Ballarat Highlanders, Grow team up for action-packed Charity Sevens event

The action will see eight teams, including the Western Sydney Two Blues, take to the pitch for the fundraising event.

A total of 19 games will be played, commencing at 9:20am, with plenty of on-field and off-field entertainment.

Highlanders coach Clint Smith was looking forward to another day with the Ballarat rugby community.

"It should be a really good atmosphere," Smith said.

"One of our players will be providing some commentary of the matches, there'll be music, food and drink as well so there is plenty to enjoy."

The Ballarat-based event is different to many other sevens events across Australia, with it being open to all those who want to play.

"If you want to play Rugby Sevens and you don't have an actual rugby club there isn't much you can do so this tournament offers something unique," Smith said.

"It is a little different to other Sevens tournaments with the fact that it is open to non-affiliated clubs."

With teams travelling to Ballarat from all over Victoria - as well as New South Wales - it will be an influential event for Ballarat as a whole.

"Everyone runs these events but they are usually fairly placid, you turn up, play your rugby and go home," Smith said.

"We really want to try and make a day out of it and it is something we want to make even bigger as well.

"We had to close entries at eight teams but we could have easily had 16 and ran a women's competition as well.

"We want to push for a bigger rugby field so one year we can accommodate the extra games."

Fellow Premiership Reserve teams will feature on Saturday, but plenty of eyes will be on the Western Sydney Two Blues.

"We've actually got one team coming down from Sydney which is definitely the highlight," Smith said.

"They're actually one of the best Sevens teams in the country so it is going to be pretty fierce competition."

Saturday is yet another community-focused event which the club has proudly organised as a way to engage with rugby fans in Ballarat.

However, the rugby goes hand-in-hand with fundraising, with Grow the charity of choice for Saturday.

All profits from an indigenous jersey auction will be donated to Grow, with a donation box also at Doug Dean Reserve.

For more information on Saturday, visit the Ballarat Highlands Facebook and Instagram pages.