recent 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. 

 

The Hawaii International Rugby Sevens Tournament will observe the rules utilized in the current IRB HSBS 7s World Series. A team of IRB-USA Rugby certified referees will officiate the tournament.

 

 Hawaii Rugby TV will televise the Hawaii International Rugby Sevens Tournament.