Phuket Rugby Sevens: On schedule for kick-off

PHUKET: Final preparations at the Sapan Hin stadium are being made as the Singha Phuket International Rugby Sevens tournament draws near. When the July 3-4 event kicks off, the stadium will be fully ready, organizers say. Flags of the 12 nations taking part will be fluttering, six at each end of the field. Four temporary changing rooms with 20 showers, mobile toilets, corporate boxes, tents for the players, snack and drink booths, and extra stands for the spectators will have been set up. Renovation costs for the tournament, which is expected to draw roughly 1,000 people, are estimated at about 4.5 million baht. “We hope many Thais will attend this tournament,” Don McBain, tournament organizer, told the Gazette. “After all, this is their turf. We will consider the tournament a success if we have 500 Thai spectators. The first game, on Saturday, July 3, will see England facing Malaysia, kicking off at 2 pm. Thailand will face Holland at 3 pm, and then Wales at 5:40 pm. Tickets for the Sevens are now available at 500 baht for the two days. They may be purchased at Dulwich College; the Gazette office on Yaowarat Road; the Deli Supermarket and Popeye Supermarket in Patong; The Books in Phuket Town; Don’s Café in Rawai; the Albatross Café & Pub and Erik’s restaurant in Cherng Talay; and Jan’s Travel & Business Center, Kamala. For further details of the tournament, contact Patrick Cotter, manager of the Phuket Gazettes Rugby Club, on 01-8920093.