FIJIAN Rugby Union star Waisale Serevi - widely considered to be one of the greatest sevens players of all time - has agreed to play for Fiji UK in Rugby League's newest tournament taking place in Leeds tonight (Wednesday).
The Carnegie Floodlit Nines, taking place at Headingley Carnegie Stadium, is a one-day rugby league nines tournament involving nine senior teams including five Engage Super League clubs. Preceding the showpiece event, an invitational junior tournamen
t will take place comprising of traditional amateur clubs and development sides.
Leeds Met's own rugby league team, who this year reached the third round of the Carnegie Challenge Cup, will take part in the tournament alongside Super League clubs Huddersfield Giants, Hull FC, Hull Kingston Rovers, Leeds Rhinos and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. The other three teams taking part in the competition will be the British Army, Cumbria and Fiji UK.
The tournament also revives the tradition of the Headingley sevens, staged between 1965 and 1978.
In the Fiji UK team will be Serevi, the most decorated Fijian in world rugby who represented his country 39 times between 1989 and 2003 and scored 376 points. He is currently the Fiji national sevens coach.
"To capture Fiji's greatest ever rugby player is a major accomplishment for us," said Fiji UK team manager Mike Ratu. "He is Fiji's biggest sporting personality and the fact that he has agreed to play for us is a dream come true for our players.
"I would like to personally thank Leeds Metropolitan University, who have made it possible for Serevi to play in the tournament."
Serevi is excited about playing in the inaugural tournament and pitting his wits against some of Super League's big name players.
He said: "Rugby League is a fantastic sport and I am delighted to be supporting Leeds Met by playing in the Carnegie Floodlit Nines at Headingley Carnegie. I like to take on new challenges and to play for Fiji UK will be a good experience. Nines rugby is very exciting and I am sure the fans will be in for a real treat."
Ticket prices for the event are £10 for adults with children under 16 gaining free admission when accompanied by a full paying adult. Admission can be made via the turnstile on the night or in advance from the Headingley Carnegie ticket office on 0870 60 60 50 or www.floodlit9s.co.uk
The draw for the competitions is:
Round one: Leeds Metropolitan University v British Army (6.10pm); Leeds Rhinos v Huddersfield Giants (6.30pm); Hull KR v Cumbria (6.50pm); Fiji UK v Wakefield Trinity Wildcats (7.10pm); Hull FC v Leeds Met University or British Army (7.30pm).
l Brian McClennan has named a strong 13-man squad for the Carnegie Floodlit Nines, including nine players who have featured in the engage Super League competition this year.
Jordan Tansey, who made his 50th appearance for the Rhinos in their 52-16 win over Wigan last Friday, is included as is French international Eric Anselme. The squad is captained by Simon Worrall while young stars Ben Jones-Bishop, Kallum Watkins, Danny Allan and Ben Kaye will be looking to put on a show for the crowd.
The full article contains 541 words and appears in Morley Advertiser newspaper.
