Rugby’s last Walkerburn Sevens mark end of era
An era’s end is imminent as Walkerburn host their last-ever rugby sevens tournament this coming Saturday.
It comes two years on from the Caberston Haugh club originally calling it a day but being encouraged into a rethink by the outcry prompted by their 2024 closure announcement.
That change of heart proved to be only a stay of execution, however, as though they’ve managed to stage two further sevens tournaments since, they’ve not been to assemble a squad to fulfil XV-a-side fixture schedules in between those short-sided summer competitions, so this weekend’s finale will also see the club calling it quits all together, 142 years on from their foundation.
Their farewell sevens, kicking off at 12.30pm, will be contested in four pools of three, followed by semi-finals and a final.
The hosts share a group with West Linton Lions and East Lothian’s Preston Lodge, Peebles are up against Gala YM and Edinburgh’s Heriot’s, Kelso against East Lothian’s Haddington and the capital’s Caledonian Thebans and Melrose against Selkirk and Midlothian’s Lasswade.
The teams being fielded by Melrose, Selkirk, Peebles, Kelso and Heriot’s will be second strings as their firsts will be in action in the 11th and last round of this rugby season’s Kings of the 7s at Edinburgh Academical’s Raeburn Place ground at the same time.
Saturday’s Kelso contingent will be defending champions as they won last year’s 101st Walkerburn Sevens, beating a Melrose veterans’ team 14-5 in the final.
That followed a 62-0 victory for Heriot’s against Thebans 12 months earlier, the capital club’s fifth win at Walkerburn all together and first since 1982.
Their 42-year wait for a win there is dwarfed by that of their hosts, though, last victorious at their own tournament six decades ago, so they’ll no doubt be hoping to go out with a band.
A three-way women’s competition will also be staged, with Gala, Peebles and Thebans represented.
Admission is £5. For further details, see the club’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/WalkerburnRugbyClub/
Though not part of the Kings of the 7s circuit, Walkerburn’s sevens tournament, first held in 1911, is traditionally the last of the season, though a fixture clash will see it share that status this year with the main competition’s new Edinburgh round.
“Our final Walkerburn Sevens tournament in 2026 will be a celebration of everything Walkerburn have represented,” said a club spokesperson.
“We will continue with the tradition of hosting the final tournament of the year on the last weekend of May.
“We are aware of the additional round of the Kings of the 7s, but while not ideal, we want to remain true to ourselves, sending the rugby community into the off-season with a celebration of everything great about local rugby.”