American Ambassador’s Sevens 2.0 on Saturday

Friday morning preview – any updates and amendments will be made below as received.

The second and final leg of the Wellington Rugby Football Union’s American Ambassador’s Sevens tournament is at Trentham Memorial Park on Saturday.

Points from last weekend’s opening leg at Rugby league Park and Te Whaea roll over, heading to crossover semi-finals and finals for the American Ambaasador’s Trophy (men’s) and Eleonor Roosevelt Cup (women’s) at the end of the day.

This week’s fields see tweaked entries lists. Johnsonville join the men’s tournament in place of Horowhenua-Kapiti visitors Waikanae to make a 12-team event.

These men’s teams are: Avalon, Johnsonville, Marist St Pat’s, Northern United, Old Boys University, Oriental-Rongotai, Paremata-Plimmerton Red and Black, Pōneke, the Upper Hutt Rams, the Wellington Axemen and Manawatū Club Combined. The latter are ineligible to win the title.

Of Wellington’s Premier men’s clubs, no Petone, Hutt Old Boys Marist, Wainuiomata or Tawa.

A six-team women’s tournament is scheduled this week, up from five last Saturday, and with changes.

From last week, Northern United and Stokes Valley drop out, while Oriental-Rongotai, Pōneke and Wainuiomata come in.

Teams and draw subject to change – see the link below.

View the draw and live results at: https://xplorer.rugby/american-ambassador-7s/fixtures-results?team=All&comp=Lq2idvBPou8XcD6an&season=All&tab=Fixtures

As per the schedule, the men’s round-robin action concludes at 11.120am before the crossover matches start. The two men’s semi-finals are at 1.40pm and the Cup final is at 2.2opm. The women’s tournament finishes at 1.00pm, ahead of semi-finals at 1.40pm and 2.00pm and the final at 2.40pm.

The day’s action will be played across three fields.

Heading into the day’s action, the Upper Hutt Rams and Paremata-Plimmerton Black (men’s) and Petone (women’s) are the unbeaten sides. The points after last week follow (* teams didn’t play last week).

Men’s Pool A: Paremata-Plimmerton Black 19, Oriental-Rongotai 15, Old Boys University 10, Waikanae 5, Avalon 5, Northern United 5, Jonsonville 0*

Men’s Pool B: Upper Hutt Rams 20, Paremata-Plimmerton Red 12, Manawatu Club Combined 10, Poneke 7, Marist St Pat’s 7, Wellington Axemen 3

Women’s: Petone 17, Stokes Valley 13, Marist St Pat’s 13, Paremata-Plimmerton 9, Norths 4, Avalon 0, Pōneke 0*, Oriental-Rongotai 0*, Wainuiomata 0*

Last year saw Paremata-Plimmerton win their maiden American Ambassador’s Trophy title, in what was a one-day event in 2023, while Petone became the seventh different winner in the past eight women’s tournaments. No women’s club has won it back-to-back since 2015, while MSP (2017 and 2022) and Ories (2015 and 2020) are the two clubs to have won the Eleonor Roosevelt Cup twice in that tme.

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American Ambassador’s Trophy – background:

The original (recently replaced by a new one) American Ambassador’s Trophy was presented in 1967 by John F Henning who was US Ambassador to New Zealand in the 1960s. From 1967 until 1998 this tournament was held at Trentham Memorial Park on a Sunday in February as a precursor to the Regional Sevens held in Feilding in mid-March, followed by the Sevens Nationals a week or two later.

Tony Meachen took over as Wellington Sevens Coach in 1998 with John Willis as Manager at a time when Wellington had slipped to the “B” division at the Nationals. In 1999 Meachen and Willis drove the formation of The Local Point Series (named after the chain of taverns/cafes/sports bars), played over three rounds and with points awarded in each round.

The Ambassador’s Trophy was still the premier trophy and won by the winner of the either the first or last round – meaning you could win the Local Point Series but not necessarily the Ambassador’s Trophy. The final of the Ambassador’s Trophy was played as a curtain raiser to a NPC match at Wellington Stadium for a number of years.

Recent winners (since 2015):

Men’s

2023: Paremata-Plimmerton

2022: Upper Hutt Rams and Oriental-Rongotai shared

2021: No tournament (Covid)

2020: Northern United

2019: Hutt Old Boys Marist

2018: Northern United

2017: Upper Hutt Rams

2016: Upper Hutt Rams

2015: Upper Hutt Rams

Women’s:

2023: Petone

2022: Marist St Pat’s

2021: No tournament (Covid)

2020: Oriental-Rongotai

2019: Old Boys University

2018: Northern United

2017: Marist St Pat’s

2016: St Mary’s College

2015: Oriental-Rongotai

Also on this weekend – catch the replay later on Saturday when you get home from the sevens:

Aisle be Back: All Blacks v Ireland