The 2014 edition of the oldest sevens rugby tournament – Melrose Sevens – takes place this weekend at The Greenyards, Melrose rugby club’s home ground.
The tournament has featured many clubs from various parts of the world in the past, including South Africa and New Zealand. In fact, it was while watching Melrose Sevens on television in the early 2000’s that I got my first glimpse of current Springbok captain Jean de Villiers. If memory serves one correct he was playing for the University of Stellenbosch at the 2002 Tournament and his abundance of talent was clear from the outset.
Twenty four teams will compete in this year’s tournament sponsored by Aberdeen Asset Management, mostly local amateur Scottish clubs. They will be joined by international participants and professional club teams : Clermont Auvergne (last year’s runners up), Glasgow Warriors, Trinidad and Tobago and USA Tigers.
The rest of the clubs are: Gala, Hawick, Jedforest, Kelso, Langholm, Peebles, Selkirk, Ayr, Boroughmuir, Currie, Heriots, Watsonians, Aberdeen Grammar FPs, Dundee High FPs, Glasgow Hawks, Howe of Fife, Edinburgh Academicals, Stewart’s Melville, Stirling County and Melrose.
Various events will be taking place within the tournament. The Veterans tournament has been taking place today with the main event starting on Saturday. Furthermore there will be a Juniors training clinic for players under 14, following the clinic the juniors will then attend the sevens as guests of Melrose Club. There will also be a Ladies sevens match which will be played between the semi finals and final of the main tournament.
The tournament will start with eight matches featuring 16 of the local clubs. The winners of these matches will go on to play either the remaining amateur Scottish clubs or the four international/professional teams in a knockout match with the tournament then progressing through the rest of the various knockout stages. Clermont Auvergne’s first action will be in a match against the winners of the first round match between Glasgow Hawks and Peebles. Glasgow Warriors will play against Currie or Stewart Melville in their first match, Trinidad and Tobago against Dundee HSFPs or Boroughmuir and USA Tigers either Heriots or Langholm.
Prize money for the main tournament will be: Winners – £3000; Runners up – £1500; Losing semi-finalists – £1000 and losing quarter finalists – £500.
South African club Hamilton were the last South African team to win the tournament, in 2010, with the tournament being won by the University of Johannesburg the year before that. Saracens are the reigning champions having won it for the second year in a row last year. The hosts, Melrose, last won the tournament in 2011.
Just caught a bit of the last game between Hawick and Gala which Hawick won 19/12, looked like they were playing in slow motion at times compared to the international 7s.
Looks like the preliminary round has been competed so we are now in to ’round one’ with Selkirk against hosts Melrose, second half just started – Selkirk 5/7 Melrose the latest score
Melrose comfortable winners of that round 1 game in the end, Melrose 28/5 Selkirk
Edinburgh Accies 17/0 Watsonians in the 5th min, far more pace and purpose in this game than the Hawick/Gala game
6 min gone Edinburgh Accies 24/0 Watsonians!
Lovely try by Magic Matawalu for Glasgow Warriors in the 13th minute, he should be playing PRO12 against Munster this evening. Ayr 10/29 Glasgow Warriors, Ayr got their first try in the 10th minute.
Final score: Ayr 10/34 Glasgow Warriors, Glasgow shoing the clear gulf between amateur and professional rugby, but at least Ayr got 2 consolation tries.
Halftime: Edinburgh Accies 22/7 Clermont Auvergne, impressive stuff from the amateurs against the Pro’s hope they can hold on in the second half
First semi final between Glasgow Warriors and Heriots has just kicked off. Edinburgh Accies beat Clermont in previous match and will play in the 2nd semi final.
Half time Glasgow Warriors 21 (think)/5 Heriots. Carlin Isles showing his pace off for Glasgow got a try just before the break running from just outside Glasgow’s 22, although looked to me like there had been a knock on from Glasgow just before he got the ball. Heriots are playing in look-alike WP streeptruie.
2nd semi final – between Melrose and Edinburgh Acc. has just kicked off with Glasgow Warrios awaiting the winner in the final.
Glasgow Warriors 38/12 Heriots was the final score in the 1st semi-final
In the 4th min, Melrose 0/5 Ed Ac.
Great try Edinburgh Accies, Melrose 0/12 Ed Ac. Now into 6th min
9 min played, Melrose 0/17 Ed Ac. Edinburgh Academicals and Glasgow Warriors playing in similar strip – predominantly white with bit of light blue (almsot the same as the champions Blue Bulls blue 🙂 ) wonder who will change for the final.
11th min try for Melrose – Mel 5/17 Ed Ac.
not long left Mel 5/22 Ed Ac.
Final score, semi final – Melrose 5/22 Edinburgh Academicals. Edinburgh against Glasgow in the final in a bit.
Treviso against Newport Gwent Dragons kicked off about 15 min ago in the PRO12
19 @ Bullscot:
Latest score meant to add is 0/0 there
Finals has just kicked off, Glasgow playing in the predominantly black kit the 15man team has as home kit
latest in PRO12 Treviso 8/6 Dragons
3rd min try for Magic Matawalu under the posts! Glasgow Warriors 5/0 Edinburgh Academicals
5th min Gla W 7/7 Ed Ac.
Gla W 14/7 Ed Ac, now in 7th min
9th min try for Glasgow, Gla W 21/7 Ed Ac.
10th min TRY by Hughes for Glasgow! Gla 28/7 Ed Ac.
Half time – Glasgow Warriors 33/7 Edinburgh Academicals (playing 10minutes a half)
Into 12th min now, Gla W 33/14 Ed Ac.
Sorry need to go will post final score later
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