Melrose Sevens – 23/5/26

Melrose Sevens 2026 witnessed three competitions, the Men’s “1883 Cup” competition and the Ladies “Breadalbane Doddie Claymore” competition both played on the Greenyards, and the Under 18 “Jim Telfer Cup” competition played, apart from the final, on the Annay Road and Battery pitches. Prior to the Watsonian v Kelso tie a eulogy and a Minute’s Silence took place in respect for Scott Hastings a previous Melrose Medal winner with Watsonians and international player for both Scotland and the British and Irish Lions. Watsonians played in a commemorative jersey bearing Scott’s name and playing number, 13. Kelso won the tie. MELROSE defeated Gala 31-10 in the second round, both teams having had byes in the first round, before succumbing to eventual winners, Scottish Thistles, 17-21 in the Quarter Final, achieving only three “Kings of the Sevens” points on the day. The Ladies competition was played in a “Round Robin” format, each team playing four ties. MELROSE 1883 Ladies beat Shogun Rugby 36-0, lost 29-12 to Scottish Thistles, beat Monaco Umusa 19-17 and Hearts and Balls MB 43-12. MELROSE reached the final against Monaco Umusa, but were defeated 22-5. The format for the Under 18 competition was four pools of four teams. In the semi-finals Newcastle Red Bulls defeated Dollar Academy 56-7 and Strathallan School defeated Stirling County 19-17. The final, played on the Greenyards, saw victory for Newcastle Red Bulls over Strathallan School by 26-14.

Men – 1883 Centenary Cup:-

First Round – Scottish Thistles 33 Musselburgh 7; Durham University 14 Currie Chieftains 17; Newcastle Red Bulls 35 Glasgow Hawks 14; Stirling County 5 Edinburgh Rugby 17.

Second Round – MELROSE 31 Gala 10; Scottish Thistles 28 Peebles 0; Currie Chieftains 14 Boroughmuir 19; Watsonians 10 Kelso 17; Ayr 54 Jed-Forest 5; Hawick 5 Newcastle Red Bulls 42; Edinburgh Rugby 38 Selkirk 5; Heriots Rugby 7 Edinburgh Accies 22.

Quarter Finals – MELROSE 17 Scottish Thistles 21; Boroughmuir 7 Kelso 17; Ayr 24 Newcastle Red Bulls 21; Edinburgh Rugby 12 Edinburgh Accies 19.

Semi-finals – Scottish Thistles 33 Kelso 5; Ayr 7 Edinburgh Accies 15.

Final – Scottish Thistles 22 Edinburgh Accies 10.

MELROSE Squad – Connor Spence, Ruairi Campbell, Sam Derrick, Douglas Crawford, Scott Clark, Corey Goldsbrough, Jaxson Douglas, Bruce Colvine, Gavin Wood, Hamish Weir, Harry Makowski, Donald Crawford.

The winning mens team - The Scottish Thistles

Ladies – Breadalbane Doddie Claymore Competition:-

Round 1 – Scottish Thistles 15 Monaco Umusa 27; Shogun Rugby 0 MELROSE 1883 36.

Round 2 – Shogun Rugby 17 Hearts & Balls MB 29; MELROSE 1883 12 Scottish Thistles 29.

Round 3 – Scottish Thistles 31 Hearts & Balls MB 5; MELROSE 1883 19 Monaco Umusa 17.

Round 4 – Scottish Thistles 33 Shogun Rugby 12; Monaco Umusa 34 Hearts & Balls MB 12.

Round 5 – MELROSE 1883 43 Hearst & Balls MB 12; Shogun Rugby 0 Monaco Umusa 48.

Final – MELROSE 1883 5 Monaco Umusa 22.

MELROSE 1883 Squad – Holly Williams, Tahua Brody, Ellie Tromans, Ronja Hinterting, Elena Kord, Sophie Hacker, Julia Braun, Nia Grundy, Lisa Martin, Emma Wedervang, Johanna Hacker, Ricci Henning.

Under 18 – Jim Telfer Cup:-

Pool “A” – Newcastle Red Bull Academy 47 Howe of Fife 12; Merchiston Castle School 26 GHA 19; Merchiston Castle School 14 Newcastle Red Bull Academy 19, GHA 45 Howe of Fife 17; Newcastle Red Bull Academy 40 GHA 0; Howe of Fife 12 Merchiston Castle School 24.

Pool “B” – MELROSE 19 Dollar Academy 24; Stewarts Melville 27 Stockholm Exiles 7; Stewarts Melville 45 MELROSE 12, Stockholm Exiules 0 Dollar Academy 22; Stockholm Exiles 12 MELROSE 19; Dollar Academy 40 Strewarts Melville 0.

Pool “C” – Strathallan School 21 Deeside 19; Morrison’s Academy 45 Carmarthen Warriors 10; Morrisons Academy 17 Strathallan School 26; Carmarthen Warriors 31 Deeside 12; Carmarthen Warriors 17 Strathallan School 47; Deeside 26 Morrison’s Academy 19.

Pool “D” – Boroughmuir 17 Robert Gordon’s College 24; Stirling County 28 Syston 17; Stirling County 21 Boroughmuir 19; Syston 7 Robert Gordon’s College 36; Syston 12 Boroughmuir 41; Robert Gordon’s College 17 Stirling County 26

Semi-finals – Newcastle Red Bull Academy 54 Dollar Academy 7; Strathallan School 19 Stiling County 17.

Final – Newcastle Red Bull Academy 26 Strathallan School 14.

MELROSE Squad – Lewis Brown, Brodie Wright, Fin Leach, Henry Grant, Magnus Macleod, Reuben Heneveld, Connor Henderson, Seb Grant, Max Foy, Harry Bell, Stuart Newton, Lewis Allan.

The winners in the U18 competition…The Newcastle Redbulls

Kings of the Sevens – with 1 Round remaining:-

MELROSE 70 points
Edinburgh Accies 63
Kelso 53
Gala 22
Selkirk 21
Jed-Forest & Boroughmuir 19
Watsonians 17
Heriots 14
Durham University 13
Hawick 11
Currie & Edinburgh University 10
Stirling County & Peebles 8 points.

Some great images of the Day

The Howden Melrose 7s - Round 9, Kings of the 7s

Selkirk 7s - Round 8, Kings of the 7s