Sun shines on Hawick's new-look sevens event

The first ever Borders Festival of Rugby is being hailed a huge success by organisers after it pulled in record crowds to Hawick on Saturday.
Enjoying refreshments at Mansfield Park are front left, Lynn Young, Julie Hodgins Kendra Grant, Rachel Thomson, back: Sam Culley, Jayne Douglas, Maggie Kirkpatrick and Dawn Renwick.Enjoying refreshments at Mansfield Park are front left, Lynn Young, Julie Hodgins Kendra Grant, Rachel Thomson, back: Sam Culley, Jayne Douglas, Maggie Kirkpatrick and Dawn Renwick.
Enjoying refreshments at Mansfield Park are front left, Lynn Young, Julie Hodgins Kendra Grant, Rachel Thomson, back: Sam Culley, Jayne Douglas, Maggie Kirkpatrick and Dawn Renwick.

Incorporating round four of the Kings of the Sevens tournament, the Mansfield Park event also included girls and junior tournaments and coaches’ coaching sessions by former Scotland sevens stars Mark Robertson and Scott Wight.

Organiser John Thorburn said: “We were encouraged that for the first year trying the new initiatives it was a success and there were no major issues on the day.

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“Numbers through the gates were certainly up on previous years so all the extra effort was definitely worthwhile.

“We’ve been asking everybody for feedback and whether they will come back and so far it’s all been good so we will be repeating it next year.”

“It’s always better when the sun shines too, and we are quite a fickle bunch in the Borders,” he added.

And while Watsonians triumphed on the field, off the pitch 190 guests filled the corporate hospitality area, while a further 70 ladies enjoyed the new afternoon tea in the marquee and 300 more saw the day out at the sevens after party.

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John added: “I would like to thank everybody for their participation and our main sponsor BSW Timber from Earlston. The whole was great for our first year.”

“Watsonians are a class act at the moment. They are the team to watch. It was an all Edinburgh final, but it was a good final.”