We run our festival of Rugby at the start of September each year. All Hornet year groups are invited to attend and play against teams for all over the region and farther afield.

We generally have around 12 clubs involved from P3-P7 plus joint training sessions for our ELC4/P1 and P2 groups. That equates to approx. 600-700 children getting the opportunity to come along to play, learn new skills, improve their health and well-being, build on positive relationships within the rugby community, improve their sense of belonging as well as the feeling of being part of something much bigger than themselves and hopefully most importantly to have FUN!

We at Melrose Hornets encourage our kids to be brave with the ball and try things they usually wouldn’t. We encourage all players to do the same today! Give that offload, try that kick, push that pass, attempt that tackle. This is a Festival, it is early in the season and a number of teams will be playing new Age Grade Law Variations for the first time, therefore we won’t be keeping score and we won’t be handing out medals or trophies. Success for us is based on all players getting equal game time, a high number of touches of the ball, building confidence in contact but most importantly, ensuring every player has a positive experience and leaves having had as much FUN as possible.

The Crichton Cup is the oldest youth rugby event in the world. It is for all youth players at Melrose Rugby to split into their ‘home teams’ and compete for the Crichton Cup.

Training and prep for the tournament starts a few weeks before during the players regular training.

Teams

Each child is put into one of the following teams;

• ⁠Melrose Primary

• ⁠Newtown Primary

• ⁠St Boswell's Primary

• Earlston Primary

• ⁠Lauder Primary

• Country Schools (Gordon, Westruther, Channelkirk)

• St Mary's

• ⁠Tweedbank Primary

Note; we always try to put children in their ‘home town’ but there is often a need to balance teams and/or there isn’t enough children from a certain town so we need to move kids to make them even.

We may also merge towns to create a team if numbers require us to do so.

Format

• 7 a side

• Full contact

• Rolling subs

• ⁠1 point for a score

• 10 minute games (no half time)

P4/5 Boys & P4/5 Girls

• Triangle or Gibson Park

• 1/4 pitch

P6/7 Boys & P6/7 Girls

• Greenyards

• 1/2 Pitch

Winner of Crichton Cup is the school at the top of the 'league' after round 2.

Melrose Rugby recognises the value of Rugby tours in furthering team spirit and supporting our players' development goals, in addition to setting a target and reward for work over a period of time or marking significant milestones. Melrose Rugby also recognises its responsibility to ensure that any tour is properly organised, has appropriate permissions and insurance cover, and is risk-assessed from the perspectives of overall safety and the protection of vulnerable individuals, including children.

The Rugby Board have significant experience in the planning and delivery of touring both at home and abroad and are on hand to advise on the smooth planning and delivery of tours in both the Senior and Youth sections of the club, whilst taking account the requirements for touring stated by Scottish Rugby.

If a team or group is considering a tour, either involving an overnight stay, or a match /matches outside Scotland, the teams must apply to the Melrose Rugby Board and (where any fundraising/sponsorship is being explored) the Events/Fundraising Board. Initial discussion and guidance will be provided.

The Melrose Hornets rarely play one-on-one matches against other teams. Instead, they participate in rugby festivals throughout the season. Most local clubs host a festival, see above for details of the Hornets Festival.

Festival Format

Most festivals follow a similar structure:

🏉 Teams are divided into two pools🏉 Each team plays all others in their pool
🏉 Final matches vary by festival – some only have the top teams face off, while others have finals at every level (1st vs. 1st, 2nd vs. 2nd, etc.), and some do not have a final at all.

Key Details

📅 Festivals usually take place on Sunday mornings and can last until around 2 PM

🎟️ They are invite-only, so coaches will confirm participation in advance

💰 Clubs use these events as fundraisers, with stalls offering coffee, bacon rolls, cakes, and more

Team Selection

To ensure all players get game time, larger year groups may be split into Melrose Black and Melrose Yellow squads. This means:

🔹 Only the selected squad attends the festival, while the other remains at training that week

🔹 This rotation ensures fair playtime and festival experience for all Hornets

Festivals are typically held at the start or end of the season to avoid harsh winter conditions. Keep an eye out for updates from your coaches.