The sporting world is full of little brothers, who are just not quite as good as their older siblings. Anton Ferdinand’s central defensive talents on the football pitch have always been overshadowed by Rio’s. Jamie Murray’s successes in tennis doubles typically give way to Andy’s singles achievements. And Ralf Schumacher won fewer races in his entire career than Michael won Formula One world championships. Even the feats of triathlete Jonny Brownlee seem to be second-rate compared to those of Girtonian one-termer Alistair.

But there is one sporting little brother that looks set to break out to challenge its elder rival.

Rugby is one of the most physically demanding and brutal sports on the planet. Eminently entertaining, rugby requires its players to display a huge degree of stamina, speed, agility, hand-eye coordination and teamwork, as well as physical and mental strength. It is a sport unlike any other, combining the speed and direct play of football with the hard-hitting intensity of American football (all without the pads). This, combined with breath-taking ball handling, expert kicking, intense tactical battles, and ‘big hits’ – the perennial YouTube montage favourite – makes rugby a joy to watch.

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And rugby sevens, the younger brother of the more traditional fifteen-a-side game, has managed to condense all that makes the larger format so compelling into a faster, shorter adaptation of the sport. With fewer players on a full-sized pitch, running skills and footwork rather than brute strength are the keys to success.

It was only this year that rugby sevens made its Olympic debut, lighting up Brazil’s first Olympic games and entertaining TV audiences around the world. And it was a sport packed with Cambridge interest: as Varsity reported, three Cambridge alumni took part in the men’s tournament. Ex-Jesuan Juliano Fiori played for hosts Brazil, while both teams competing in the final were coached by former Light Blues: Homerton’s Ben Ryan took charge of Fiji while St Edmund’s alumnus Simon Armor presided over the Team GB squad. And it was Ryan who prevailed, as he led the Pacific Islanders to gold and the country’s first Olympic medal in any sport.

And now, the hype surrounding rugby sevens has reached Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club (CURUFC), who have teamed up with University of Cambridge Freshers’ Week to put on an afternoon of rugby sevens at Grange Road. A celebration of everything that has made rugby sevens a sport of increasing popularity, the day will see teams from all 31 Cambridge colleges fighting for the ultimate rugby sevens crown in what promises to be a series of intense, hard-fought contests.

Indeed, with 16 teams already signed up, the tournament looks set to – in the words of CURUFC’s Paddy Harlow – help “boost engagement with the rugby club”, make the most of one of the more “underused” venues in the city, and also introduce people to a side of rugby they might not be as familiar with.

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The tournament’s group stages begin at 2.30pm, with the final taking place at 5.30pm, after which the party continues in town. There will also be an opportunity to purchase ‘Early Bird’ tickets for CURUFC’s Varsity Rugby Match against Oxford at Twickenham on the 8th December, while the high-quality rugby action on offer will be supplemented by music provided by Spotify Cambridge and access to the Clubhouse Bar to facilitate party-goer’s pre-drinks before a night out in Cambridge.

Taking place at the University Rugby Ground on Grange Road, located near Selwyn and Robinson Colleges, the CURUFC College Rugby Sevens Freshers’ Week Festival is open to teams (of at least seven members) from all University of Cambridge colleges. More information about the event can be found on the event’s Facebook page.