History of the SCC Rugby sevens tournament As to how this rugby 7s tournament is organized by SCC, we must trace back to the history of Singapore Cricket Club. The Singapore Cricket Club was established in 1852. Being junior by 10 years to the Singapore Sporting Club, now known as the Singapore Turf Club, it is the second oldest sports club in Singapore. Today, it is one of the premier sports and social clubs in the country.
Rugby was established in Singapore in the 1880s. Seven-a-side rugby teams had competed for the Ablitt Cup since as long ago as the 1940s, but it was not until the 1980s that the SCC Rugby Sevens was expanded to become a truly international competition.
(The Singapore Cricket Club (SCC) International Rugby Sevens has attained the status of the region's premier international club tournament. Teams are invited from around the world to play for the Ablitt Cup. The Ablitt Cup is named after Mr. Bernard E. Ablitt who was Convenor of the SCC Rugby Section from 1931-1932. From 1938-1939, he was the President of the SCC. The silver Ablitt Cup was donated by Mrs Katherine Parentis in 1947 for the winners of the first 7-a-side tournament organized by the SCC Rugby Section. The tournament has since become an annual competition and one of the world's oldest rugbysevens tournaments.)
With the expansion of the SCC Rugby Sevens, the club gained international recognition. In addition, with the fact the members of SCC were important persons like decision markers in the government (mentioned above), SCC was truly a club of history and prestige. The status of the Club as a premium institution in Singapore was again underlined when Mr S R Nathan – a long-time member of the Club, was elected President of the Republic of Singapore in 1999.
This international status and prestige the SCC had have enabled the club to organize the Rugby 7s for the past 61 years. This annual event is grand, with many international players coming in to take part in this tournament as a stepping stone to the Rugby World Cup.
