Melrose within point of tenth King of 7s title after making it to final at Selkirk Sevens

That sixth appearance in a final eight rounds into the current campaign coupled with a pool-stage exit for nearest challengers Kelso leaves the Greenyards club 19 points clear at the top of the competition’s leaderboard with only 20 left to play for.

They’re now on 60 points after losing out to their hosts by 19-7, with Kelso – 2024’s beaten finalists at Selkirk, by 33-24 – on 41 after pocketing three points at the weekend and third-placed Edinburgh Academical on 40, five better off after making it to Saturday’s last four.

That’s Melrose’s second time as runners-up this campaign, having lost 42-14 to their hosts at Kelso’s final at the start of the month, accompanied by four wins – at Peebles last August by 24-12 versus Jed-Forest, Hawick in April by 24-14 against Durham University, at Berwick the day after by 19-12 over Kelso and at Earlston earlier this month by 22-17 versus Stirling County – and one quarter-final appearance.

The Souters’ eighth win at their own tournament in the last 18 years, the last seven of them featuring centre Ross Nixon, keeps them in fifth place, now on 28 points, one shy of fourth-placed Jed.

Their route to their first final of this season, following on from making it to one quarter-final and three semis, started with pool wins by 26-21 versus Boroughmuir and 36-5 against Gala, with Gala also losing 19-7 to their group’s Edinburgh outfit, and continued with a 28-12 semi-final knockout of Accies.

Melrose booked their meeting with them by beating Watsonians by 36-21 and Peebles by 21-7 in their pool, then Heriot’s by 22-7 in the semis, their group also having seen Peebles get the better of Watsonians by 31-5.

Accies beat Berwick by 49-0 and Hawick by 21-15 in their pool, with Hawick also handed out a hiding to the Northumbrians, by 38-0.

Heriot’s way to the last four was made up of pool wins by 24-12 against Jed and 35-14 versus Kelso, with their group’s games also including a 33-14 win for Kelso over Jed.

Selkirk’s tries in the final, two of them converted by captain Aaron McColm, were scored by Blake Cullen at the double and Callum Anderson, named as player of the tournament.

Patrick Anderson touched down Melrose’s only try, converted by skipper Hamish Weir.

Making up the rest of the hosts’ squad were Robert Cook, Brodie Allan, Taylor Wilson, Oliver McClymont, Lachlan Ferguson, Ben Pickles, Finn Malin and Finlay Wheelans.

Also lining up for Melrose were Corey Goldsbrough, Keiran Clark, Declan Mulcahy, Ruairidh Lindsay, Connor Spence, Donald and Douglas Crawford, Callum Henderson, Roly Brett and Matthew Klein.

Nixon, 37, was delightedto take his collection of Selkirk Sevens winners’ medals past the half-dozen mark, telling Borders Rugby TV afterwards: “It’s so good to win here.

“It’s a special place for us. It’s not a big club and we don’t win many tournaments and trophies or stuff, but we picked up a Border league title this year and we’ve managed to add this and that’s two in a row.

“It’s class. It’s about being out there with your pals and that and getting a run about and making memories.”

Only two rounds remain of the current Kings of the 7s campaign, at Jed-Forest this coming Saturday and Melrose seven days later.

Round nine of the campaign at Jedburgh’s Riverside Park will comprise an eight-tie opening round, starting at 2pm, followed by quarter-finals, semis and a final.

That initial round will pit Selkirk against Stirling County, Melrose against Berwick, Langholm against Musselburgh, the hosts against an Edinburgh University side, Gala against Heriot’s, Kelso against Watsonians, Hawick against invitational outfit Pigbarians and Peebles versus Accies.

Melrose have won three of the last five Jed sevens – in 2018, 2023 and 2024, beating their hosts in the last two finals, by 19-12 last year and 26-19 the year before.

Jed last won on home turf in 2022, seeing off Accies by 28-5.