Try! Marriott Hotels & Resorts And The Rugby Football Union Celebrate The Official Launch Of The Marriott London Sevens

Marriott Hotels & Resorts and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) yesterday marked the official tournament launch of this year’s Marriott London Sevens – the final leg of the 2011/2012 HSBC Sevens World Series – with an inaugural turn of the wheel on the EDF Energy London Eye, followed by a press conference and brunch at the neighboring London Marriott Hotel County Hall.

With attendance from RFU Professional Rugby Director and ex-England player Rob Andrew; England Sevens Head Coach Ben Ryan; the coaches and captains from the 16 Sevens World Series countries; and the England Sevens Women’s Coach and Captain, the celebrations marked the new strategic partnership between Marriott Hotels & Resorts and the RFU. The alliance sees Marriott Hotels & Resorts become the new title sponsor of the Marriott London Sevens and an Official Partner of England Rugby for the next four years.

Osama Hirzalla, vice president brand marketing and ecommerce for Marriott International in Europe said, “Today was a fantastic occasion to mark Marriott Hotels & Resorts and the RFU’s alliance.  It was an honour to be joined by rugby legend Rob Andrew, as well as the coaches and captains from the 16 competing nations and the England Sevens Women’s Coach and Captain, who have worked so hard to reach the finals. We look forward to a magnificent weekend of rugby and hosting all the many fans at Twickenham Stadium, home to our Twickenham Marriott Hotel.”

The Marriott London Sevens is set to hit new heights this weekend with world record attendance at Twickenham Stadium in the final leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series.  Over 90,000 tickets have already been sold, with this weekend’s total attendance expected to climb past last year’s high of 100,094.

Rob Andrew, RFU Professional Rugby Director, said: “The Marriott London Sevens continues to grow and get bigger and better each year both on and off the pitch, which is a testimony to the strength of the event and the appeal of the sport.”

Ben Ryan, England Sevens Head Coach, said: “We get great support around the world from England fans but there’s nothing we enjoy more than coming home to Twickenham Stadium, where we get great support and where the atmosphere will be electric this weekend.”

To celebrate the England team and let fans get in on the action, Marriott Hotels & Resorts are giving away one weekend break for two in the UK for every England try.  Join Marriott Hotels & Resorts at facebook.com/MarriottHotelsUK for full terms and conditions and to enter.

The Marriott London Sevens tournament is the finale of the HSBC Sevens World Series, a competition that pits the finest national sevens sides against each other across nine different tournaments. Each nation scores points based on their performances in these competitions until the season ends in London and one team is crowned as the World Series champions. Tickets are available from http://www.rfu.com/Tickets/Events/2012_05_12_LondonSevens.aspx and start from £18 for adults and £5 for juniors.

About Marriott Hotels & Resorts
Marriott Hotels & Resorts continues to inspire and provide a balanced life on the road for discerning and high-achieving business and leisure travelers, offering warm, professional service; sophisticated yet functional guest room design; lobby spaces that facilitate working, dining and socializing; restaurants and bars serving international cuisine prepared simply and from the freshest ingredients; meeting and event spaces and services that are gold standard; and expansive, 24-hour fitness facilities. All Marriott hotels participate in the award winning Marriott Rewards frequent travel program that allows members to earn hotel points or airline miles for every dollar spent during each stay. For more information, visit www.MarriottHotels.com

HSBC Sevens World Series
Marking HSBC’s second season as title sponsor, the 2011/12 HSBC Sevens World Series features nine tournaments in five continents, including a new event in Tokyo, Japan, and will again feature both established rugby nations (12 core teams) and emerging rugby-playing countries. The inaugural 2010/11 Series attracted over 500,000 spectators, while television coverage reached 332 million homes.  The Marriott London Sevens hosts the final tournament of the 2011/12 HSBC Sevens World Series.

About the Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union is the National Governing Body for rugby union in England and supports participants and fans from the grassroots to the national team. For more information visit rfu.com. For Rugby Football Union enquiries please contact Emma Kennedy 07821953458 / emmakennedy@rfu.com

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Connect with elizabeth.caminiti@marriott.com