Isle of Mull Rugby 7’s 2006 21st WORLD’S MOST SOCIABLE SEVENS PROGRAMME Saturday 13th May 2006 & ENTRY Kick-off 1 p.m. £5 Garmony, Near Craignure Isle of Mull Programme £3 Main Sponsors Scottish Sea Farms MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSORS It is with pleasure that Scottish Sea Farms have continued sponsorship of the famous Mull Rugby 7's in 2006. The games last year, as every year, were played to a very high standard and we wish the Rugby Club every success in what ought to be a thrilling day's event. Sport is hugely important to the health & well being of Scotland - almost as important as a healthy diet. We very much hope that the Mull 7's competition encourages even more young people to become involved in rugby and to continue playing sport throughout their lives. Scottish Sea Farms would wish to congratulate the organisers for their professional approach to the tournament and we wish all teams well as they battle for the silverware. Finally we would encourage the people of Mull to support the Rugby Club on this great day out at the World's Most Sociable Sevens. Your enjoyment is guaranteed. Jim Gallagher Managing Director 1 ISLE OF MULL RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB 20 06 SEASON 2005-06 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Welcome to Mull and the Scottish Sea Farms Isle of Mull Sevens”. We look forward to a great day of excellent rugby from all the teams involved. Special thanks are due to those who contribute in every way to ensure the continuing success of this very special event from our sponsors, Scottish Sea Farms, through to the ball boys. Very many thanks also to Eddie Crozier for organising the referees and to our great club supporter John Rutherford for presenting the prizes. I would like to give a particularly warm welcome to these Mull Sevens virgins. The Scottish Deaf Side, Montrose and District, Chiefs and the Rodents. Rob Wainwright and his “Coll Team” are on their sixth visit (may it not be their last). I also welcome back all our women’s teams and the many other clubs who participate gallantly each year. Good luck and thank you for your continued support and friendship! 12.30 The Isle of Mull Pipe Band 1.00 p.m. Kick-off first league tie 5.00 p.m. End league ties 5.15 p.m. Mens semi finals 5.40 p.m. The pipes before the finals 5.45 p.m. The finals 6.45 p.m. Presentation of trophies 9.00 p.m. Giant Celebration dance at the Club House The Draw Page of Page 14 News Flash The Rules Thanks The Teams Page 9 Page 24 Page 25 Page 15 2 GIANT CELEBRATION BLACK AND WHITE PARTY Saturday Disco Admission £5.00 Gov’t Warning Fun, Entertainment, Guest Stars and Much More...... The Sevens Dance can seriously damage your health!! IMPORTANT NOTICE Due to difficulties in getting late night revellers onto the buses (they have been having such a good time) it has proved impossible to get a late bus for the 7’s. Please: Organise your own transport or contact: Jimmy at St Mary’s Private Mini Bus Hire Tel: 01688 302204 Mobile 07899 723273 David Greenhalgh Tel: 01681 700507 Mobile 07887 774550 Iain English Taxi Hire Tel: 07810 666222 Or camp down at the club house then the problems go away. 3 ISLE OF MULL WEST HIGHLAND AND ISLAND RUGBY SEVENS TOURNAMENT Founded in 1985 the Isle of Mull Sevens Tournament brings together rugby clubs from all over the West Highlands and Islands along with guests: Rugby players from all walks of life and all levels of skill compete on equal terms of skill and enjoyment. By doing this we hope to promote rugby in Scotland’s West Highlands and Islands. The very social nature of rugby and the fact that it is a game for all weathers makes it an ideal sport for our isolated rural areas where long trips and overnight stays are commonplace. Mull’s geographic position in the centre of this remote area makes it the perfect setting for a competition of this nature. For these reasons the Sevens Committee award trophies to the best West Highland team in the tournament. As an added incentive these trophies are for the winning club to keep. The rules for this competition are on Page 26. In 1992 the Mull Sevens made rugby history by running a dual tournament for both ladies and men. This was the first of its kind anywhere in the world! This makes 2006 the twentyfirst anniversary of the Worlds Most Sociable Sevens. MULL 7’s PRIZES Men’s Winner Gruline Cup & Medals Women’s Winner Pink Cup & Medals Best West Highland Team’s ( Mens & Womens ) Trophies to Keep & Medals Players of the Tournament ( Selected by the Referees’ and Chosen from the West Highland Teams ) A great Social Seven’s !!!! Really BUM PRIZES BEST SOCIAL WOMENS TEAM AWARD A BOTTLE OF FAKE CHAMPAGNE BEST SOCIAL MENS TEAM ANOTHER BOTTLE OF FAKE CAMPAGNE Best Sevens Mascot SLOWEST REFEREE Or camp down at the club house then the problems go away. A SET OF SOCCER LINESMANS FLAGS 4 QUALIFYING AREA WEST HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS TROPHIES The Worlds Most Sociable Sevens Deagh Chraic 5 WEST HIGHLAND AND ISLAND TEAMS WHO HAVE ATTENDED THE ISLE OF MULL SEVENS ISLE OF MULL RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB CLUB HISTORY: Mull is the third largest island in the Hebrides, exceeded in area by only Lewis and Skye. The coast line, broken by sea lochs, bays and inlets, is the amazing length of over 300 miles. On Sunday 30th July, 1978 the first game of rugby was played and won on Mull! Shortly after, the Isle of Mull RFC was formed and has thrived under what can only be described as arduous conditions. April 1989 was the most successful in the history of Mull Rugby Club with three sevens victories. These achievements and the completion of the Garmony pitches gained the club the honour of being MacEwan’s Club of the Month in September of 1989. In the spring of 1994 we completed our Clubhouse. In 2002 the club became the first Glasgow and District island club to be promoted to the Scottish National Leagues. WOMENS SECTION: Mull women’s teams have won the main tournament once. The women’s rugby team was officially constituted into the Isle of Mull Rugby Club in 1992. CLUB PITCH: Garmony. CLUB HOUSE: Garmony Clubhouse. ARRAN RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB CLUB HISTORY: It is often said that Arran is Scotland in miniature - having wild mountains to the north and a fertile plain to the south. An ideal gathering ground for rugby players. Arran Rugby club was started in September 1975 and for 10 years the club played only friendly games. In that time the hospitality of these islanders became legendary with many a visiting team, long overdue when finally returning home! In 1985 the club took a major step and joined the Glasgow District League. By careful timing of kick-offs they are able to play and return by ferry on the same day. Players are drawn from all parts of the island. Arran junior rugby is very strong at the moment. CLUB PITCH: Lamlash Recreation Park. CLUB HOUSE/HOTEL: Andy’s Place. BENBECULA NOMADS RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB CLUB HISTORY: North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist have been linked by bridges and causeways to form a single ‘long island’. Benbecula is separated from its neighbours by stretches of shell sand and quick sand. On the southern slope of the largest hill Rueval, all of 408 feet high, is the cave in which Prince Charles Edward Stuart hid while waiting for Flora MacDonald. The Army have a rocket base on Benbecula and a firing range on South Uist. In 1977 some local lads and schoolboys got together and formed a rugby team. They have no home for the club; hence the name Benbecula Nomads. The locals found difficulty in sustaining a team and later combined with the army team. The number of civilians to service players fluctuates from year to year. Benbecula run one team and are not in a league. Local players come from all three islands. The mainstay of games is against the visiting units (Vu’s) for the firing programme on the rocket range. The team have amazing travel difficulties. In fact on one occasion they left for a game in Edinburgh on Thursday and due to storms were not able to return until the following Wednesday! All playing facilities however are now provided by the army. CLUB PITCH: Airfield. CLUB HOUSE/HOTEL: Airfield 6 BUTE RUGBY CLUB CLUB HISTORY: With the mountains of Arran to the south and those of Argyll to the north, Bute is a lowland island in a highland setting. The capital is Rothesay, perhaps the best loved of all the Clyde resorts. Although closest of all the visiting teams to the main centres of rugby in and around Glasgow the Bute team is also restricted by a ferry journey across the Firth of Clyde to Wemyss Bay. In fact, players leaving for Mull do so by the less time consuming Rhubodach - Colintraive ferry. Bute Rugby Club was founded in 1979. They run one social team. CLUB PITCH: The Meadows. CLUB HOUSE/HOTEL: Criterion Bar ISLAY RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB CLUB HISTORY: Islay, the southernmost of the inner Hebrides, has a population of 4,000. Each year it pays the Exchequer the equivalent of £6,000 for each man, women and child on the island! The reason for such riches is ‘uisge-beatha’ - the water of life! i.e.