After the mango rains and a very dry Songkran Festival the “HOT SEASON” has well and truly arrived and this can mean only one thing!! As well as the temperature rising, tensions are also on the rise and expectations are building as we anticipate the return of competitive rugby. After a two year hiatus rugger players throughout the country are anticipating the return of the Chris Kays Memorial Rugby Tournament!
Due to the intervention of the virus and a number of outside influences that have worked against us this will be only the 20th time that teams have gathered to vie for the famous trophy. Due to pandemic restrictions many of the usual combatants will not be contesting this year’s tournament. However the committee have beaten the bushes and swept the bars of the orient and have managed to assemble a smaller field than normal.
However quality is high and all are convinced that there will still be lots of great rugby on display and in a revised format all of the participating teams will get to play a lot more rugby. An added attraction is a great new location with fantastic facilities at the Pattana Sports Resort located on the 331 route out of Pattaya surrounded by more than 400 rai of lakes, a golf course, a cycling track and open country.
In addition to a wonderful location the Panthers are entering the computer age as all games will be live streamed live on Youtube, so play will be seen by viewers around the world. We will also be producing a digital programme which offers easier access to visitors and spectators alike a souvenir programme which participants will be able to keep for many years and show their family and friends.
Access to the tournament is free, the twentieth staging of the Chris Kays Memorial Rugby Tournament will kick off at 10:00 am at Pattana Sports Resort on Saturday 30th April and wrap up on Sunday 1st May with the traditional presentation of trophies in the swimming pool!
The tournament is a variation of the usual long form of the game as the teams will comprise only 10 players per side and each game will be played over two halves of just eight (8) minutes so there will be plenty of fast action.
The combatants will be assembling on Friday 29th April and the weather forecasters predict that the weather will heat up, to ensure that everybody will get a warm welcome. The invaders will be attending a welcome reception at The Outback Sports Bar on Friday April evening and many old friendships will be revived before battle commences early on Saturday morning. The usual suspects will be there.
There will be a total of 24 games in the initial round robin stages of the main tournament on Saturday, followed by rest and recreation, maybe a stroll along Beach Road and then early to bed with hot cocoa and biscuits on Saturday night!!
The knockout stages of the Chris Kays Memorial Tournament 2022 will commence at approximately 11:00 am on Sunday morning and will conclude with the Cup Final at around 17:00 on Sunday Evening.
In addition to the main rugby tournament on Saturday there will be a mixed touch tournament, during the Covid crisis touch rugby has gained a strong following and this will be our first attempt to play in a competitive tournament. There will be 6 games starting from 10:00 am on Saturday morning.
Please do come and support your local heroes and have some fun and great craic at the same time, there will be lots of diversions to keep the little ones happy while Daddy enjoys some great rugby and good food and cold beer!!!
The tournament could not happen without the support of our Sponsors :- Regents International School, Societe Generale de Surveillance, WHA Industrial Development Co., Ltd., Manpower Thailand, Lucy Electric ( Thailand ) Ltd., Baron Edward Devereux, The Wickman Group, Jetts Fitness and The Jungle Gym. Our publicity is handled by the Pattaya Mail.
The welfare of all participants and spectators will again be looked after by the staff of the Sawang Boriboon Foundation and the tents and cooling shade will be provided by CR 3 Group (formally CR Asia Ltd.) We do hope to see many of you there please do drop by and say hello to us at the organiser’s tent. The weather is forecast to be fine and very HOT. With the venue being in perfect condition we have no doubt that this will be a spectacular tournament.
View or download PDF from www.pattayapanthers.com
https://pattayapanthers.com/programme2022/Chris-Kays-Memorial-Rugby-Tournament-2022.pdf
View or download PDF from Google Drive: https://bit.ly/3ES3hdF
View Online via ISSUU https://bit.ly/3rUTKNU
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