The HSBC Sevens World Series will be going to Port Elizabeth from later this year after the SARU Executive Council accepted the tender made by the South African Rugby Union. The first event will be held at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
The other bidding unions were the Leopards, Pumas, South Western Districts and Western Province.
SARU thanked the South Western Districts Rugby Union and the City of George for their work and success in hosting the tournament for the past nine seasons. He said that was reflected in the interest that had been generated among unions by the invitation to tender.
The IRB will confirm the dates of the Port Elizabeth event as well as of the rest of the HSBC Sevens World Series for 2011/12 in due course.
Fact File: SA Sevens tournament:
South Africa hosted the first tournament of the inaugural Sevens World Series in 1999 at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch
Durban was the venue for the following two SA Sevens events in 2000 & 2001
Outeniqua Park in George played host to the popular event for the first time in 2002 and went on to stage the tournament for nine consecutive years
Port Elizabeth will be the fourth SA venue to host the international tournament
New Zealand has won the SA Sevens tournament seven times
The Kiwi’s won both Durban-based tournaments in 2001 & 2002 and achieved their first of five George victories in 2004
South Africa’s only home success came in 2008, the season they won their first Sevens World Series titles
Lekker! According to something Tank Lanning tweeted, it sounded like the Western Cape “sense of entitlement” to all things rugby came back to bite them here
@robdylan (Comment 1) :
Hahaha.. poor Province..
Good for EP…Hopefully this will help them to develop the game further in the area. There shouls also be more support in PE than in George.
@Viking (Comment 3) :
George is a great holiday destination.. It suited the whole Sevens idea much better than I think PE does..
Great that it is in Ep…don’t know if the okes in the cape will fill the stadium…waste all their money on watching Stormers and WP.
Just hope the pitch is better…everytime i have seen a game played there the Pitch gets torn to pieces; not good for Sevens players on a dodgy surface.
Thanks for the love gents!!
@wpw (Comment 6) :
Sorry boet..
@JJR (Comment 5) :
Excuse me??? What was that??
Don’t know if the okes in the Cape will fill the stadium??
Like the Sharks supporters who didn’t pitch at the semi final in Durbs for two years running??
I think you’ll find that WP has the best attendance record of all the SA franchises.
@wpw (Comment 8) : And trophies ?
…Neo Africa Tri Cup… 
@wpw (Comment 8) :
True that..
Support in the Cape is awesome!!
@Charlie (Comment 9) :
Don’t let me ban you!!
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 4) : True that but how many people do you know who will go to George specifically for the sevens. The tourny depends a lot on the local folk to come and watch so you a slightly larger town to get a larger crowd. PE population = 1.3 M where george is only 200K
@Viking (Comment 12) :
I guess we will have to wait and see..
But I honestly can’t see more people attending..
@robdylan (Comment 1) : 1000000% spot on!!
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 13) : If it was up to me and I wanted to fill the stadium then I would have moved it to Cape Town. But I think it will be good for PE. Besides, what else are the gona do with the stadium?
On a serious note, I think this is a good decision. Good to spread events around South Africa. Also a lot of talented rugby players in the EC, especially in the 7′s format. PE is also an up and coming city with a decent stadium and they deserve a chance to host a top event. Let’s hope the people come out and support it!
The PE crowd has been getting behind the Kings in a big way. Im sad its not coming to Cape Town but am also glad that its going to PE. I dont know PE but many who have nolidayed there have said its a great destination.
@wpw (Comment 11) :
@Villie (Comment 16) :
Sorry can you repeat that?? All I read was blah blah blah… blah blah blah!!
@wpw (Comment 8) : Exactly what i was saying…in general spend all their(Capetonians) money on Stormers and Wp, Don’t know if there will be much left for The SA Sevens, it seems some of the rugga fans that go to Newlands won’t go to Cape Town Stadium…it won’t be a full stadium if the Sevens went there; The Guys in EP are way more hungry for some world class Rugby and they actually make some noise when they support.
Not saying The okes in Durbs are any better; guys in Durbs sound like they falling asleep cause they are all pissed before the game even starts. Really tikked off with the fans during the Stormers game.
Hopefully we can turn PE into the next Hong Kong like tournament…think it will give HK some competition.
Political.