SCOTS LOSE TO EVENTUAL WINNERS
Posted: 28/Oct/07
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Rugby Ecosse Scotland 7s squad were defeated by South African Vipers in the quarter-final of the Singapore Cricket Club International tournament this afternoon.

The Scots lost out 5-17 in the quarter-final stages having won their first knockout tie of the afternoon 29-0 against Mendee Minjals from Papua New Guinea.

The Vipers, coached by South African 7s coach Paul Treu and containing six of the South African national side that competed in the final leg of the IRB World Series at Murrayfield in June, went on to win the Cup defeating New Zealand club side Ponsonby 50-0 in the final.

Rugby Ecosse went on to face Polynesian opposition in the Shield – the competition for team’s defeated in the Cup quarter-final – where they maintained their trend of losing to the team that eventually captured the silverware, this time going down 14-26 to Tepapapa Barbarians, the Tongan national 7 in all but name.

Scotland 7s coach, Stephen Gemmell, while disappointed at the quarter-final exit, believes the tournament fulfilled a useful purpose in preparing for the opening leg of the IRB circuit in Dubai at the end of November.

He said: “We got out of the Singapore tournament exactly what we wanted in the sense that we have exposed 12 players to the level of rugby that international 7s is about. Four of our 12 were 18-years-old, whereas the South Africans had the nucleus of their squad from the IRB circuit.

“We were competitive in the quarter-final against the Vipers. We probably had about 65% of possession and had one or two opportunities we didn’t take.

“Overall, however, I feel we’ll be much better prepared for the Dubai tournament having played here than we were last year.”

Rugby Ecosse’s points in the 29-0 victory against Mendee Minjals came from tries by Chris Fusaro, Ruaridh Jackson, Mike Adamson, James Thompson and Calum Forrester. Adamson goaled two conversions.

Stephen McColl touched down in the loss to the SA Vipers and he and Chris Kinloch also notched tries against the Tepapapa Barbarians, both converted by Adamson.


Rugby Ecosse Scotland 7s squad
Scott Forrest and Colin White (both Ayr and National Senior Academy), Calum Forrester (GHA and National Senior Academy), Stephen McColl (Dunfermline and National Senior Academy), Chris Fusaro and Struan Dewar (both Heriot’s and National Junior Academy), Mike Adamson (Glasgow Warriors and Glasgow Hawks), Chris Kinloch (Edinburgh Accies and National Senior Academy), James Thompson (Heriot’s and National Senior Academy), Andy Dymock (Dundee HSFP and National Junior Academy), Grant Anderson (Ayr and National Junior Academy), Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Hawks and National Senior Academy).

Coach – Stephen Gemmell; Physio – Dan Moore; Manager – Karen Burnett

This article was originally posted on 28-Oct-2007, 18:10 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 28-Oct-2007, 18:14.