Hawks went down 12-21 to Merose in the Selkirk Centenary Sevens at Philiphaaugh this afternoon
The young Hawks team included Aubrey Horton (last years High School stand off),Deadleg Macelroy,Stu Pollock,Sean Murray and Speedie Orr and of course The Bugle


THE SCOTSMAN REPORTS
Bonding session lifts Cardiff to Selkirk success
DAVID FERGUSON

CARDIFF secured a double victory at Selkirk's Centenary Season Sevens yesterday despite a night out in Edinburgh for preparation.

The team, who staved off relegation from Wales' First Division last season with a late run, defeated Selkirk 36-5 in a 15-a-side match on Friday night. The squad then enjoyed a day out in Edinburgh on Saturday and though they clearly had tired legs in the face of a terrific display from Hawick, the Welshmen hung on to win yesterday's final 33-17.

"We called it team bonding in Rose Street," laughed Bob Lakin, Cardiff's vice-president. "The weekend has been fantastic and we hope that it sets us up for a good club season.

"We really just hoped we didn't disgrace ourselves in the sevens today but the boys worked very hard and just had enough in the end. We don't get a chance to play a lot of sevens now but they've really enjoyed it and it tops a great weekend in Scotland."

Cardiff's Tom James, an 18-year-old product of the club's academy, collected the Denzil Lloyd Player of the Tournament trophy after scoring seven tries and generally igniting the Cardiff play throughout the afternoon.

Cardiff enhanced the tournament by teasing the best out of the Scottish teams. They had defeated Berwick and Peebles reasonably comfortably before a tremendous battle with hosts Selkirk in the semi-final. They led 17-5 at half time thanks to two tries from James but Craig Hunter brought the vociferous Philiphaugh crowd to its feet with an early second half try for the hosts. But despite a frenetic finish Selkirk could not find the crucial levelling score.

Hawick had come through to the final with as stirring a performance in the first semi-final which knocked out reigning champions the Royal Scots Borderers. The army men, mostly Fijians, seemed likely to blow away all-comers with their wins over Langholm and Kelso in the opening ties, however Hawick simply refused to give in and a hat-trick from Greg Thompson, and a try from Graham Hogg clinched a 22-19 win.

Despite a downpour midway through the afternoon they hotly contested ties set up a cracking final and though the Welsh visitors looked to be cruising at 21-7 up, James and Tom Isaac (2) scoring the tries, once again the Teri spirit reared up. Thomson scored Hawick's first and Greg Goodfellow grabbed another just before half time and when he repeated the feat after the break, cutting the deficit to 21-17, the Selkirk ground was buzzing with excitement. However two late tries clinched it for Cardiff, launching Selkirk's centenary season in style.

Final teams

Hawick: G Thompson, G Hogg, R Hutton, G Goodfellow, C Murray, G Wylie, A Stevenson, Z Bruce, S Linton.

Cardiff: N Hampson, M Leaman, D Franks, C Jones, T Isaac, R Davies, R Jones, T James, N Gill, W Dacruz.

Referee: I Rodgerson.

First round: Kelso 33, Boroughmuir 5; Langholm 5, Royal Scots Borderers 14; Hawick 28, Watsonians 0; Glasgow Hawks 12, Melrose 21; Heriot's 12, Peebles 17; Berwick 5, Cardiff 38; Selkirk 15, Gala 7; Scotland Junior Academy 10, Jed-Forest 7.

Second round: Kelso 21, Royal Scots Borderers 38; Hawick 33, Melrose 7; Peebles 5, Cardiff 26; Selkirk 31, Scotland Junior Academy 5.

Semi-finals: Royal Scots Borderers 19, Hawick 22; Cardiff 17, Selkirk 12.

Final: Hawick 17, Cardiff 33.

This article was posted on 21-Aug-2006, 07:03 by Hugh Barrow.