In photos: Jed-Forest rack up third 7s win on trot at Kelso, but going fourth proves too big an ask

By Darin Hutson

Published 3rd May 2022, 18:30 BST

Updated 4th May 2022, 08:41 BST

Jed-Forest racked up their third rugby sevens tournament win on the trot at Kelso on Saturday to open up a 12-point gap between them and second-placed Melrose at the top of the Kings of the 7s table – only to be pegged back two points less than 24 hours later.

It’s still possible for the table-toppers to wrap up the title at Selkirk Sevens next Saturday, but victory for the hosts or Melrose would set the scene for a decider at Jedburgh’s Riverside Park on Saturday, May 14.

Jed-Forest followed up victories at Berwick and Langholm with their first Kelso Sevens final success since 2004, and seventh overall, by beating Gala 12-5 to get themselves, at that point, to within 18 points of this year’s title.

On their way to the final at Poynder Park, they got past Edinburgh Accies 17-7 in their semi-final and saw off fellow Edinburgh side Currie Chieftains 31-0 and Selkirk 17-7 in their pool games.

Jed’s Rory Marshall, named as player of the tournament at Kelso, told Borders Rugby TV: “It’s been a tough day for all the boys. We’ve taken a few knocks through the day.

“It was probably one of the toughest draws we’ve had and we had to work for it, but we’ve come out on top.”

Gala got to the final via a 19-0 semi-final win against the hosts and a 26-19 victory over Musselburgh in their pool, though they lost 14-12 to Melrose.

The penultimate round of the nine making up the current Kings of the 7s campaign takes place at Philiphaugh in Selkirk this coming weekend, with proceedings getting under way at 2pm.

Some 16 teams are taking part and the draw for the event’s first round has been made, pitting the hosts against Berwick, Kelso versus Peebles, Gala v Currie Chieftains, Hawick v Boroughmuir, Melrose v Dalkeith, Edinburgh Accies v Aberdeen University, Jed-Forest v Linlithgow and Watsonians v a president’s VII, with quarter-finals, semis and a final to follow.

The last Borders side to win Selkirk Sevens were the hosts in 2018, Edinburgh’s Boroughmuir having come out on top last time round in 2019.