Last Sunday, the 71st edition of the Singapore Cricket Club International Rugby 7s (SCC 7s) ended, with Fijian team Daveta regaining the Ablitt Cup in the rain at the majestic Padang, beating the Casuarina Cougars from Australia, in the final match.

Contested by teams all over the world 

Beginning as a humble rugby tournament for Singaporean and Malaysian teams in the 1940s, the SCC 7s today is regarded as a spectator friendly tournament with teams from all over the world taking part in the event and playing to high standards. 

As well, it is also one of the oldest invitational team sports events in Asia, and the second oldest international Rugby 7s tournament, second to the original home of the 7s, Melrose in Scotland.

Daveta win 24-17

In the event finale, the Casuarina Cougars managed to hold Daveta in the first minutes of the game, but then it was the Fijians who drew the first blood, with a couple of quick tries to end the half seeming to signal the end of the Australians, but the side from Down Under came back strongly to score a couple, closing the gap to a try, losing 17-24.

Said the Daveta captain Veniona Vuki, 27, in an interview with The Straits Times, “After the upset last year and all that has happened this year, this win feels so sweet.”

Daveta had lost in a shocking upset, to the French Development Team in the final last year.

Daveta’s Mesake Varo was also named as the Player of the Final and team mate Leveni Tan also won the Ashforth Trophy for Player of the Tournament.

Added Vuki too, “I hope to be back next year to defend the Ablitt Cup.”

Cougars are proud of their boys 

The match had been the Cougars first final, with the side having also upset the likes of the Hong Kong Dragons and Ponsonby from New Zealand, despite playing with only eight in their squad.

Cougars however, are still proud of their performance and that they had managed to push Daveta all the way to the end of the match.

Said Daniel Seden, the coach of Cougars, in an interview with the Straits Times, “Going all the way to the final is a big achievement in itself, with all the last-minute pull-outs. We dug deep and persevered in adversity against a quality team.”

Easy road to the final for Daveta

Daveta had an easy road to the final, however, cruising in their group games and winning a quarter final game against the hosts side – the Singapore Cricket Club team.

The Singaporean side had held Daveta for most of the first half, but the Fijians came out 12-5 winners against a club side with many Singapore national team players.

The Other Matches

Meanwhile, in the event’s other matches, Anglo Chinese School (Independent) ran out 33-5 winners against United World College (Dover Campus) to win the Len Foster trophy for the U14 category.

And the French school Lycée Francais de Singapour played some champagne rugby to come up similar 33-5 winners against Tanglin Thrust School, winning the John Clark Shield for the U16 age group.

For the U18 age group, Tanglin Thrust School beat United World College (Dover Campus) 15-7, to win the Sithawalla Cup.

In the Bowl Final, Kurumi from Japan won the Bowl against the SCC Barbarians and in the Plate Final, this was won by the Cottesloe Rugby Union Football CLub, who beat the Hong Kong Dragons and the Shield Final was won by Palmyra from Australia, who ran out winners against the Japanese club Tamariva.

ALL PHOTOS IN THIS POST ARE CREDITED TO SCC 7S.