Melrose can't quite spoil the Watsonians party

Melrose won the Jed 7s on the day, although Watsonians took the overall Kings title (picture by Bill McBurnie)

Watsonians, as predicted, did enough in their opening game to seal overall victory in the 2018 Kings of the Sevens series.

But the limelight was partially stolen from them on the final day at Jed-Forest, as their closet rivals, Melrose, comprehensively beat them in the final to deprive them of a win in the closing contest.

Watsonians arrived at Riverside Park with such a big lead that they only needed victory from the first match to secure an unassailable points total, and they comfortably saw off Gala 35-5.

Hosts Jed-Forest, keen to give a good account of themselves in their own event, after a season in which they almost made the BT Premiership, reached the semi-finals, where they gave the Myreside men a very close run. In the final, Melrose were 19-0 up at the break, through tries from Lewis Reid and Ross McCann (2), followed by others from Craig Jackson, who added four conversions, and Bruce Colvine. Watsonians’ sole reply was a try from Willie Thomson, for a final score of 33-5. Jed’s sevens convenor, Ross Goodfellow, said they could not have wished for a better day weather-wise and everyone seemed to enjoy the occasion. Results: First round – Heriot’s 43, Hawick 14; Melrose 31, Musselburgh 5; Langholm 21, Hamilton 39; Edinburgh Accies 22, Kelso 19; Hearts & Balls VII 36, Peebles 5; Watsonians 35, Gala 5; Jed-Forest 42, President’s VII 21; Selkirk 24, Berwick 10.

Quarter-finals – Heriot’s 21, Melrose 35; Hamilton 12, Edinburgh Accies 43; Hearts and Balls VII 5, Watsonians 31; Jed-Forest 41, Selkirk 5.

Semi-finals – Melrose 41, Edinburgh Accies 14; Watsonians 17, Jed-Forest 15.

Final – Melrose 33, Watsonians 5.