Grenada Rugby World 7's

Grenada Rugby World 7s a resounding success

Grenada’s ‘Greenz Rugby Club’ made their international debut at GRW7s. Image: Haron Forteau
The 2022 Gavin Clark Memorial GRW7s Charity Golf Tournament raised EC $5000 for the Grenada Cancer Society

St. George’s, Grenada – Grenada Rugby World 7s (GRW7s) organizers have acclaimed GRW7s ‘Pure Grenada. Pure 7s.’ event held at the National Cricket Stadium over the 2nd – 3rd December, a resounding success.

 

For the first time ever, the longest running Club Rugby 7s tournament in the region was hosted by Grenada, in partnership with the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA), and brought in some of the world’s best Men’s and Women’s Club Rugby teams to compete for the US $15 000 total prize pool. 

 

CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority, Petra Roach said, “As we prioritise sports as one of Grenada’s tourism products, we are thrilled with the success of this year’s competition.  Lots of dedication and hard work went into ensuring the collaboration was a success  and that we can push Grenada’s sports tourism agenda forward. Our intention is to make Grenada a sports hub for regional and international competitions.”

 

GRW7s General Manager Brian Stollmeyer said that after this year’s success, he and his team are looking forward to bringing one of rugby’s most popular international events back to Grenada, with the full support of the GTA and the Grenadian Government.

 

“We are absolutely delighted with the inaugural Grenada Rugby World 7s,” he said. “The tournament has been growing from strength to strength in various locations for over 30 years but the support we have received from Grenada has been outstanding. We thank all of our Specialty Partners – RTEK Services Ltd., Glenelg Spring Water, Carib Beer, St. James Travel and Tours, Netherlands Insurance, Bristol Sport, and particularly our Presenting Partner the Grenada Tourism Authority – for their unfaltering dedication to ensuring Grenada Rugby World 7s was a resounding success.”

 

Stollmeyer said the event had also provided an injection of enthusiasm into the expanding local rugby community, with the first ever Grenadian rugby team making their international debut at GRW7s during the exhibition matches, and gave many local Grenadians their first taste of the sport of rugby.

 

GRW7s Event Manager George Nicholson emphasized the organizers’ commitment to Grenada, highlighting their additional partnership this year with the Rotary Club of Grenada and the Grenada Golf and Country Club to host a local Charity Golf Tournament.

 

“Grenada Rugby World 7s is part of a week of official activities – one of which is an annual Charity Event,” he said. “This year, the 2022 Gavin Clark Memorial GRW7s Charity Golf Tournament raised close to EC $5000 for the Grenada Cancer Society, with 21 keen golfers – and non-golfers – from all over the world participating. It is our way of honoring one of our late devoted ruggers while also giving something extra back to the community here in Grenada.”

 

Nicholson reiterated the Charity Event will continue as part of the GRW7s experience and called on both visitors and locals alike to consider registering, as well as to come out again and experience all GRW7s has to offer, once dates for the next tournament are announced.

 

Official 2022 GRW7s standings

 

Men’s Division

 

  1. Lions 7s (England)
  2. Butcher’s 7s (Wales)
  3. Cormack Barbarians (England)

 

Women’s Division

  1. Rugby Quebec (Canada)
  2. Lioness 7s (England)
  3. Rugby Advantage (USA)

 

The ‘Caribbean 7s’ began in Trinidad in the 1980s before moving to Tobago in 2011, and then on to Barbados in 2016. With this year’s move to the Spice Isle of the Caribbean, 2022 GRW7s broke new ground by strengthening the synergy between sports and tourism, providing an event experience with something for everyone. For more information, visit www.grw7s.com.