Border Telegraph | Sport | Gala Sevens revamp?

Wednesday, 20th August, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 9th July, 2008 09:00

Gala Sevens revamp?

By Atholl Innes

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AFTER the Lord Mayor’s show comes a repeat in April 2009.

Gala will stage its 125th sevens a year after the Melrose tournament.

And the Border Telegraph can reveal that the club is looking at a new date and a new format for the event.

President Gordon Richardson told the annual meeting last week: “This we hope will be the catalyst for improving the profile of the tournament in future years.”

Gala has had to switch its sevens to a Sunday in the past few years to accommodate the national cup competition – but that has not proved successful with low crowds and fewer clubs committing themselves with their top players.

Now Gala has mandated a committee of stalwarts Gordon Keddie, John Gray, Richie Gray and Drew Tulley to look for a new date adnd format.

The position will become clearer after Friday night’s agm of the SRU at which clubs will be asked to vote to suspend the club for a year.

That motion, however, may not win enough votes as the majority of clubs in Scotland are expected to want the competition to continue.

If so, April Saturdays – the prerogative of Borders sevens for over 100 years – will be given over to league and cup games.

The Border League met last week and indications are that clubs will vote for the cup to discontinue. And if beaten, may again threaten to withdraw from the competition.

Richardson has been re-elected as president for a second year with Colin Playfair filling the vacant vice-president’s position.

Andrew Wayness continues as treasurer and Peter Paige as secretary.

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