The Good Friday John Smith's Pock 7s returns next week as big as ever after its two year hiatus.
The 2022 Pock 7s will be the 62nd time Percy Road goes sevens crazy after the event was first held in 1959; then quickly grew into Yorkshire's biggest rugby sevens tournament and Pocklington premier sporting occasion.
This year's Pock 7s has an entry of 21 teams, six of them former winners, with the draw including a interesting combination of local club sides and invitation outfits from further afield. In addition to hosts Pocklington, club sides Driffield, Malton & Norton, Goole, Selby and Hull Ionians are all in the mix along with two York RUFC/St Peters Old Boy teams. And newcomers for 2022 are the International Penguins, the world's most travelled touring side that has competed in sevens tournaments across the globe, plus German club RG Heidelberg, and two West Riding invitation outfits, Lowground Lions and Tropics Jungle 7s.
The Pock 7s has been graced down the years by a host of high profile individuals - from British Lions players Peter Winterbottom to Alex Cuthbert, and Harry Potter actor Ralph Ineson to England cricketer Johnny Bairstow. And the tournament draw has also been made by a string of rugby stars, including Jonny Wilkinson, Martin Johnson and Lawrence Dallaglio. This year former England hooker and television commentator, Brian Moore (pictured), did the honours before the Scotland v England womens international in Edinburgh, where he was assisted by former Pocklington player, Harry Allen, now a TV sports producer.
The full draw is:
Preliminary Round
A: Goole v Pocklington Porkers (1.00); B: Wot-a-Pullet v Woldgate OB (1.20); C: Malton & Norton v York Saints (2.00); D: Pilgrim 7 v OP Dragons (2.40); E: Hull Ionians v Old Pocklingtonians (3.00).
First Round
Penguins International v Winner A (1.40); RG Hedelberg v Winner B (2.00); Koalas Leeds Beckett v Selby (2.20); Lowground Lions v Winners C (2.40); Jungle 7s Tropics v Le Stade de Boarsides (3.00); Pocklington v Winner D (3.20); Driffield v Winner E (3.40); Northern Exiles v Old Peterites (4.00).
The 2022 Pock 7s starts at 1.00 pm on Friday 15 April, with the main tournament preceded by a four team womens competition at 10.30 am. The final is scheduled for 6.40 pm.
To facilitate entry tickets can be purchased in advance via Eventbrite on - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pock-7s-tickets-299400062647, and drink purchases at the bar and gate entry on the day will be payable by card only.
