News

Counties Manukau Rugby and Karaka Rugby Club have joined forces to host the Middlesex County William Wavell Wakefield Cup National Club Sevens tournament in 2024.

It will be the first time since 2021 the tournament has been hosted, with Ardmore Marist being the last to win the title. 

The competition will see the various club winners from each provincial union’s own club sevens competition competing for the right to be called the top club sevens team in the country.

Special invitation sides could also feature depending on the number of entries.

The tournament will take place at the Karaka Sports Complex from 9am on Saturday 10 February 2024.

The tournament is limited to 16 teams.

Event information and updates will be added here. 

ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT

The Middlesex Cup sevens tournament was hosted by the Middlesex RFC at Twickenham each year from 1925. In 1949 the Middlesex Union offered cups in its name to the “Dominions of Colonies” and Middlesex Wavell Wakefield Cups were accepted by New Zealand, Australia and Rhodesia.

Brought to New Zealand by the manager of the British Lions, L.B. (Ginger) Osborne, in 1950, the tournament was started in Dunedin in 1951 and first won by local club Zingari-Richmond. It fell away in the 1990s and wasn’t contested for a decade up to its revival in 2006.

Traditionally, clubs win the opportunity to compete for the National Club 7s title by winning their Provincial Union 7s tournament and by invitation from the host club. The title holders then hold the rights to host the following tournament.

PREVIOUS WINNERS (NOT PLAYED FOR IN 2012, 2022 & 2023)

2010 Otago University (Dunedin)

2011 Burnham (Canterbury)

2013 Pakuranga (Auckland)

2014 Rangataua (Bay of Plenty)

2015 Wainuiomata (Wellington)

2016 Melville (Waikato)

2017 Eden (Auckland)

2018 Eden (Auckland)

2019 Northern United (Wellington)

2020  Ardmore Marist (Counties Manukau)

2021  Ardmore Marist (Counties Manukau)