Leicester Tigers 12 Scottish Thistles 33
The Auld Enemy renewed their age-old acquaintance in the final of the 125th Mathon Melrose Sevens.
In the blue corner were the Scottish Thistles, their first time back in the Melrose Sevens final since they were comprehensively beaten 38-7 by Boroughmuir in 2002.
In the green, white and red corner were newcomers to the Greenyards, all the way from the Midlands, the Leicester Tigers.
The Scots had seen off Currie, Roma and Ulster while the English had battled past three Borders teams – Kelso, Jed-Forest and finally hosts Melrose in the semi-finals - to set up an enticing final in front of a packed Greenyards.
Thistles’ Ally Warnock set a shining example in the opening seconds when he capitalised on a break of the ball to touch down behind the posts and then kick the two points.
Warnock doubled his tally moments later when he kicked ahead, collected and scored. However, his conversion attempt sailed narrowly wide of the left hand post.
The Scots kept the pressure on, dominating possession and field position. They added to their lead through Ben Addison after some good supporting play and Warnock again converted.
It was end-to-end stuff as first the Tigers threatened before the Thistles launched a swift counter attack.
It was Leicester though who added the next points to the scoreboard when Will Lawson was judged to have made the touch down after referee John Steele consulted with his assistant behind the posts and gave the score.
The Scots though, took a 19-5 lead into the interval and went further ahead after the break when Colin Shaw crossed over in the corner. Warnock proved he certainly had his kicking boots on by converting from near the sideline.
The Tigers’ just couldn’t get themselves into the tie as the Scots ran rampant. Mike Adamson used his pace to burst through the English line and then side stepped the last man and scored under the posts. Warnock took his time and made sure of his kick as the Scots led 33-5.
Ben Youngs engineered a break from his own half with Ignaico Mieres converting from in front of the posts, but it was little more than a consolation for the English visitors.
And so, the 125th playing of the Melrose Sevens saw a new name engraved on the Ladies Cup as the Scots came out on top and sent the Tigers home – to think again.

This article was posted on 12-Apr-2008, 18:16 by Hugh Barrow.