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The biggest event of its kind ever staged in the North gets underway at Macclesfield RUFC on Friday (July 10) with the launch of the inaugural Manchester Sevens.

The three-day programme includes six different sevens tournaments, with the Legends Cup, which gives some of the more senior celebrities a chance to test their fitness, getting proceedings underway on Friday evening from 6.15pm.

The main feature will be undoubtably be the International Invitation Cup, which raises the competitive bar on Saturday from 1pm, when a £6,000 first prize will ensure that elite teams have plenty of incentive.
Lining up in the elite competition sees a host of top European sides looking to be the first name on the cup.

Group A will see an interesting match up between the Kooga Wailers and Les Bleus who have both enjoyed notable wins at Carrick and Stanislas respectively.

Group B sees quality sides such as Marauders, Ronin Impact and SLB Rugby from Portugal all out to make inroads, whilst Samurai Intenrational should be favourites in Group C with a strong Kiwi contingent with the likes of Edwin Cocker, Chad Shepherd, Neli Sasulu, and also a youngster with huge potential in the shape of Christian Wade of Wasps and England Under 18 who impressed at Bournemouth and the Rossyln Park Floodlit.

Group D is arguably the tightest with local boys Sale Sharks and British Army particularly being tough to beat whilst Ben Foden’s side, Mighty Minnows, and the West Country Cavaliers will be no pushovers.

With a wealth of international rugby sevens talent on show, there will be some exceptional competition over the two days of that event.

Not that the competitors involved in the four other sections, which begin at 10am on Saturday, will be lacking in motivation. They will be battling their way through a non-stop programme with a place in the finals on Sunday afternoon their target.

Finals are scheduled for 5pm on Sunday, but before then, visitors will have a wide range of attractions to occupy them, with the back-up activities combining to provide an extraordinary package.

For patrons keen to savour every moment, there will be camping facilities to ensure a major party occasion, with a host of attractions to guarantee that every minute spent at the event is a fun-packed experience.

There will also be a major charity component to proceedings, supporting two great rugby associated charities – Wooden Spoon and SOS Kit Aid – both set to benefit from the event.

MR7s International Invitation Cup Draw 2009

Group A

1.Macclesfield RUFC

2.Kooga Wailers

3.Les Bleus France

4.Inside Runners

Group B

5.Akuma Scorpions

6.Marauders

7.SLB Rugby (Portugal)

8.Ronin Impact

Group C

9.Onfire 7s

10.Samurai International

11.Sedgley Tigers

12.Koru Kamikaze

Group D

13.West Country Cavaliers

14.Sale Sharks

15.British Army

16.Mighty Minnows