POCKLINGTON RUFC are gearing up to stage Yorkshire’s oldest rugby sevens – the 52nd Guinness Pock 7s – at Percy Road tomorrow.

The event has been held at Pocklington every Good Friday since 1959, and has grown from humble beginnings into East Yorkshire’s biggest rugby union event, with many Yorkshire exiles making their way back home for an annual Easter reunion.

This year the tournament again has a full entry of 24 teams, and they were pulled out of the hat by Leeds Carnegie’s former England scrum-half Andy Gomarsall.

The tournament again has a cosmopolitan flavour.

There is a strong local interest from the 15 Yorkshire entries, but they will be challenged by some useful sides from the South and Midlands, with several teams having a strong South Sea Island influence.

There are eight former winners taking part, including Fowler Trophy holders the Fiji Covenant Brothers.

The local entrants include Pocklington, Malton & Norton, Selby and York, who will base their teams on their promising Colts outfits.

Pocklington’s ladies rugby team are also getting in on the sevens act with a mini tournament of their own as a curtain raiser at noon.

The first game of the men’s tournament is between York and Old Pocklingtonians at 1pm, and the final scheduled for 6.40pm.


Draw

Round 1

A: York v Old Pocklingtonians (1pm); B: Goole v Ionians Colts (1.20pm); C: Malton & Norton v Edinburgh University (1.40pm); D: Pocklington Colts v Sheffield Medics (2pm); E: Boston v Harper Adams (2.20pm); F: Brookfield v Ipswich Exiles (2.40pm); G: CB Fiji v York Colts (3pm); H: Sedbergh SP v Selby (3.20pm).

Round 2

Hull v Winner A (1.40pm); Fiji Covenant Brothers v Winner B (2pm); Driffield v Winner C (2.20pm); Pocklington v Winner D (2.40pm); USN Knights v Winner E (3pm); KS Crusaders v Winner F (3.20pm); Raging Bull Ronin v Winner G (3.40pm); Hull Ionians v Winner H (4pm).