Feast of rugby this weekend as Bath Combination 7s return

A feast of rugby will come to the city on Saturday 1st August when the Bath & District Combination stage their annual sevens tournament.

Flashback to last year’s Bath Combination 7s, and Oldfield Old Boys celebrate winning the Plate | Photo © Oldfield Old Boys

The men’s event, and all finals, will be played at Avon’s Hicks Field home off London Road West.

And the pool stages and semi-finals in the inaugural women’s competition will be held around three quarters of a mile away, at Bath Rugby Ladies’ Lambridge Training Ground.

Sixteen men’s teams will take part – and there will be some very tasty matches in the pool stages.

Pool A will comprise Avon, Avonvale, Bath Combination Rebels and Midsomer Norton.

In Pool B will be Oldfield Old Boys, Frome, Corsham and Melksham.

Old Sulians, Trowbridge, Chippenham and Devizes will do battle in Pool C.

And Walcot, Bath Saracens, Bath Combination Barbarians and Bradford-on-Avon will face off in Pool D.

The women’s section will comprise Bath, Bath Combination Barbarians, Dings Crusaders, Yeovil, Royal Wootton Bassett and Melksham.

A Combination spokesman said: “With the addition of the women’s competition, we’re aiming for a truly inclusive festival atmosphere.”

Matches in this year’s Bath Combination 7s will start at 10.30am.

Last year the tournament was held at Midsomer Norton, Trowbridge winning the Cup and Oldfield lifting the Plate.

Combe Down’s sponsors and former players day will be staged at Holly’s Corner on Saturday 26th September.

The event will feature a buffet lunch, live music – and two league matches.

The Down’s promoted 1st XV will entertain Devizes in Counties 1 Tribute Ale Southern South. And the hosts’ 2nd XV will take on Warminster in Counties 3 Tribute Ale Dorset & Wilts Central.