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Student Athletes Show Off 'Rugby Sevens' Skills Ahead of Annual Tourney

By John McDevitt

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The 2013 "USA Sevens" collegiate rugby championship will be held at PPL Park in Chester, Pa. on June 1st and 2nd.

To get the public fired up, area college players participated in a rugby demonstration this afternoon in the middle of a blocked-off street along Rittenhouse Square.

Twenty universities throughout the country -- including  Penn, Temple, and  St. Joe's in our area -- will participate in the USA Sevens tournament next month.   The two-day event serves at a national platform for America's future Olympians.

Donald Walsh, a tournament organizer, explains the difference between rugby and rugby sevens.

"Rugby Sevens has the full rules, full field, but literally it's just seven guys on the field versus 15," he says.  "So  what does that mean?   That means more space to run, it means they need to be stronger, fitter, more athletic, more skillful.  Rugby Sevens will be in the Olympics in 2016, so we are emulating that and bring it to the American people."

Tickets can be purchased at comcasttix.com or by calling 1-800-298-4200, or in person at the PPL Park box office.

 

 

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