Rugby stars head to Pocklington RUFC’s Warrendale Wagyu Good Friday Pock 7s

Former England international Tony Underwood (left) makes the draw for the 2023 Warrendale Wagyu Pock 7s with the help of Pock 7s supremo Adrian Styche.

The full day of non-stop, high-speed rugby gets underway with a women’s tournament from 10.30am, writes Phil Gilbank.

The 63rd annual men’s event, which regularly draws 3,000 rugby enthusiasts to Pocklington from near and far, starts up at 1pm, with the evening finale scheduled six hours later.

The draw includes seven past winners of the WS Fowler Challenge Cup amongst the 22 teams, there is a Plate Competition for first game losers, and all preceded by the eight-team Women's 7s which starts in mid-morning.

The gates open at 10am, with card payment entry only.

The Pock 7s draw again sees a good mix of local and invitation sides.

London-based holders Jungle Tropics defend their trophy, against the challenge from across Yorkshire and the North East, with the local clubs including Pocklington, Hull Ionians, Goole, Driffield and Malton.

The draw was made by former England and British Lions winger, Tony Underwood, who recently returned to North Yorkshire after a decade in Dubai as an Emirates airline pilot.

While Friday is Pocklington’s big event of the weekend, the rugby club’s juniors get in on the seven-a-side act on Easter Sunday with their Junior Sevens, when more than 20 teams from across the county will come to Pocklington for competitions at Under 13, Under 14, Under 15 and Under 16 levels.

The Sunday action starts at 10.30am, with the U13s and 14s playing at Kilnwick Park and the U15s and 16s at Percy Road.

The full Good Friday draw is:

Preliminary Round

A: Pocklington v Pilgrim 7 (1.00); B: Old Pocklingtonians v Wild Turkeys (1.20); C: Woldgate OB v Goole (1.40); D Ganton CC v Martins Minions (2.00); E: Driffield v Old Peterites (2.40); F: Hymerians v Malton & Norton (3.20).

First Round

Northern Exiles v Winner A (1.40); Hull Ionians v Winner B (2.00); Warrnedale Wagyu Warriors v Winners C (2.20); Heworth RL v Winners D (2.40); Cleveland Cougers v Ionians Buccaneers (3.00); Penguin International v Winner E (3.20); Oxford Barbarians v Pocklington Colts (3.40); Jungle Tropics v Winners F (4.00).