TEAMS ANNOUNCED FOR CALA MELROSE SEVENS
Posted: 02/Mar/07
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Top southern hemisphere Club UNIVERSITY of FREE STATE –The Shimlas - from Bloemfontein in South Africa are set to compete in the 117th playing of the world famous Melrose Sevens on Saturday 14 April, where they will be joined by NEWCASTLE FALCONS from England’s Guinness Premiership and OXFORD UNIVERSITY.

The Shimlas will be making their second appearance at the home of rugby sevens after a semi-final defeat last year to Heriot’s. They will be trying to take the trophy back to South Africa following Newcastle Falcons’ win in last year’s final against Heriot’s. The UNIVERSITY of FREE STATE is one of South Africa’s oldest universities, celebrating its centenary in 2004. Free State Cheetahs shared the 2006 Currie Cup with the Blue Bulls. The University has provided many Springboks, including Andre Joubert, James Dalton and the current scrum half, Michael Claassens.

NEWCASTLE FALCONS plan to field a top-quality development side in their third appearance at Melrose Sevens, aiming to build on their success in last year’s pulsating final, they will be keen to take the Ladies Cup south of the Border for a second time. The Falcons are no strangers on the Borders Sevens circuit having won several of the tournaments in recent years.

OXFORD UNIVERSITY make a welcome return to the Greenyards having been a breeding ground for a number of international players, including Scotland’s Simon Danielli and Ireland’s David Humphreys.

Top Scottish clubs appearing will be GALA, HAWICK, JEDFOREST, KELSO, LANGHOLM, PEEBLES, SELKIRK, BOROUGHMUIR (Winners in 2002), CURRIE, HERIOT’S, WATSONIANS, ABERDEEN GRAMMAR RUGBY, AYR, DUNDEE HSFP, GLASGOW HAWKS, EDINBURGH ACADEMICALS (in their 150th anniversary season) and hosts MELROSE.

Melrose’s Sevens Convener, Ian Cooper, says he is delighted at the calibre of the sides his Committee has been able to attract to this year’s tournament. He said: “With UNIVERSITY OF FREE STATE eager to match the achievements of Stellenbosch in the past, together with strong sides from OXFORD UNIVERSITY and NEWCASTLE FALCONS I feel that any one of a dozen other sides are capable of winning the tournament, I believe we can look forward to yet another outstanding afternoon of top quality sevens rugby.”

Gerry More, Managing Director of event sponsors CALA Homes (East) Limited, said:
“The CALA Melrose Sevens is a fantastic event, which is renowned for keeping spectators on tenterhooks right up until the last minute. With the exceptional standard of teams taking part in this year’s competition, I am sure this will be as exciting a tournament as ever.”


Prize Money

Prize money will again be on offer with the coveted Ladies Centenary Trophy and £5,000 going to the tournament winners; the Sanderson Salver and £3,000 to the runners-up; £700 to each of the losing semi-finalists, and £300 to each of the four defeated quarter-finalists. The tournament will also feature in the Border Clubs’ “Kings of the Sevens” competition.

Tournament Officials

The 117th CALA Melrose Sevens will be supervised by a team of six top Scottish referees – Rob Dickson, John Steele, David Changleng, Malcolm Changleng, Iain Heard and Andrew Macpherson, supported by eight touch-judges and in-goal-area judges to be appointed by the Borders Referees’ Society Appointments Panel from qualified referees from within the Borders area.

Junior Coaching Clinic

The Melrose club will again host their popular Junior Coaching Clinic, now in its 20th year, on the morning of the Sevens. The clinic is set to attract some 100 youngsters under the age of 14 from clubs throughout Scotland who will be put through their paces by some of Scotland’s top coaches under the direction of Jim Telfer.

The youngsters will be entertained to lunch and attend the sevens as guests of the Club.

Youth Rugby

For the fourth year since being introduced in 2003, the club will fill the slot between the second semi-final of the tournament and the final with youth rugby. All the participants will be from primary schools in the Earlston High School catchment area where coaching is provided by Melrose club officers. Two games will be played concurrently – one between Primary 6 pupils from Berwickshire schools against those from Roxburghshire schools, and the other between Primary 7 pupils from the same two groups. The event is organised and will be supervised by the Melrose club’s Youth Development Officer, Ross Miller.

Corporate Hospitality

Top-quality corporate hospitality facilities will again be available within the Greenyards on sevens day and will be organised and supervised in house under the direction of Douglas Hardie aided by Mike Dalgetty.

Further information can be obtained from Douglas by telephone at 01896 822183.

The Sevens Draw

The draw for the 2007 CALA Melrose Sevens will be made in the clubrooms at the Greenyards on Saturday 24 March following the Super Cup game against Heriot’s. Members of the public wishing to attend will be made very welcome.

This article was posted on 2-Mar-2007, 16:28 by Hugh Barrow.