NORTH Midlands League One club, Upton RFC will once again be hosting its annual seven-a-side rugby tournament over the bank holiday weekend on Saturday, August 24, and is inviting teams from across the region to come and take part.

The popular event, which was won last year by local rivals Ledbury RFC, attracts teams from across the Midlands and south west, and has become a firm pre-season favourite fixture with players and supporters alike.

Upton's newly elected chairman Dave Gower sees the tournament as a challenge for players keen to hone their skills just before the main 2002-2003 season kicks off.

"This is the third sevens tournament for Upton and it is attracting more and more teams each year," he says.

"The playing standard is very good, players and coaches can use the matches to assess the effectiveness of their own pre-season training programmes.

"For spectators, there will be a fully licensed bar and weather permitting, a barbecue on the day.

"It's a great afternoon out for anyone interested in rugby and actually ties in with the Upton Water Festival and firework display so we anticipate plenty of interest."

Any team interested in taking part should contact Dave Gower on 07968 304964 (daytime) or 01684 594346 (evenings).