THE SCOTSMAN REPORTS

Melrose faces fight for 2008 sevens
DAVID FERGUSON CHIEF RUGBY WRITER ([email protected])
AFTER the success of hosting the IRB World Sevens Series at Murrayfield, campaigners who want to take the event to Melrose next year for the sport's 125th anniversary are finding they are up against growing support to keep the event in Edinburgh.

Andy Irvine, the SRU president, was delighted with the first Emirates Edinburgh Sevens, won by New Zealand on Sunday. He initially favoured Melrose as a venue for this year and said last week that he was keen to see it move to the birthplace of sevens in 2008, but now fears a potential drop in facilities if it is staged at the famous Greenyards ground in the Borders.

Irvine said: "I think we have a serious dilemma on our hands. I'd love to see Melrose hosting it because of the historic significance of giving sevens to the world, but we have to have a really hard look at the facilities currently on offer.

"We have been told by all the visitors that the size and scale of individual team rooms, the medical facilities, the rehab and warm up areas and the atmosphere generated by the crowd made the tournament special. Don't take my word for it that this has been the best tournament of the series - ask around."

Gordon Tietjens, the New Zealand coach, is a supporter of an event at Melrose, but like the rest of the squads admitted he was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the event at Murrayfield.

Many supporters were also delighted by the tournament, although there were also complaints about the length of wait in queues for food and drinks; some waiting for close to an hour, and others heading out of the ground to local hotels and bars. However, these amount to no more than teething problems.

Jim Telfer, the former Melrose and Scotland player and coach, was at Murrayfield on Saturday to present trophies at the back pitch festival of rugby.

He said: "I thought the tournament was pretty well run and the organising team deserve credit for it, but I do feel there is still a special case for a move to Melrose for the 125th anniversary.

"Andy's comment that it was the best in the series is a bit inaccurate. How many has he been to? I was at Wellington this year with a capacity crowd, and Murrayfield was nowhere near the atmosphere there, but that's not to knock it - it was certainly better than at Twickenham.

"The issue of players enjoying the accommodation and facilities is not really the issue because we [Melrose] have been putting up teams for decades and can do that anywhere. Melrose couldn't do such a big festival for youngsters, but the very fact that it is 125 years should be taken into consideration for next year. I think Scotland has proved once again that it can host big rugby events and the SRU deserves praise for that, but if they want an event that is unique and truly special for next year they have to go to Melrose. One year in five I don't think is too much to ask."

A number of the competing nations at the weekend made the trip to the Greenyards during the week with finalists Samoa training there on Friday, and Telfer added: "Everyone knows there is only one place sevens started and I think it's important to remember the heritage and history. Melrose could get up to 15,000 each day quite easily, and then if they felt 20,000 a day was possible it could return to Murrayfield and build that."

The plans to stage the event in Melrose had impressed the IRB, from the top-quality hotels for the teams in Peebles to plans for a pedestrianised rugby village in the Borders town, but the cash-strapped SRU switched to Murrayfield fearing a cost implication.

The decision sparked controversy as the organising group of EventScotland, Scottish Enterprise Borders, Scottish Borders Council and Melrose RFC disputed the SRU's claims of a £500,000 loss, their plans actually forecasting a £5,000 deficit in the first year, even with a contingency fund of £70,000, and profits in subsequent years.

David Parker, the Scottish Borders Council leader, insisted the Greenyards remained an option for 2008, but admitted time was not on Melrose's side. He said: "The ball is in the SRU's court and if they genuinely want to have discussions I'm sure we'd sit round the table again, but we'd need to get a completed deal very quickly because it is a huge event with a lot of work.

"There is no doubt that the bodies involved could put on a unique sevens tournament that would rival anything on the IRB world series, and cost the SRU absolutely nothing, but it's up to the SRU."

This article was posted on 5-Jun-2007, 08:57 by Hugh Barrow.