TRAINING: The Bay of Plenty Sevens team training at the Rotorua International Stadium on Saturday. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER
The countdown is on with less than two weeks until the Bayleys National Sevens tournament kicks off.
Thousands of people are expected to visit the Rotorua International Stadium for the national rugby competition which will be held on January 11 and 12. It is the first time the city has
hosted the event and will continue for at least the next two years after the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union won the rights.
Organisers have said it will provide a boost to the local economy as the 26 teams, consisting of between 15 and 18 people along with their supporters, will need to be fed and accommodated.
The teams competing will be divided into pools of four teams, who will play a round-robin within their pool before advancing to claim the Bowl, Plate or Tournament shield.
Bay of Plenty Rugby Union chief executive Mike Rogers told the Rotorua Daily Post earlier that preparations were going well, with a lot of work being done around the logistics of hosting teams in the city - such as accommodation, mini-vans, flights and event volunteers.
