The two-day tournament will draw an estimated 63 teams — or “sides,” as they are called in rugby — from colleges, social clubs, and premier teams.
For the last 50 years, the Cape Fear Rugby club has brought hundreds of teams to the area for a shared passion. Ray Funderburk is one of the founders; he said rugby gives everyone who wants to play a chance to participate and get involved
“In American sport, it is all built toward the best in the top,” said Funderburk. “Well, everybody's not the best. Everybody's not the top. But a lot of people want to play, rugby is built to allow that.”
According to organizers, "This year marks fifty years since the first Fear Sevens when sixteen men’s teams played at the Wrightsville Beach Saline plant fields. The second tournament, in 1976 saw the addition of a women’s division, and women’s teams became a major part of the tournament. With the exception of 2020 (Canceled due to Covid) the tournament has been played continuously for fifty years. It is the oldest, continuous international sporting competition in the Cape Fear Region. Teams from England, Fiji, Hong Kong, California, Canada, New York, Chicago, and all southeastern states have competed in the sevens. Since the first year, roughly thirty-thousand players—both men and women—have played in the tournament. Those players have included future National team players for the US and England, and one future politician, George Allen Jr. who played with UVA."
The event is free to the public and will feature music and food trucks. Matches begin Saturday, June 28, at 9 a.m. at nCino Sports Park on Highway 421. Finals begin around 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 29.
You can find more information on Facebook here.
