Melrose Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Melrose Rugby Club, at The Greenyards in Melrose, Scotland. It is the oldest rugby sevens competition in the world,[1] dating back to 1883 when the tournament was suggested by former Melrose players Ned Haig[2] and Davie Sanderson.[3] Shogun are the current men and women's holders having won the tournament in 2024.
| Sport | Rugby sevens |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1883 |
| Number of teams | 24 |
| Country |  Scotland |
| Holders | Shogun (2024) |
| Most titles | Hawick (28 titles) |
| Website | melrose7s |
| Broadcast partner | BBC Scotland |
| Related competition | Kings of the Sevens |
History
editHeld every April, the tournament is part of the Kings of the Sevens competition, and has attracted teams from as far afield as Japan, Hong Kong, Uruguay and South Africa.
From 2018 the playing time in the final was cut from twenty minutes to fourteen minutes which is in line with the standard match time.[citation needed]
In September 2019 the organisers had set out plans for the Melrose Sevens to relaunch as a four-day festival of music and rugby.[4] The 2020 event was however postponed and eventually cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.[5] There was no event held in 2021 due to the pandemic.[6]
Media coverage
editDomestically, the tournament is broadcast live on YouTube and locally, from the first tie right through to the final, on Borders Rugby Radio
Past winners
edit- 2024 Shogun (Mens and Womens)
- 2023
Monaco IMPI's - 2023
Lionesses (Womens) - 2022 British Army
- 2020-2021 Not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
- 2019 London Scottish
- 2018
Watsonians - 2017 Harlequins
- 2016 Edinburgh
- 2015 Glasgow Warriors
- 2014 Glasgow Warriors
- 2013 Saracens
- 2012 Saracens
- 2011 Melrose
- 2010
Hamilton Sea Point - 2009 University of Johannesburg
- 2008 Scottish Thistles
- 2007 University of the Free State
- 2006 Newcastle Falcons
- 2005 Stellenbosch University
- 2004 Stellenbosch University
- 2003 Sale Sharks
- 2002 Boroughmuir
- 2001
Barbarians - 2000
Nawaka - 1999 Gala
- 1998 Melrose
- 1997 Melrose
- 1996 Watsonians
- 1995
Manly - 1994 Gala
- 1993 Co-Optimists
- 1992
Bay of Plenty - 1991
Irish Wolfhounds - 1990 Randwick
- 1989 Kelso
- 1988 Kelso
- 1987 Harlequins
- 1986 Kelso
- 1985 Kelso
- 1984 Kelso
- 1983
French Barbarians - 1982 Heriot's FP
- 1981 Gala
- 1980 Kelso
- 1979 Stewart's Melville
- 1978 Kelso
- 1977 Gala
- 1976 Watsonians
- 1975 Melrose
- 1974 Jed-Forest
- 1973 Edinburgh Wanderers
- 1972 Gala
- 1971 Gala
- 1970 Gala
- 1969 Loughborough Colleges
- 1968 Loughborough Colleges
- 1967 Hawick
- 1966 Hawick
- 1965 London Scottish
- 1964 Gala
- 1963 Boroughmuir
- 1962 London Scottish
- 1961 Royal HSFP
- 1960 Cambridge University
- 1959 Gala
- 1958 Heriot's FP
- 1957 Heriot's FP
- 1956 Stewart's College FP
- 1955 Hawick
- 1954 Heriot's FP
- 1953 Hawick
- 1952 Melrose
- 1951 Rosslyn Park
- 1950 Melrose
- 1949 Edinburgh Accies
- 1948 Melrose
- 1947 Melrose
- 1946 Hawick
- 1945 Watsonians
- 1942-1944 Not held due to World War II
- 1941 Edinburgh City Police
- 1940 Heriot's FP
- 1939 Heriot's FP
- 1938 Heriot's FP
- 1937 Gala
- 1936 Watsonians
- 1935 Watsonians
- 1934 Royal HSFP
- 1933 Hawick
- 1932 Gala
- 1931 Melrose
- 1930 Edinburgh Accies
- 1929 Hawick
- 1928 Edinburgh Accies
- 1927 Hawick
- 1926 Watsonians
- 1925 Hawick
- 1924 Hawick
- 1923 Heriot's FP
- 1922 Hawick
- 1921 Royal HSFP
- 1920 Stewart's College FP
- 1919 Hawick
- 1916-1918 Not held due to World War I
- 1915 Lothian & Border Horse
- 1914 Watsonians
- 1913 Hawick
- 1912 Hawick
- 1911 Hawick
- 1910 Hawick
- 1909 Hawick
- 1908 Hawick
- 1907 Watsonians
- 1906 Watsonians
- 1905 Watsonians
- 1904 Jed-Forest
- 1903 Gala
- 1902 Jed-Forest
- 1901 Hawick
- 1900 Hawick
- 1899 Jed-Forest
- 1898 Hawick
- 1897 Hawick
- 1896 Hawick
- 1895 Hawick
- 1894 Hawick
- 1893 Hawick
- 1892 Hawick
- 1891 Gala
- 1890 Gala
- 1889 Melrose
- 1888 Hawick & Wilton
- 1887 Hawick
- 1886 Tynedale
- 1885 Melrose
- 1884 Gala
- 1883 Melrose
Number of wins
edit- Hawick (28)
- Gala (15)
- Melrose (12)
- Watsonians (10)
- Kelso (7)
- Heriot's FP (7)
- Jed-Forest (4)
- Boroughmuir (3)
- Edinburgh Accies (3)
- London Scottish (3)
- Royal HSFP (3)
- Stewart's College FP (2)
- Stellenbosch University (2)
- Loughborough Colleges (2)
- Harlequins (2)
- Saracens (2)
- Glasgow Warriors (2)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Oldest Sevens tournaments in the world". 27 July 2019.
- ^ "Ned Haig". 8 June 2022.
- ^ "Davie Sanderson". 8 June 2022.
- ^ Barnes, David (23 September 2019). "Melrose Sevens to relaunch as four-day festival of music and rugby". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
- ^ "Coronavirus: Melrose Sevens postponed". BBC Sport. 17 March 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ "World famous Melrose Sevens rugby tournament to return in 2022 after Covid-19 cancellations". ITV News. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
External links
edit- Official website
- Melrose 7s - Roll of Honour Rugby7.com