Hamilton Mayor Andrew King with some of the All Blacks Sevens players at the civic welcome in Hamilton last year. Photo / Peter Tiffany
Hamilton Mayor Andrew King with some of the All Blacks Sevens players at the civic welcome in Hamilton last year. Photo / Peter Tiffany
The flags are up, the teams are arriving, and Hamilton is preparing for another dose of HSBC World Sevens rugby fever.
FMG Stadium Waikato will host its second HSBC NZ Sevens tournament this weekend.
This year's tournament features the addition of a Fast Four women's tournament, the first time the Black Ferns Sevens will compete in New Zealand.
The All Blacks Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens will host a free public barbecue breakfast tomorrow (Tuesday) from 9am to 11am in Garden Place, providing an opportunity to meet players and buy tournament tickets.
On Friday evening Hamilton launches the tournament with the Kick-Off Carnival in Garden Place from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.
There will be entertainment, food, a presentation to the teams and an opportunity for people to add credit to the digital wristbands used pay for food, drinks and merchandise at the tournament.
The Sevens will be a cashless event, with patrons using special wristbands to buy items at the stadium.
Mayor Andrew King will make a brief presentation to team members and TV personality James McOnie will be MC.
A fan at last year's event in Hamilton. Dressing up in colourful costumes is a Sevens tradition. Photo /Tom Rowland
"We wanted to mark the start of the Sevens weekend with a free and fun launch event, and give people a taste of what's in store at FMG Stadium Waikato over the two days of the tournament," says the council's general manager of major events and venues, Sean Murray.
"It's important to us to give the teams, officials and supporters a warm welcome to Hamilton." he says.
"This is the hottest ticket of the summer – and we've got a few double passes to the event to give away on Friday night," he says.
There will be additional traffic management around FMG Stadium on Saturday and Sunday. From the south end of Hamilton's central business district fans may catch a free shuttle from Hood St to Tristram St between 10am and 4pm.
Hamilton's regular central city liquor ban has been extended for the Sevens weekend, covering streets around the stadium.
Residents can still carry unopened alcohol to and from residential homes.
Hamilton is the host city for the Sevens through a partnership involving Hamilton City Council, NZ Rugby and events company 37 South.
