Story and photos Eve Jeffery
The annual Byron Bay Rugby Sevens was another sensational event at the recreation grounds. Hundreds of players, spectators, families and friends, as well as men dressed in women’s clothes, women dressed in men’s clothes, superheroes, rockstars, and a penguin, all converged on the hallowed fields in Marvell Street for the end-of-year club outing for unionists.
Thirty-two men’s teams and 16 women’s teams battled it out on Saturday for a chance to be in the final knockouts on Sunday. The culmination of the weekend was the six final bouts between the 12 top men’s and women’s teams.
One of the many highlights of the day was the Women’s B Grade final, which saw newbie ref, Johnny ‘the Wild WA Penguin’ Hill, who decided the entire game from beneath a yellow beak and a wiggly tail. The game was awesome and saw the Stingrays on 33 defeat Stade Caledonien 26.
The winners of the top women’s team were Redland Bay, whose Sasha Mahuika, lady of the fast legs, ran half the length of the field to score the winning try. The top of the men’s table was fought out by The Shoremen who with final tally of 29 won over the Tribe on 19.
Other finalists were the Men’s B Grade Silktails, who beat UQ, the Men’s C Grade, which saw Mana Pacifika beat the Stingrays, and in the Men’s D Grade the Madmoose were victorious over the Sloths.
Another wonderful family fun day was had by all – it was a great day for the game.