Following last year's outstandingly successful event, Carrickfergus RFC had a hard act to follow but follow it they did; with yet another great week-end of sevens and ten-aside rugby. Together with sponsors Guinness, Kukri Sportswear, Manvik, Lombard, Powerade, Northern Ireland Events Company and Carrickfergus Borough Council, they produced a tournament which provided one of the most keenly contested Guinness Open finals of recent years, another masterly display of sevens rugby from the Irish Exiles and  an equally impressive exhibition of ten-aside rugby from Cooke Ladies. There were again entries from across the British Isles. with the  usual  strong Scottish representation.Cork side, DNA Warriers, even passed up the chance to appear at the Kinsale Sevens to come to Carrick!  The weather was, for the most part, kind and the social events were sold out days before the tournament started. There were the usual activities for children, appearances by the KuKri Allstarzz dancers and large queues for the, by now, probably world-famous Reaper Burgers served up by the title-winning Grim Reapers themselves!

The week-end began on Friday 4 May with the Kukri-sponsored Under 20s tournament. This was won by a very good Malone side who over-powered Dungannon in the final, winning by 42 points to 14, having only just shaded Bllymena in their semi-final. The other semi-final, between Dungannon and Rainey was decided by a "golden try" in extra time. The "Most Valuable  Player" award went to Malone player Joshua Devitt.

The Guinness Open tournament on Saturday 5 May produced one of the most keenly contested finals of recent years, with the result in doubt until well into the second half.The event was won by Belfast area composite side Kidney Bean RFC who beat Edinburgh side Heriot-Watt in the final, out-scoring them in the end by four tries to two. However, Kidney Bean held only a two point lead at the break and were penned in their own half for opening minutes of the second half. The turning point came when one of the Heriot-Watt players was given a yellow card and Kidney Bean subsequently ran in two tries to finish victors by 26 points to 10.  The Holmes Trophy was presented to the winning Captain by Mrs Marlene Holmes. The "Most Valuable Player" award, adjudicated on by Richard holmes of the Newsletter, went to David O'Hara of Kidney Bean. On their way to the final, Heriott-Watt  won their pool on points difference from the highly fancied CIYMS team, the sides having drawn their pool match.The Scottish side then easily overcame UUJ in the semi-final.Kidney Bean won all of their pool games, including that against 2006 winners, Academy, but were made to battle hard by Larne Vikings in their semi-final before winning by four tries to two.Hosts,  Carrick,  were victims of some erratic refereeing in their first match, losing by just a conversion to Edinburgh side, Athletico Telford, and then going down by the same margin to UUJ. They  went on to win their two remaining games comfortably but it was not enough to get them into the knock-out stages.

Despite a couple of late withdrawals from the Manvik Premier Sevens, and fairly windy conditions, Sunday's events produced some excellent entertainment. The Lombard Ladies International Ten-aside tournament, with three teams from England, one from Wales and four from Northern Ireland, was won by the powerful Cooke team. They won all of their pool games and their semi-final  without conceding a try and had their line crossed only in the closing stages of the final when the result was beyond doubt. They won the final, and the FLP Cup, by 26 points to 5. Their opponents in the final, Pontyclun Falcons, from just outside Cardiff, also won all of their pool games but were made to fight hard  by Carrick Ladies in the semi-final. The game was in doubt until near the end, with the Welsh side eventually winning by 14 points to 5. The "Most Valuable Player" award in the Lombard Ladies event went to Rachel Boyd of Cooke.

In the Manvik Premier Sevens, defending champions, Irish Exiles, again showed their mastery of the sevens format, winning both of their pool games, although Dungannon made them work hard,beating Ballynahinch by 33 points to 7 in the semi-final and then going on to run in seven tries against  a spirited Queen's side in the final.Queen's also won all of their pool games and overcame Old Belvedere by five tries to three in their semi-final. The "Most Valuable Player" award went to the Exiles scrum-half, Michael Kirkwood. As well as the winners' cheque, the Exiles Captain was presented with the Simms Salver.

The Carrick Sevens Committee, led by Michael Simms, aided and abetted by his youthful assistant Jim, can once again be pround of their efforts in producing a great week-end's entertainment and in the process bringing a large crowd of visitors to the Borough.