Published: Wednesday, 16th April, 2008 10:00
Thistles string Tigers in Melrose final
By Atholl Innes at The Greenyards
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Scottish Thistles and Leicester Tigers battle it out in the final of the Mathon Melrose Sevens.
Pic by: John Robertson
SLOW starters often prove to be strong finishers – and so it proved in the final of the 125th Mathon Melrose Sevens.
Scottish Thistles, who earlier in the week had flown in from a round of the IRB Sevens at Adelaide, won this latest Scotland-England battle with a comprehensive 33-12 victory over Leicester Tigers in the final.
Melrose's Scott McCormick finds no way through this Leicester tackle.
Pic by: John Robertson
The English scalp followed that of Roma (Italy) and Ulster (Ireland).
They don’t come better than that.
Appropriately, as the sun came out after a tournament marred for most of the afternoon by rain, the Thistles shone to lift the Ladies Cup in front of a 12,000 crowd.
It was a success to savour for Thistles, who had lost in the 2002 final to Boroughmuir, and they improved with every tie.
The Scots had superb teamwork, excellent support, pace and players with the vision to open up defences.
Ally Warnock kicked with authority and Scott Forrest led by example to snuff out the Leicester threat.
The heavy pitch after being lashed by rain the previous night and for most of Saturday tested even the ‘pro’ sides – and it was almost inevitable that one of guest sides would lift the trophy.
Yet the Chinese Agricultural University side, which had beaten Scotland (the same Thistles!) at the Hong Kong Sevens, were totally eclipsed by a Jed-Forest team with sevens experience and went out in round two.
Roma struggled to beat Dundee High School FP before bowing out to the Thistles and the holders, the Shimlas, from South Africa, just squeezed past Boroughmuir in extra time – and then crashed out to Melrose.
The hosts were the best of the Scottish club sides – and the test of having played an extra tie counted against them in the semi-final.
But there was no stopping the Thistles in the final, the first half of which was played in the faces of the oppostion
Thistles raced into a 19-0 lead with two tries from Ally Warnock and one by Ben Addison with Warnock converting two.
Will Lawson scored for Tigers before the interval.
However, tries by Colin Shaw and Mike Adamson ensured there was no way back for Leicester despite a late Ben Youngs’ try.
The Thistles could celebrate – and the win will have lifted confidence before returning to the IRB circuit.
“We are delighted”, said coach Steve Gemmell. “The boys worked hard and deserved that success.”
Thistles, after a slow start, powered their way into the final with wins over Currie, Roma and then Ulster, who had looked unbeatable in wins over Watsonians and the Australian Gold Coast Breakers.
Leicester were never troubled ahead of the final and stepped up a gear although they were outgunned in the final.
Melrose outplayed Glasgow Hawks, Selkirk (the only side not to score all day) and then the Shimlas.
John Dalziel had a hat-trick of tries along with Scott McCormick and Jamie Murray with doubles from David Whiteford, Mark Robertson and Jordan Macey, who did not appear to be fully fit.
Against the Shimlas, Melrose won a dramatic quarter-final, coming from 0-12 down with Macey scoring the winning try.
But they ran out of steam in a heated, strength-sapping semi-final against the Tigers.
Jamie Murray scored a consolation try for the hosts.
Selkirk, as Kings of the Sevens, looked in danger of losing their crown.
Jed needed a late try from Ross Goodfellow to oust Hawick before that win over the Chinese, who appeared out of touch in the conditions.
Ulster looked potential champions, particularly in their 28-0 win against Watsonians with Keith Earls the master with four tries and five conversions.
But the Irish were totally outplayed by the Thistles in the semis.
Just as Gala were in an embarrassing defeat by Dundee High School FP in round one. Tim Miskelly scored the only try for the Maroons.
Melrose apart, Kelso battled to maintain the standards and there was even a dry for Andrew Haig, the great, great grandson of Ned Haig, who invented the game.
And Peebles, after beating Edinburgh Accies, were no match for the Gold Breakers.
Player of the Tournament went to the Thistles’ Mike Adamson.
His angular running and pace proved too much for the opposition and he was a popular recipient of the cup.
And although the Gold Breakers featured Lloyd Johanssen, a recent Australia cap; Puma Ignacio Mieres featured in the Tigers side and Ulster included Kieran Campbell, an Irish scrum half, it was the homebred Scots who took the honours.
So the 125th Melrose Sevens ended under a cloudy, but dry sky.
Everyone agreed that it had been a great day, and there would be no more popular Scottish winners.
And congratulations to Melrose for making it another day ot remember – for the teams, the fans and the media.
Results
First round
Langholm 5, Currie 7; Dundee HSFP 24, Gala 5; Watsonians 28, West of Scotland 5; Peebles 21, Edinburgh Accies 7; Kelso 19, Heriot’s 15; Jed-Forest 20, Hawick 17; Glasgow Hawks 7, Melrose 36; Ayr 0, Boroughmuir 33.
Second round
Currie 7, Scottish Thistles 22; Dundee HSFP 12, Roma 19; Watsonians 5, Ulster 28; Peebles 10, Gold Coast Breakers 36; Kelso 5, Leicester Tigers 40; Jed-Forest 24, Chinese Agricultural University 14; Melrose 24, Selkirk 0; Boroughmuir 12, Shimlas 17 (after extra time).
Quarter-finals
Scottish Thistles 19, Roma 5; Ulster 26, Breakers 5; Jed-Forest 12, Leicester Tigers 38; Melrose 17, Shimlas 12.
Semi-finals
Scottish Thistles 21, Ulster 5; Tigers 31, Melrose 7.
Final
Scottish Thistles 33, Leicester 12.
Leicester Tigers: G, Gillanders, T. Youngs, V. Tulliagi, B. Youngs, I. Mieres, J. Cobden, M. Smith, D. Hemingway, B. Twelvetrees, W. Lawson,
Scottish Thistles: S. Forrest, R. Vernon, C. Fusaro, C. Forrester, C. Shaw, G. Laidlaw, A. Warnock, M. Adamson, J. Thompson, B. Addison.
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