The annual KARI Ella Sevens Championship will return to Coffs Harbour this Friday with a record 38 teams taking centre stage.
Now in its twelfth year, the tournament is deemed the flagship event for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Rugby attracting the best emerging players in the country.
The two-day event will kick off at 6:30PM on Friday at C.ex Coffs International Stadium and run all day Saturday with the finals starting at 1:40PM.
There will also be a lineup of rugby stars on the sidelines keeping a close eye on up-and-coming talent including the three Ella brothers; Mark, Glen and Gary as well as former Qantas Wallabies Lloyd Walker and Andrew Walker and former Australian Sevens star Brendan Williams.
With more than $30,000 prize money up for grabs, teams will have double the motivation to claim the men’s and women’s titles.
Executive Officer for the Lloyd McDermott Rugby Development Team Rod Willey said: ‘’The Ella Sevens is one of the greatest traditions in Australian Rugby and has continued to be a fantastic platform for putting Indigenous athletes in the spotlight.
‘’This tournament is famous for unearthing some of the best Indigenous talent and we hope to spot our next Mahalia Murphy or Maurice Longbottom out on the field,’’ said Willey.
The tournament will be streamed LIVE on the Lloyd McDermott Rugby Development Facebook page and replays will be shown on NITV.
See team lists below:
Women’s teams:
Highlanders - QLDRAB - Redfern, NSW
Bowraville Women - Bowraville, NSW
Tingha – Tingha, NSW
Gracie Aboriginal Pathways - Campbelltown, NSW
Bungjalung - Casino, NSW
Dunghutti Jindas - Kempsey, NSW
Central Coast - NSW
Valley Girls - Nambucca Valley, NSW
Mob Deep – Redfern, NSW
Men’s teams:
Southern Kings - Nowra, NSW
La Perouse RUFC - NSW
Mehi Warriors – Moree, NSW
Pokolbin Reds - Hunter Valley, NSW
Cangai Boom - Clarence Valley, NSW
Black Crows - La Perouse, NSW
Tingha – Tingha, NSW
Valley Boys Utd - Nambucca Valley, NSW
Skindogs – Sydney, NSW
Nambucca Valley Gurruujabin - Nambucca Valley, NSW
Western Goannas - NSW
Figtree South West Rocks – Cooloondurri, NSW
Gordon Shute Shield Team – Sydney, NSW
Bowraville Bullrouts – Bowraville, NSW
Casino Scorchers - Casino, NSW
Joe Trindall and Vivien Knox Memorial – Tamworth, NSW
Wellington – Wellington, NSW
Gomeroi Goannas – Moree, NSW
Walgett 7s – Walgett, NSW
Sydney Sea Turtles – Sydney, NSW
Bourke Warriors – Bourke, NSW
Mob Deep Redfern – Redfern, NSW
Central Coast – NSW
Kempsey Cannonballs – Kempsey, NSW
Chotch Descendants - North Coast, NSW
Thungutti Wupu - Port Macquarie, NSW
Tingha Old Boys – Tingha, NSW
Hamilton Hawks – Hamilton, NSW
