TheMiddlesex Sevens was aRugby Sevens tournament held annually atTwickenham stadium inLondon,England until 2011. It was first held in 1926, and started by Dr J.A. Russell-Cargill, a London-based Scot.[1] The event was held at the end of the rugby union season in May every year for 75 years, but moved to August in 2001 due to lack of available stadium dates and players in May. The Middlesex Sevens tournament was last played in 2011, as the newPremiership Rugby 7s Series caused many of the top clubs that previously took part to pull out.
This tournament was a charitable event, officially called the Middlesex Charity Sevens, with the beneficiaries beingWooden Spoon and theRFU Injured Players Fund.[citation needed] Middlesex Charity Sevens raised over £10 million for charities.[citation needed]
Traditionally the Middlesex Sevens was an invitation tournament with entertainment derived from overseas and qualifying sides challenging rugby union's top teams.[citation needed] In 2005 the tournament became a twelve team competition with onlyRugby Premiership teams participating.[citation needed] In 2008 the tournament reverted to sixteen teams. The 2010 final was played between London Irish, who fielded three Armitage brothers, and ULR Samurai with a strong international contingent.[citation needed]Brazil was amongst the teams invited to take part in the 2011 tournament.[citation needed] The final was played between Esher RFC and Samurai.[citation needed]
Tworugby league clubs have won the Middlesex Sevens: firstlyWigan, who brought a star-studded team including Offiah,Shaun Edwards,Andy Farrell, Tuigamala and a youngJason Robinson to Twickenham in 1996 as a tune-up before the union leg of their historicClash of the Codes series against Bath. Wigan were joined on the honours list byBradford Bulls, champions in 2002.[2]
The Women's Middlesex 7s was introduced in 2011, the final year of the tournament, and was won by Wooden Spoon Women.[citation needed]
| Team | Titles | Years of Titles Won |
|---|---|---|
| Harlequins | 14 | 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1933, 1935, 1967, 1978, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2008 |
| Richmond | 9 | 1951, 1953, 1955, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1983 |
| London Welsh | 8 | 1930, 1931, 1956, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1984 |
| London Scottish | 7 | 1937, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1991 |
| London Wasps | 5 | 1948, 1952, 1985, 1993, 2006 |
| Loughborough Colleges | 5 | 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1976 |
| St. Mary's Hospital | 5 | 1940, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946 |
| Rosslyn Park | 4 | 1947, 1950, 1954, 1981 |
| Barbarians | 3 | 1934, 1997, 1998 |
| Blackheath | 2 | 1932, 1958 |
| British Army | 2 | 2001, 2004 |
| Penguins | 2 | 1999, 2000 |
| ULR Samurai | 2 | 2010, 2011 |
| St Luke's College | 2 | 1957, 1969 |
| Bath | 1 | 1994 |
| Bradford Bulls (RL) | 1 | 2002 |
| Cambridge University | 1 | 1941 |
| Cardiff | 1 | 1939 |
| Gloucester | 1 | 2005 |
| Heriot's FP | 1 | 1949 |
| Leicester Tigers | 1 | 1995 |
| London Irish | 1 | 2009 |
| Metropolitan Police | 1 | 1938 |
| Newcastle Falcons | 1 | 2007 |
| Northampton Saints | 1 | 2003 |
| Nottingham | 1 | 1945 |
| Sale | 1 | 1936 |
| Stewart's Melville FP | 1 | 1982 |
| Western Samoa | 1 | 1992 |
| Wigan (RL) | 1 | 1996 |