SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY REPORTS

Young Scotland players front up against best in World Sevens
ALAN LORIMER
SCOTLAND courted glory in the knock-out stages of the Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens at the Exiles Ground yesterday but even if the results were ultimately disappointing the performance rating was high. The Scots had achieved their goal on Friday of qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Cup, thus guaranteeing quality ties on the second day of this opening tournament of the 2007/08 IRB World Sevens Series.

Sevens coach Stephen Gemmell has always insisted that his charges will learn only if they play against the best in the world. Having faced last season's Series winners, New Zealand, on Friday, the Scots then had to front up against last season's runners-up, Fiji, in the quarter finals yesterday.

Pleasingly Scotland made life difficult for the Fijians who could manage only a two point lead at the interval with the scoreline at 7-5, the Scots having scored a try through their impressive stand-off Ruaridh Jackson. In defence Scotland excelled particularly with a try-saving tackle from the hard working Chris Fusaro, one of four 18-year olds in the side. A try by Fiji at the beginning of the second half, however, raised the Fijians' confidence and with two more touchdowns to follow the Pacific Islanders finished winners by 28-5

"I thought our first half against Fiji was superb. They scored immediately after the interval and maybe we lost a bit of self-belief," observed Gemmell.

Having lost their Cup quarter-final, Scotland, with five newcomers in their squad, went into the semi-final of the Plate with Samoa,

and were desperately close to toppling the Samoans with tries by Glasgow Warriors stand-off, Colin Gregor, Edinburgh Accies winger Chris Kinloch, and Dunfermline centre Stephen McColl. The Scots trailed by just two points with the scoreline at 21-19 but a breakaway score by Samoa just on full time and the conversion gave the islanders a 28-19 win. "I really think that against Samoa we came very close to an all-round performance," said Gemmell.

"We have a very young squad with four of the boys still only 18. They have all fronted up against the best sevens players in the world. In no other global competitions - under-19s, under-20s, under-21s - are we competitive with the top countries in the world."

Having negotiated their way past Scotland, the Samoans then faced Argentina in the final, but despite an early advantage the Samoans were hit by two late tries from the Pumas to lose by 15-14 in a tense tie. England, meanwhile, after defeating Samoa in the Cup quarters then fell to Fiji in the semi-finals of the top tier competition, while in the other semi final New Zealand knocked out the Dubai title holders, South Africa.

In the Cup final Fiji paid heavily for a yellow card in each half, allowing New Zealand to win by 31-21.

This article was originally posted on 2-Dec-2007, 08:40 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 2-Dec-2007, 08:44.