Nikon Cosponsors The International Sevens Rugby Tournament"VOLKSWAGEN SEVENS 2001"

(C) IMG Tokyo 2000

Nikon Corporation (YOSHIDA, Shoichiro, president) announced that Nikon is cosponsoring the world Sevens rugby tournament "VOLKSWAGEN SEVENS 2001" to be held on 2001-04-29 (Sun) and 30 (Mon) at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Ground in Tokyo, Japan (Nippon).

Poster for this year's tournament
(C) IMG Tokyo 2000

What is commonly known as "Sevens" is a rugby football game played by seven players (3 forwards and 4 backs) on each team using the same playing field as a regular rugby game played by 15 players.
Usually the "Sevens" games have 7 or 10 minutes halves.
Unlike regular 15-player rugby games, "Sevens" rugby players have more space on the playing field, allowing them to move much more quickly.
Originally, the "Sevens" rugby games were played as a part of the training programs for 15-player rugby. Gradually, the "Sevens" rugby games have become popular for their showy game atmosphere and fast action.

In 2000, the International Rugby Board (IRB) began organizing Sevens rugby games, held in every corner of the globe, and started hosting the "World Sevens Series," the official international tournament for games played in one place after another worldwide.

"VOLKSWAGEN SEVENS 2001," cosponsored by Nikon, is one of the ten world tournament games of the "World Sevens Series 2000-2001" and is held in Japan (Nippon).

As a corporate sponsor of this tournament, Nikon will set up Nikon logo banners beside the playing field, cosponsor an advertisement in the tournament program as well as loan photographic equipment to photographers as the "Tournament Official Camera," in addition to many other activities.

The tournament games will be broadcast on the NTV network and the SKY PerfecTV in Japan.

Tournament Details

Venue :

Prince Chichibu Memorial Ground
(Location : Kita-Aoyama 2-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo.
Get off at Gaienmae subway station on the Ginza Line.)

Dates :

2001-04-29 (Sun), 10:30- (Preliminary Games);
2001-04-30 (Mon), 11:00- (Final Round)

Participating Teams :

New Zealand, Fiji, Australia, South Africa, France, Canada, Samoa, U.S.A., Hong Kong, Korea, Wales, Argentina, Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, England, Japan

For more information :

Contact the Japan Rugby Football Union at +81-3-3401-3290 Or see:

• http://www.jrfu-members.com/