German beer, kebabs and plenty of rugby
City and Guilds Rugby prepare for international Sevens tournament in Berlin. Max Joachim reports
It has been a good year for the City & Guilds RFC. The team is unbeaten so far this season after wins against the RSM and Oxford’s Balliol College but its biggest adventure is still ahead of it. The committee has worked tirelessly to organize a tour that is going to be remembered for years to come. On 1st July, the C&G RFC will travel to Berlin to partake in an international Sevens tournament, the Rugby union Sevens, as well as establishing contacts with the local engineering universities before returning to London on 4th July.
Funds for the tour were raised on multiple occasions throughout the year, culminating in an epic C&G Club Night at Chateau Six which was jointly organized by the CGCU and C&G RFC. Further support was received by Laing O’Rourke and Pathmotion.
The club has grown from strength to strength this year which is mirrored by the record attendance on this tour. No less than 24 students will be taking part in this tour which has received generous support from Imperial College Union and the City & Guilds College Association.
With such a strong team, Sevens captain Niall Watson is looking to perform well at the tournament. Being the only student team in the competition, they have their work cut out for them. Their opponents are no beginners either.
Defending champion RK 03 Berlin just finished 8th in Germany’s first division and RC Prague just won the KB Extraliga, the most reputed competition in the Czech Republic. The young teams from RC Zug, RC Ticino (both Switzerland), Vienna Celtics (Austria) and Cremona (Italy) have plenty of Sevens experience, too. This tour is going to be a tremendous experience for the entire club and should bring them all together – both on and off the pitch.
