Border Telegraph | Sport | Melrose could feature in rugby Hall of Fame

Friday, 5th December, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 1st October, 2008 09:00

Melrose could feature in rugby Hall of Fame

By Atholl Innes

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MELROSE Rugby Club has been nominated for a place in the International Rugby Board’s 19th Century Hall of Fame.

In the year that the club staged its 125th sevens, official say that it is a ‘fantastic honour’ - and to be admitted would mark a new pinnacle for everyone at The Greenyards.

The award will be in recognition of the sevens, started by Jedburgh butcher and the biggest single sporting event held each year in the Borders.

Spokesman Douglas Hardie said: “This is something special, even if we do not win. Just to be nominated is a fantastic honour.

“We are all delighted that the club could be honoured in this way and to be nominated is a real accolade.”

And president Colin Ruthven added: “Yes, it is a great honour for the sevens to be recognised. We are still awaiting more details from the IRB.”

Mr Ruthven along with Rugby Director Mike Dalgetty will attend the awards dinner in London.

The IRB was impressed by the sevens when its chairman, Syd Millar, visited the tournament two years ago – and gave his support for Melrose to host a round of the IRB Sevens.

However, the SRU stepped in and took the IRB Sevens to Murrayfield despite the Borders putting forward a package to show that Melrose were willing, to host the last round of the series.

Talk that Melrose might be given a chance the following year was no more than that – talk.

Now, at least the IRB has recognised the importance of the Melrose Sevens and to gain admittance would be a feather in the cap for Melrose and Borders rugby.

On its website, the IRB say: “Melrose is one of the most famous rugby clubs in the world. The club has played at The Greenyards ground since its inception in 1877 and was elected to full membership of the SRU in 1880.

“That year, Ned Haig, a butcher’s apprentice, who was born in the neighbouring Jedburgh on December 7, 1858, joined the club.

“Together with the town butcher, David Sanderson, the then Melrose club captain, and other club members, he suggested holding of a tournament to raise funds for the struggling club.

“In order to accommodate a large number of matches in one afternoon, the tournament was played by teams of seven players over 15 minutes.

“Haig and Sanderson played for Melrose, who defeated arch-rivals Gala in the final.

“This is how the sevens game and the Melrose Sevens, played on the second Saturday in April every year, were born 125 years ago.”

Melrose will face competition from, among others, Edinburgh Academy and Merchiston Castle School; Joseph Arthur Gould, the Welshman known as the ‘Prince of Players’; Blackheath and Francis M. Campbell; Alfred St George Hamersley, who played in the first Scotland-England international; the 1888-1889 Maoris, who undertook the longer rugby tour ever (103 matches); and Liverpool St Helens RFC.

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