NEWSTAR AND DAVETA LOOM AS ONES TO BEAT AS PARADISE 7S HOTS UP
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Hyperion Paradise 7s, November 16: Brisbane-based NewStar Sports and Fijian crowd pleasers Daveta have emerged as the teams to beat in this weekend’s Hyperion Paradise 7s on the Gold Coast. as the glitter strip hots up in the countdown to the Festival of Rugby.
The eight-day Festival kicks off at the Carrara Sporting Complex this Saturday (10am start) and culminates with what is expected to be a thrilling afternoon of finals action on Sunday (also from 10am).
The Hyperion Paradise 7s will feature the open men’s and women’s competitions with teams from Hong Kong, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Australia while a host of Gold Coast teams will fight out the East Coast Challenge
NewStar will arrive on the Gold Coast fresh from its thrilling final minute 25-24 upset win over Michael O’Connor’s Australian National Team at the Noosa International 7s last Sunday.
While the well drilled Fijian outfit Daveta won the recent Singapore Cricket Club (SCC) International Rugby Sevens Ablitt Cup, beating the Borneo Eagles 29-19.
Tournament director Tim Heath can’t split the two teams on form.
“NewStar certainly provided a major upset to beat the top ranked Australian team which will be a huge confidence booster coming into the Gold Coast,” said Heath.
“They field an exciting group of youngsters who know no fear and obviously don’t care about reputations.”
The NewStar team, made up of talent from the NewStar Rugby Management Group has an average age of 21 and are coached by the experienced Elia Tuquri, the former NSW Waratah and Australian Sevens representative.
NewStar produced a tough brand of non-stop 7s rugby and came back from two tries down to give O’Connor’s team plenty of headaches, especially with Australian team player Lindsay Crook posting the winning try.
The Devata team were up against Borneo Eagles in the Singapore final played at the Padang in front of a 7,000 strong crowd.
Ten minutes of the first half saw the two sides deadlocked at 12-all.
Borneo Eagles came out stronger after the two-minute interval, and took a temporary 19-12 lead.
But the team from Fiji, celebrating their 20th anniversary as participants of the tournament, fought back hard.
Newstar have drawn in Pool A with another Fijian outfit, the Drifters, Country King Browns and the Hong Kong Dragons while Daveta are in Pool C with Papua New Guinea, Te Whanau and the Northern Territory Mosquitoes.
Pool B will feature URL Samurai, Sunnybank, Red Rock and Island Breeze while the Aussie Thunderbolts will line up in Pool B against the Gold Coast Breakers, Queensland Country and Hamilton Old Boys (NZ).
All the Saturday action starts from 10am with Sunday’s countdown to the finals also kicking off at 1am with the men’s final starting at 4:40pm.
Spectators are encouraged to take advantage of the discounts on offer, and plan for a great start to the Gold Coast's Festival of Rugby, an exciting 8-day Festival of Rugby that will include Veterans 10s, culminating in the "Gold Coast Sevens - Fever Pitch tournament - the first leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series at Skilled Park on November 25 and 26".
"The Festival of Rugby and the Gold Coast Sevens - Fever Pitch are supported by the Queensland Government through Events Queensland."
For information on the 2011 Hyperion Paradise 7s – please visit www.paradise7s.com.au or keep in touch via facebook.com/paradise7s or twitter.com/paradise7s
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW THROUGH Foxtix PARADISE 7S TICKETS
TICKETING PRICES (Tickets are available through Foxtix)
| -Day Pass PRE SALE General Admission - Adult GA – Concession GATE Adult Concession Junior (14 and Under
Saturday Only (19 November)
Sunday Only (20 November) |
PRICE (inc gst) TBC $15 $12 $20 $15 Free PRICE (inc gst) TBC $10 $8 $12 $10 Free PRICE (inc gst) TBC $10 $8 $12 $10 Free |
DOWNLOAD:: Hyperion Paradise 7's Rugby Media Accreditation 2011
“The Festival of Rugby and the Gold Coast Sevens – Fever Pitch are supported by the Queensland Government through Events Queensland.”
