Rugby’s Kings of 7s competition about to kick off at Peebles for eighth time
Rugby’s 29th Kings of the 7s campaign kicks off at Peebles on Saturday, August 3, and it will see Kelso begin their defence of their fourth title at the tournament that put them on their way to that success.
Kelso’s 19-17 victory over Hawick in last August’s final at the Gytes was their first Peebles Sevens win since 1998 and only their second ever.
It was also the opening instalment of the three wins out of ten that earned them their first Kings of the 7s title for 26 years, the others being at Gala later that same month and Hawick in April.
Runners-up Melrose matched that number of victories – at Berwick and Langholm in April and Kelso in May – but were pipped to the post by the Poynder Park team making it to two more semi-finals than them, leaving them on 52 points, seven short of the winning total.
The Gytes tournament has been the starting point for Kings of the 7s seasons since 2016 and it’s now, again, one of two held in August, along with Gala’s, Hawick’s having gone back to a spring date.
As usual, a dozen teams will contest this year’s Peebles Sevens, last won by the hosts, for the fourth time, in 2011.
Besides Kelso and Scottish National League Division 1 new boys Peebles, the teams taking part are Melrose, Hawick, Edinburgh Academical, Watsonians, Berwick, Selkirk, Jed-Forest, Gala, Biggar and Orkney.
They’ll start off in four pools of three – Melrose, Accies and Watsonians; Kelso, Biggar and Gala; Peebles, Orkney and Berwick; and Hawick, Selkirk and Jed.
The first tie will be played at 2pm. Admission is £15 for adults and £5 for concessions, with children under 12 getting in free.
The main event is sandwiched by an under-16s sevens tournament next Friday, August 9, starting at 6pm, and one for colts the day after, August 11, from 1.30pm.
Looking ahead to his club’s eighth August tournament after switching from April, Peebles chairman told Borders Rugby TV: “We’re really looking forward to it after having such a good season at XVs.
“The boys are really focused and looking forward to the tournament.
“It’s a great tournament and we’re lucky that most of the time we get good weather, we get great support and it’s a fabulous day.”
Gala’s sevens follow on Saturday, August 17, with the campaign then taking a break until April next year.
As things stand and assuming no further calendar rethinks follow, with Melrose Sevens’ date having been put back from their traditional second weekend of April to Saturday, May 24, Hawick’s sevens will be the first of 2025, on the third Saturday in April.
They’ll be followed by those at Berwick and Langholm, also in April, and Kelso, Earlston, Selkirk, Jed-Forest and, wrapping proceedings up, Melrose in May.
Kelso are now the joint third most successful team in the 30-year history of Kings of the 7s, level with Gala and Watsonians on four wins, trailing Melrose, top of the competition’s roll of honour with nine, and second-placed Jed’s six but ahead of Selkirk’s tally of two.
In between Peebles and Gala’s tournaments and outwith the Kings of the 7s contest, Hawick Linden hold their annual sevens at the town’s Volunteer Park on Saturday, August 10, starting at 1pm.
Eight teams will be playing, beginning in two pools of four.
The hosts, Gala YM, Walkerburn and Hawick Force are in one and Duns, Hawick Harlequins, Haddington and Langholm in the other.