Former Scotland international Jim Hamilton has backed the London City 7s to become a must-watch event on the capital's sporting calendar, following the tournament's successful debut last year. Hamilton, who played 63 Tests for Scotland and serves as the voice of the City 7s, believes the event has the ingredients to stand alongside London's biggest sporting occasions.
Star-Studded Line-Up and Unique Venue
Thursday's extravaganza at the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) will feature two-time defending Investec Champions Cup champions Union Bordeaux-Bègles, Perpignan, and the Barbarians. The event aims to attract elite players, new audiences, and major teams year after year.
“Rugby needs innovation,” Hamilton said. “Sevens is a great opportunity as it is an established product already. And the London City 7s is just unique. It’s being played at a venue with an artillery underneath the ground and the pitch that you're playing on. I've played there before – it's a cool place to play.”
London as the Heartbeat of Rugby
Hamilton emphasized the city's passion for the sport, stating, “You're in a city that already wants rugby, that knows rugby, and that loves rugby. London, it’s the heartbeat of that world. It's a place where business meets sport and entertainment, and that's what sport is now, both at the highest level and globally.”
He added, “This is an opportunity to showcase the elite athletes on the pitch, but also a collaboration between businesses and people that are interested in rugby. And for me, what excites me is the opportunity, in the future, to have an event like this every year and make this one of the coolest sporting events in London. I hope it grows into being an event that every young athlete or established athlete wants to come play in before the season kicks off.”
Inaugural Success and Future Ambitions
Born in the heart of the Square Mile, the London City 7s launched in May 2025 with the aim of bringing world-class sevens rugby back to London after the removal of the European leg from the World SVNS Series calendar. The inaugural event saw Harlequins edge out a Saracens side featuring England star Noah Caluori to claim the first title in front of 3,000 corporates at the HAC. With 11 teams competing across men’s and women’s competitions, the event delivers a full day of fast, high-scoring rugby, with pool stages leading through to knockout action and the finals under lights.
The day will begin with the Sport x Business Conference at 9am, before the main event kicks off when gates open at 11am, culminating in the grand finales at 8pm.
Hamilton added: “There's an appetite now for a lot of these athletes to establish themselves in sevens and 15s and cross-pollinate both codes. And to have Bordeaux, Perpignan, the Barbarians, it’s really cool. The dream is in the future to have teams from the Prem, the URC and more Top 14 teams, and maybe a team from the US that can come in as well.”
