The London Floodlit Sevens returns to Rosslyn Park on Thursday 11 June, and this year it’s back where it belongs: a weeknight evening, gates open from 4pm, finals under the floodlights.
Eight Premiership and invitational sides will compete at the Rock (Rosslyn Park’s ground on Upper Richmond Road), with tickets at £10 on the gate or bookable in advance at londonfloodlitsevens.co.uk. Rosslyn Park members get in free.
The tournament has been running since 1975, making 2026 the 51st edition. Harlequins won it five years in a row between 2011 and 2015; Rosslyn Park took it back-to-back in 2023 and 2024; Saracens claimed it last year, when the event moved to a Saturday.
“It didn’t have quite the same vibe,” Sarah Thomas, Rosslyn Park’s commercial director told Putney.news. “So we’ve gone back to a Thursday night.” The floodlights at the Rock, incidentally, were originally paid for by actor and hellraiser Oliver Reed, who was a club member – just one detail in Rosslyn Park’s remarkable history among many.
Camden Town Brewery is sponsoring this year. There’s a live band, pizza and biltong vans, outdoor bars, and a stretch tent with fairy lights. People dress up. Finals are from 8:30pm. Think Twickenham Sevens, but a short ride from Putney High Street.
Marcus Smith’s younger brother Luke plays for Rosslyn Park’s first XV, and the Harlequins and England fly-half is a regular at home events, so keep an eye on the crowd as well as the pitch. England winger Ellie Kildunne turned up in a previous year when her brother played for one of the invitational sides.
The format is accessible if you’re not a regular rugby-watcher: short matches, quick knockout rounds, and plenty to do off the pitch while you wait for the finals.
London Floodlit Sevens, Thursday 11 June. Rosslyn Park FC, Upper Richmond Road, SW15 5JH. Gates from 4pm, until late. £10 on the gate; advance tickets at londonfloodlitsevens.co.uk. Rosslyn Park members free. Nearest station: Barnes (10-minute walk). Buses stop at the Upper Richmond Road/Rocks Lane junction.
