Kiama Sevens preparing to celebrate 50th anniversary

Organisers have gone all out to celebrate the milestone, with the 2022 event set to be the biggest in the competition's history.

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A number of new sponsors have jumped on board, including Scoops Ice Creamery, enabling overall prize money to rise to a record $50,000 and for the first time equal pay will be provided to the winners of the men's and women's events.

Officials have been preparing for the 50^th edition for a number of years and Kiama Sevens tournament director Mark Bryant said all signs point to a celebration of rugby on February 26.

"Everyone wants to be a part of the 50^th year," Bryant said. "It will be a big celebration, all our sponsors are on board, we've extended the hospitality area.

"Normally we have about $38,000 prize money, but for the 50^th year we decided to go all out. Everything's done, now we're just waiting for good weather."

With places in the seven different categories limited, teams from across Australia have been lining up to take part in the 2022 edition of the Kiama Sevens.

Sydney's big Shute Shield clubs will again be present, with the likes of Gordon and Manly making the trip south. Country NSW will also be represented, including Queanbeyan and Grenfell as well as Victoria's Moorabbin.

With rugby in particular hard hit by the pandemic over the past two years, Bryant is hopeful the Kiama Sevens will kick off a bumper year for the sport in a COVID-safe manner.

"Kiama Sevens has never changed from the last Saturday in February in 50 years," Bryant said. "Tournaments have come and gone but everyone fits around us. Illawarra Rugby starts four weeks after us.

"Everyone must be fully vaccinated, we have a COVID plan, we'll tweak our plans as NSW Health puts out more information."