By Eek the Weeble
July 23 2005

Summer-time and the livin' is easy, unless you're overweight, unfit or just generally bad at rugby, in which case the summer is the time to show us all just how overweight, unfit and/or bad you really are...

The 2005 Fat Bloke Sevens

Saturday 23rd July

Reading Abbey RFC

It’s that time of year where lovers of open, free, running rugby at its best converge to Reading Abbey RFC to watch the games at the Fat Bloke Sevens tournament. They are all sadly disappointed however as the organisers still manage to select teams that are fat, overweight, under skilled, not fit and generally a menace to themselves rather than other players on the pitch.

The event is organised by the Flatulent Fairies, a group of London Irish supporters who enjoy taking part in social activities, especially those which involve 'the Craic’. The event is this year hosted again by Reading Abbey RFC.

This year sees the number of teams taking part increase to 20 with the following teams promising to turn up and do as badly as they can:

1. Abbey Ruins (Reading Abbey RFC)
2. Arabian Knights (Saracens supporters)
3. Basildon Drones (Upper Basildon RFC)
4. Bath Tubs (Bath supporters)
5. Big Bob’s Villagers (East Peckham RFC)
6. Blandford Bloaters (Blandford RFC)
7. Bristol Pasty Eaters (Bristol supporters)
8. Bruno Nero’s (Bedford Supporters)
9. Cantabs Wasps (London Wasps supporters)
10. Cr@p Hopeless Players (CHP Consulting Corporate)
11. Drunken Wasps (London Wasps supporters)
12. Fat Cats (East Grinstead RFC)
13. Flatulent Fairies (London Irish supporters)
14. Gingell’s Gut Buckets (Reading Abbey RFC - mini-rugby coaches)
15. Jasons’ Leopards (Harlequins supporters)
16. Leeds Lardies (Leeds Tykes supporters)
17. No Guts No Glory (Havant RFC)
18. Paicey’s Pot Bellied Pigs (Newbury 'Barbarians’)
19. Worcester Wobblers (Worcester Warriors Supporters)
20. Yaks (Northampton Saints supporters)

The Fat Bloke Sevens has grown from strength to strength over the years, spawning many flattering imitations, and is now seen as the best in the world of its kind. Each year several hundred rugby fans and their supporters converge and enjoy a weekend of each others’ company, camping on the Friday and Saturday nights at the ground and in sharing a joy of rugby in its best grassroots traditions while at the same time raising money for charity.

Once again we have hundreds of supporters and players from across the country and teams will be playing throughout the day culminating in finals for Cup, Shield and Plate trophies with some well known rugby faces who are planning to visit during the Saturday watching and enjoying the efforts from the sideline. The tournament will close with an exhibition match of '10’s rugby’ with the London supporters teams (Harlequins, Saracens, Wasps and London Irish) taking on the 'rest of the world’.

Entrance to the event is free, but a request is made for everyone to purchase a programme, at £2 each, this being the major source of raising funds. All profits go to the nominated charities for this year:

• Samaritans
• Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance
• The Wooden Spoon Society

As well the opportunity to watch the coarse rugby of the Fat Bloke tournament, there will be various stalls on site including BBQ, Hogroast, the RFU’s bungee rugby and a 'second hand rugby shirt’ clothing outlet. If you have an old rugby shirt that no longer fits, or you don’t want any more, please bring it along to donate to the stall - at least washed if not ironed.

During the Saturday evening, the post tournament party with disco and live music from The Gagging Ferrets , the worlds greatest rock band (allegedly) with their unique 'Guinness fuelled Led Zeppelin-Wurzels fusion’, will take the revellers into the early hours with the promise of a survivors breakfast on the Sunday Morning.

This is a great day, or weekend, not only for rugby lovers but for the whole family to come and enjoy the carnival atmosphere.

Directions to Reading Abbey Rugby Club