There is just a week to go until the Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens gets underway with the Festival on the 19^th March and the Open on the 21^st, with the tension rising the Surrey School Sevens looks likely to provide us with a lot of information as to who the likely contenders will be.

Fifty-two schools will congregate at Richmond Athletic Ground tomorrow morning, each bidding to get one up on each of their rivals ahead of the main event next week.

Last year Filton beat Epsom in the Cup final, both return this week with Epsom College in Group B and Filton College in Group F. They will both expect to top their Pools and qualify for the Cup competition, with SGS Filton in with a good chance of competing for the title.

The tournament serves as perhaps the biggest warm up to Rosslyn Park, and last year’s Rosslyn Park Open Champions, Coleg Sir Gar, are in Group D. They will be expected to win the group but through Stowe in particular, they will face stiff competition.

The 2012 Rosslyn Park Festival winners were Wellington College, they too will be at Richmond’s fine ground tomorrow, they are in Group J from which they should be able to qualify without too much bother.

Three of the big challengers at Rosslyn Park will be Millfield, Brighton College and Whitgift, each has won tournaments in the build up to this week and each looks a fine side. They are in Groups A, C, and K respectively and will be expected to top those groups in strong style before challenging at the business end of the Cup draw.

Elsewhere, AASE College’s Oaklands, Hartpury and Truro College will be favourites for their groups. They compete in groups E, I, and L, though all three will find some strong challengers in their Pools should they field anything less than their premier sides.

Groups G and H look to be highly competitive, Hampton are probably slight favourites in Group G but Tonbridge are a fine side and in Matt Eliet they posses a highly skilled Sevens player. Group H contains Bicton, Harrow, Hurstpierpoint and John Fisher, four very evenly matched sides but Harrow ought just to edge it, it might well be the tightest group though.

Finally to Group M, on Sevens form Cranleigh School ought to be favourites, but with Campion, Eton and Marlborough in their Pool it will be one of the toughest around. Marlborough had an outstanding fifteen-a-side season though and if they can bring any of that form across to the Sevens arena then they should come out on top.

Of course not all of the schools competing at Rosslyn Park will be at Richmond Athletic Ground tomorrow, but almost all of the big favourites for the title will be involved in a Sevens tournament somewhere across the country.

The hot favourites for the Festival are King’s Worcester, who have been in simply unbelievable sevens form so far this season, picking up tournament wins by the fistful.

They host their own tournament tomorrow where they will once again be favourites, with the likes of Warwick, Bromsgrove, Colston’s and Solihull also challenging strongly.

Another side with big Rosslyn park ambitions are Sedbergh, who are yet to be beaten on the Sevens circuit this season. Sedbergh will be competing in the Hymers College sevens where they go in as strong favourites, with the likes of Durham, RGS Newcastle and Barnard Castle also challenging.

The State Boarding School Association are also hosting a tournament tomorrow, RGS High Wycombe are expected to be the favourites though Old Swinford Hospital may prove to be strong challengers.

It promises to be an excellent day of Sevens ahead of the biggest week on the School Sevens Calendar – The Rosslyn Park National School Sevens.

Surrey, Hymers College, King’s Worcester & SBSA Groups:

(All predicted Pool winners in bold)