And the crowd goes wild, in last year's Hawke's Bay Paladin Sevens in Waipukurau. This year's tournament, on February 19, has attracted 31 entries. Photo / NZME
And the crowd goes wild, in last year's Hawke's Bay Paladin Sevens in Waipukurau. This year's tournament, on February 19, has attracted 31 entries. Photo / NZME
The Central Hawke's Bay Rugby and Sports Club is still planning to stage the Hawke's Bay Paladin Sevens Tournament after receiving 31 entries for the annual event scheduled for Central Park, Waipukurau, on February 19.
Entries have closed, with 20 teams in the men's grade, six in the women's gradeand five in the Colts grade, chasing increased prize money and attracting teams from as far as Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Wellington.
A club spokesperson says further entries are likely to be accepted, especially in the women's and Colts grades, and while the club is continuing to work on the staging of the event within the rules of the red setting and confident it will take place, the final decision might not be made until a few days before the tournament.
The tournament has been an annual feature of Hawke's Bay rugby since it was first held as the Waipawa Sevens almost 40 years ago.
The team that travelled the furthest got the most when Auckland Nadi Blues won a final full of Fijian flair.
The men's grade, around which the tournament was founded, ended last year without a Hawke's Bay team in the major final, for a third year in a row. Auckland Nadi Blues beat Rotorua Fijians 21-5 to claim the Ian Baker Memorial Cup A Grade title.
