Eight Borders teams to compete at Melrose Sevens and at least four guaranteed to feature in second round

Struan Hutchison in possession for Melrose during their 45-0 first-round win against Kelso at his club's 2023 sevens (Photo: Rob Gray)

Melrose’s 141st tournament since the event’s launch in 1883 forms the third round of the current Kings of the 7s competition and Kelso go into it as front-runners, having won rounds one and two at Peebles and Gala last August, beating Hawick 19-17 and Selkirk 32-12 respectively in those finals.

The three-times Kings of the 7s winners are currently top of the table on 20 points, with Selkirk second on ten, Gala third on seven, Hawick fourth on seven too, Peebles fifth on six, Edinburgh’s Watsonians sixth on five and defending champions Melrose seventh on three.

At least half of the eight Borders teams competing will feature in this year’s eight-tie second round at the Greenyards on Saturday as hosts Melrose and new invitational outfit South of Scotland Barbarians have been given byes and round one includes two regional derbies, pitting Gala against Peebles at 11.21am and Kelso against Jed-Forest next up, at 11.38am.

Gala or Peebles face a Durham University side in round two at 1.37pm and Kelso or Jed will play charity outfit Hearts and Balls at 1.54pm.

Southern Knights attack coach Scott Wight’s South of Scotland Barbarians will take on Edinburgh’s Boroughmuir or Watsonians at 2.11pm and Melrose await Selkirk or Edinburgh Academical at 2.45pm.

Hawick’s tie against Currie Chieftains at 11.04am kicks off this year’s Melrose Sevens, with a second-round tie against invitational outfit Assassins 7s at 1.20pm at stake.

Quarter-finals follow from 4.10pm and semis from just ahead of 6pm, with this year’s final kicking off at 7pm.

Melrose are the last Borders team to win their sevens – back in 2011, a side skippered by Wight having beaten South Africans Hamilton 31-26 in that year’s final – and they’re also the most recent representatives of the region to make it to a final, having lost 19-14 to Watsonians in 2018’s, as well as being the only Borderers to make it into 2023’s last eight, losing 31-14 to invitational outfit Speranza 22.

This year’s Melrose Sevens will be the first to be screened live by BBC Scotland for the first time since 2019, with coverage on iPlayer and the BBC Sport website starting at the quarter-final stage at 4pm.

Tournament director Phil Morris said: “We are delighted to once again be supported by BBC Scotland.

“It is a real honour for us to have them back at the Greenyards.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank Scottish Rugby for their help in securing this deal with BBC Scotland.”

BBC Scotland executive editor for sport Tom Connor added: “We are both delighted and excited to be back covering the iconic Melrose Sevens.

“This has long been a great event for us to broadcast to fans of rugby across Scotland at the home of the game and we look forward to showcasing the tournament on BBC iPlayer for the first time and on the BBC Sport website and app.”

Tickets cost from £35. For further details, go to https://melrose7s.co.uk/tickets/