CLAYTON, North Carolina – This past Saturday the Clayton Rugby Football Club hosted their 7th and final CottonTown 7s tournament. Founded in 2016, the tournament has played host to over 130 teams during its run.
“We’re sure that the tournament is going to be missed,” said Clayton RFC President Ted Hardy. “We heard from plenty of people this weekend, but it’s time for a break. Hosting is a big ask and we commend every club that does it. Right now we need to focus on getting our new home park finished. When it is ready, we’ll look at hosting something again. What that will be is yet to be determined. We’ve talked about a lot of different ideas and nothing is off the table at this point.”
A staple on the summer 7s circuit in the Carolinas, the tournament certainly made a mark over the years with quality play on the pitch and a great social atmosphere for clubs. The final edition of the tournament was no different. Teams across three divisions battled the heat and humidity along with each other for tournament honors. The play on the pitch was entertaining throughout the day leading to closely contested championship games in each division.
Here are the 2023 CottonTown 7s Champions
Men’s Club Champion: Cape Fear
Men’s Club Runner Up: Charlotte RFC
Women’s Club Champion: Raleigh Venom
Women’s Club Runner Up: James River
Men’s Social Champion: Tobacco Road
Men’s Social Runner Up: Charlotte Barbarians
The Clayton RFC would like to sincerely thank all of the volunteers, players, coaches, referees, sponsors, and fans that have helped make the tournament special over the years.
