The countdown is nearly over for the biggest event in the Carrickfergus diary. From Wednesday afternoon sixty-six teams competing in the Guinness Carrick Sevens will be arriving in the Borough, filling all four local hotels along with several others in the area. Competitors from Scotland, England, Wales and of course Ulster are looking forward to the three days of action and spills, starting on Friday evening. The seven hundred men and women will compete for £6000 of prize money, along with sportswear from Kukri, as well as individual prizes for person and team of the tournament. The hard working sevens committee will spend this week transforming the Woodlawn grounds to cater for the thousands of spectators who will be making their way to the largest annual rugby tournament in Ulster.
The weekend starts with the Kukri Sportswear Under 20s at 6 pm, followed by the traditional Guinness Open sevens on the Saturday, with thirty teams vying from midday for the Holmes Salver. Sadly this will be tinged with saddest following the passing last year of one the founding members of the event. In 1973 Alan Holmes in the kitchen of his home along with family and friends decided that Carrickfergus RFC should host a sevens tournament. Thirty-six years later the event goes from strength to strength and it is tribute to Alan and that group of friends that the event has become what it is now.
On the field last years winners Kidney Bean are determined to hold onto their title while a number of sides from Scotland will be giving them a run for the money but I’m sure all will enjoy the Kukri Allstar dancers who are performing on two occasions on the Saturday.  
Following the Wild Geese parachute display team delivering the match ball just after midday on the Sunday, some of the best sevens talent around will be competing in the Manvik Premier tournament, while twelve ladies sides are entered in the Lombard 10s.
In the Manvik competition, the Ulster Presidents, coached by former Irish sevens coach and Ulster star Ryan Constable will be selected from within the ranks of the current Ulster squad including their Academy players. Due to their heavy schedule this week the side has not be chosen but it hoped that a number of well known names will be making the trip down from Ravenhill.
Many have tipped the Samurai International squad of making the final, with a mixture of youth and experience having been named in the squad. The team coached by ex Wales sevens coach Colin Hilman and managed by ex England sevens manager Terry Sands, will be led on the pitch by ex England sevens forward, Russell Earnshaw. Rob Thirlby, who was part of Englands 2006 Commonwealth games squad, will also be playing, alongside his brother ex bath centre Paul Thirlby. Their will also be a Welsh flavour about the side with Nick Wakely who played for Wales in Dubai this year, with Chris Hill of Newpart Gwent Dragons and Nicky Griffith, formerly of the Ospreys who has just signed for Penzance Pirates. Coach Colin Hilman said, “We are looking forward to taking part in the Carrick Sevens tournament as well as looking forward to some good old fashioned Irish hospitality. We have heard good things about this tournament which is why we have decided to attend”.
Of course the winners for the last two years, the Irish Exiles DHL sevens will be wanting to make it a hat trick of victories, while newcomers Mels Exiles from Wales, under the guidance of Mel Williamson have been taking part for twenty five years on the sevens circuit using a blend of northern and southern hemisphere talent.
However don’t underestimate the local talent on show, with former winners Malone and last years finalists Queens wanting a slice of the action, while Carrickfergus student Michael McKeever will be leading the Carrick Knights onto the field.
Once the action on the field has finished the Guinness Marquee will cater for both players and spectators in the evening and so far has proved so popular that both Saturday and Sunday nights are already sold out but the organisers would ask all visitors to be respectful of the local residents when entering or leaving the grounds. Additionally we would ask all drivers to use the car additional parking facilities adjacent to the grounds to avoid congestion in the area.
The organisers have also made provisions for all players and spectators with plenty of covered areas to enjoy the action if the weather should the weather take a turn for the worst or alternatively if you need some shade from the sun.
For any further information please go to http://www.carricksevens.co.uk/