ORGANISERS of this year’s Bournemouth Sevens Festival have pulled off a major coup after Premiership giants Bath accepted an invitation to take part in the showpiece tournament.

The event – which has been dubbed the Sporting Glastonbury and is now in its fifth year – takes place at Chapel Gate between Friday, June 1 and Sunday, June 3.

A Bath side coached by former England and British Lions star Danny Grewcock will line up in the prestigious VIPER 10 National Cup, a competition for elite teams with £2,000 in prize money up for grabs.

They will compete for honours alongside The Army, Wooden Spoon, Carmarthen Warriors, Esher, Apache, Rugby Lions, The Midwives, Storm 7S, Glantaf Goats, Wolfpack 7S and Loughborough University.

Bournemouth Sevens director Roger Woodall told the Daily Echo: “Bath have been invited to play in the National Cup and are bringing a very strong squad, who are coached by Danny Grewcock, an ex-England and British Lions legend.

“In the National Cup, you won’t find any better rugby in Europe and, having a Premiership club entering the festival, just takes the profile to another level.”

More than 200 teams compete annually in the Bournemouth Sevens Festival with the National Cup the jewel in the crown.

Woodall added: “The Army have won it for the past two years and are world-beaters. They could play international teams and potentially beat them. They could be on the IRB World Series.

“A lot of Fijians play for The Army and they travel the world playing sevens so it is amazing for us to have them at the festival as well.

“We have been going for four years and the reputation has flown all around Europe and worldwide about the Bournemouth Sevens Festival. On the sevens circuit in Wellington, Dubai and Hong Kong, people are talking about the Bournemouth Sevens Festival which is good for the area.”

The Bournemouth Sevens, the world’s largest rugby, netball and music festival, is an action-packed weekend and is again set to attract around 20,000 people to Chapel Gate.

While 2011 was a record-breaking year for the festival, with team entry and tickets all sold out months in advance, this year’s event is on course to be another sell-out.

“It is not just about the rugby,” added Woodall. “It is also about families, entertainment and bands. Rugby is the daytime entertainment.”

Boasting six festival arenas, the event also includes 10 live bands, 10 top DJs, a Nintendo festival stage, a pitchside Jacuzzi, a fuzzy ducks tent, an animal bike tour and a Wii Fit Plus tent.