FEW would argue that it was amongst the greatest minutes of Scottish sporting history.

But the stunning comeback by Scotland against South Africa in the London Sevens final earlier this year may have also rescued the game in the country where it was founded.

The Blitzboks had led the Scots, who were making their first final appearance on the international circuit, by 26 points to 15 with barely more than a minute left on the Twickenham clock.

An amazing two tries in the space of 30-odd seconds from Dougie Fife gave Calum Macrae's team victory at the death.

The euphoria which followed led to no fewer than six Scots selected for the Great Britain Sevens long squad ahead of Rio 2016.

And two of them - Mark Robertson and Mark Bennett - will now be going to Rio later this week as part of Team GB.

Closer to home, it is expected the entire Scottish squad from last season will be offered new contracts by the SRU.

Robertson, who has just returned from the six week sevens camp with the extended Team GB squad, was in Selkirk last week to coach the next generation of sevens players.

With him was his business partner Scott Wight, who was captain of the Scotland seven who beat South Africa, to put 40-odd young players through their paces.

Scott told us: "The win at Twickenham as well as the sport being included in the Olympics this year has given sevens a big boost in Scotland.

"It was just over a year ago that nobody was sure if Scotland was to continue with a sevens team yet here we are now having won the Cup in London."

Robertson, who helped set up both of Fife's memorable tries against South Africa, acknowledged the significance the Cup win has had.

He said: "Scotland's seven would have carried on even if we hadn't won at Twickenham but I think the whole profile of the sport has now been raised.

"The last minute of that match has been watched more than one-and-a-half-million times on YouTube - people are still talking about it."

Robertson will fly out to Brazil with the rest of the Team GB sevens squad on Friday.

The 12-man squad will face Japan and Kenya on August 9 at Rio's Deodoro Stadium in Pool C.

And the following day they take on New Zealand ahead of the quarter-final matches.

The semi-finals and finals will be played on Thursday, August 11.

The 31-year-old from Earlston admits inclusion to the final squad has come as a surprise.

Mark, who has played for Melrose, Edinburgh and the Border Reivers, said: "I was delighted to be included in the extended squad and to go for the six week camp.

"There were a lot of other Scottish players, like Scott, who were unlucky not be included.

"I wasn't expecting to be in the final 12 for Rio as I thought there were some boys there who were better than me, but it's all down to what the coach is looking for and how you fit into his plans. I seemed to fit."

Both Wight and Robertson were part of the Scotland team at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games two years ago.

And their inaugural School of Sevens camps last year proved popular in both Edinburgh and the Borders.

But this year, following that famous victory at Twickenham, numbers have gone through the roof.

Scott, who has played for Glasgow Warriors as well as Melrose, believes the sport will continue growing. He said: "We had 26 boys with us for our Borders camp last year - this year we are at capacity with 42.

"We have a three-day camp in Edinburgh next month with 52 boys already signed up.

"In terms of learning rugby, the shorter game is so much better. The players get a lot more touches and have to make a lot more decisions.

"The way we set up the camps makes sure that everyone is involved all the time."

Thunderstorms last Wednesday forced the School of Sevens camp from Philiphaugh to the Selkirk High School games hall.

But a morning of speed, agility and evasion as well as decision making and passing practice was followed by match-time on the playing fields.

With assistant coach Robbie Chalmers drafted in to help with the drills and mini-matches it was a day of fun as well as education for the budding stars of sevens.

Robertson added: "The boys will get a lot out of the camp.

"We are teaching them how to complete simple skills sets. The small-sided games help their development and we have been doing a lot of one-on-one coaching throughout the day.

"Sevens rugby is growing in Scotland and we need the next generation of players coming through."

Scott and Mark would like to thank Melrose-based company JS Crawford's for supplying the School of Sevens tee-shirts.