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 Beijing rugby fans and players are off this weekend to the Shanghai Sevens but the word is the action may be closer to home in the future, with a similar, international-level rugby Sevens Tournament set for the National Stadium (Bird's Nest) in Beijing. There are rumors of an International Rugby Board (IRB) World Sevens event moving into the Bird's Nest the Olympic stadium in 2008.

More may be revealed in Shanghai, where intriguing encounters will pit the local national team against the likes of last year's champs, Korea, and regional power Japan. The Philippines and Taiwan will also be in action - the former's women team is emerging as a rugby power.

There's also the club competition in Shanghai. Beijing-based China Agriculture University will be looking to retain the crown they captured last year. Also traveling from the capital, the national rugby team - which came fifth by beating Thailand - will be joined by their female counterparts (last year's champs) feared as the most potent force in women's rugby across Asia.

The Shanghai Sevens started as a regional club tournament organized by the Shanghai Rugby Football Club around 10 years ago. In 2009 the IRB approached local sports management company S2M, seeking to start a tournament in China as part of the organization's new IRB Asian Sevens Series. "The natural thing was to connect the two and develop them into a full rugby weekend that offers both club games and international IRB competition," explained S2M's Greg Turner.

The tournament aims to improve local rugby while also attracting star international teams, similarly to the annual Hong Kong Sevens. "Our club tournament now has a strong contingent of local teams from universities across China together with the standard band of expat clubs. The Asian Sevens are already getting the top national teams from across China, but we are looking to develop this into a more global tournament along the lines of the Dubai Sevens."

Aside from the national team players coming to compete in the IRB Asian Sevens Series and the standard expat club teams Shanghai will host a growing roster of Chinese university teams from across the country. "A lot of these teams tend to come from the Northeast of China, but in no way are they limited to that region," said Turner.

"This is the most inspiring group of players for me personally because it shows how much rugby has really taken hold in certain parts of Chinese society."

That's good news for the IRB and the Asian Rugby Football Union, which, said Turner, are "major partners" of the tournament. "The China Rugby Football Union are also great partners and heavily involved in organizing the tournament."

What about getting sponsors? "We have done a good job of getting a great and diverse roster of very supportive sponsors. I think the key is delivering a real stand out event that offers a wealth of entertainment, not just the game on the field." Hence a kids play area and a live music stage.

"Sponsors see this engagement we are trying to develop with our fans and they want to get involved. This engagement is not too common for sporting events in China."

For all the tournament details see: www.shanghai7s.com