Middlesex Sevens
The Middlesex Sevens is a rugby union sevens tournament held annually at Twickenham stadium in London, England. It was first held in 1926. The event was held at the end of the rugby union season in May every year for 75 years and moved to August in 2001 due to lack of available stadium dates and players in May.
This Rugby Union tournament is a charitable event, now officially called the Middlesex Charity Sevens, with the current beneficiaries being The RFU Charitable Trust and the PRA Benevolent Fund.
The Middlesex Sevens has seen many notable great players take the field including Waisale Serevi, Eric Rush, Lawrence Dallaglio, Henry Paul, Robbie Paul, Clive Woodward, Will Carling, JPR Williams, Prince Alexander Obolensky, Va'aiga Tuigamala, Martin Offiah, Ben Gollings, Simon Amor, David Strettle, Josh Lewsey and Andy Ripley amongst others.
Traditionally the Middlesex Sevens has been an invitation tournament with entertainment derived from overseas and qualifying sides challenging the rugby union top teams. In 2005 the tournament became a twelve team competition with Guinness Premiership teams only participating. This attracted criticism with Rugby League sides no longer invited and the further lack of diversity in terms of domestic and overseas teams.
The 2008 tournament saw the return of invitation sides with The Ospreys, Newport Gwent Dragons and the British Army. The Current Champions are London Irish.
List of Winners
- 1926 Harlequins
- 1927 Harlequins
- 1928 Harlequins
- 1929 Harlequins
- 1930 London Welsh
- 1931 London Welsh
- 1932 Blackheath
- 1933 Harlequins
- 1934 Barbarians
- 1935 Harlequins
- 1936 Sale
- 1937 London Scottish F.C.
- 1938 Metropolitan Police
- 1939 Cardiff
- 1940 St Mary's Hospital
- 1941 Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
- 1942 St Mary's Hospital
- 1943 St Mary's Hospital
- 1944 St Mary's Hospital
- 1945 Nottingham
- 1946 St Mary's Hospital
- 1947 Rosslyn Park
- 1948 London Wasps
- 1949 Heriot's FP
- 1950 Rosslyn Park
- 1951 Richmond
- 1952 London Wasps
- 1953 Richmond
- 1954 Rosslyn Park
- 1955 Richmond
- 1956 London Welsh
- 1957 St Luke's College
- 1958 Blackheath
- 1959 Loughborough Colleges
- 1960 London Scottish
- 1961 London Scottish
- 1962 London Scottish
- 1963 London Scottish
- 1964 Loughborough Colleges
- 1965 London Scottish
- 1966 Loughborough Colleges
- 1967 Harlequins
- 1968 London Welsh
- 1969 St Luke's College, Exeter
- 1970 Loughborough Colleges
- 1971 London Welsh
- 1972 London Welsh
- 1973 London Welsh
- 1974 Richmond
- 1975 Richmond
- 1976 Loughborough Colleges
- 1977 Richmond
- 1978 Harlequins
- 1979 Richmond
- 1980 Richmond
- 1981 Rosslyn Park
- 1982 Stewart's Melville FP
- 1983 Richmond
- 1984 London Welsh
- 1985 London Wasps
- 1986 Harlequins
- 1987 Harlequins
- 1988 Harlequins
- 1989 Harlequins
- 1990 Harlequins
- 1991 London Scottish
- 1992 Western Samoa
- 1993 London Wasps
- 1994 Bath
- 1995 Leicester Tigers
- 1996 Wigan Warriors (RL)
- 1997 Barbarians
- 1998 Barbarians
- 1999 Penguins
- 2000 Penguins
- 2001 British Army
- 2002 Bradford Bulls (RL)
- 2003 Northampton Saints
- 2004 British Army
- 2005 Gloucester
- 2006 London Wasps
- 2007 Newcastle Falcons
- 2008 Harlequins
- 2009 London Irish