Following a highly entertaining and well attended inaugural National Club Championship in Edmonton in 2006, Rugby Canada is pleased to announce the second edition of the event will take place over Labour Day weekend in Toronto, when sixteen men's club sides from across the country will meet and determine which team has what it takes to be the top rugby club in Canada.

Fletcher's Fields, in Markham, Ontario, just north of Toronto, will host the event, with matches being played starting on Thursday, August 30, and the final being played on Monday September 3rd.

Peter Harcourt is the chairman of the 2007 event, and he says while top level rugby across the country is important, he wants the club game to flourish.

"The rugby club is an integral part of growing the sport in this country, but because of our geography we tend to be a bit isolated within our own borders. This tournament breaks down some of those barriers," he said from Edmonton, Alberta.

In the 2006 event, 12 teams came from across the country, to Alberta, with the Toronto Irish Canadians and James Bay from Victoria, BC, emerging from pool play as the top sides. The Bays went on to defeat the Irish to take the inaugural title.

"The timing of the event should be a little better for most of the country, as last May most teams had only been on the pitch a few weeks, so it will allow for a higher quality of rugby," said Harcourt.

Harcourt's committee has sent out invitations to rugby unions across the country, and the hope is that because of the timing and location, they will be able to attract sixteen teams.

With a 3,000 seat grandstand at Fletcher's Fields, there should be quite a crowd on hand as the second ever national club champion is crowned on September 3rd.

Fletcher's Fields is a six pitch facility, with numerous change rooms and large clubhouse amenities. Hotels for the event are within a twenty minute drive of the ground, which is just off Highway 404 between Stoufville Side Road and Major Mackenzie Drive. You can visit the Fletcher's Fields website at www.fletchersfields.com .

Rugby Canada will once again provide support for this event, as will national sponsors Guinness Draught, the official beer of Rugby Canada.

For more information and to look at the results from the 2006 event, go to www.niccrugby.com .