GALA’S consistency on the Borders sevens circuit brought its reward when the Maroons collected the Kings of the Sevens prize after the second round of the Lawrie’s Garage-sponsored Selkirk Sevens on Saturday at Philiphaugh.

GALA’S consistency on the Borders sevens circuit brought its reward when the Maroons collected the Kings of the Sevens prize after the second round of the Lawrie’s Garage-sponsored Selkirk Sevens on Saturday at Philiphaugh.

The players and coaches watched from the stand as the holders, Melrose, whose ambitions had been dented by a long 15-a-side season, crashed out to Jed-Forest, who went on to beat Gala in the final.

Gala knew then that a win over the impressive Loughborough Colleges, under former Selkirk player, Ciaran Beattie, would secure the title – and it did thanks to a late try from Stevie Cairns after a long delay following an injury to one of the Loughborough players.

Jed’s victory over Gala failed to spoil the party as they went on to win the Selkirk cup for the first time since 1999, defeating Gala 14-12 in a tense and engrossing 20 minutes.

And former Selkirk player, Fraser Harkness, saluted the crowd as he helped his side to victory.

Gala, who called up Hawick’s Bruce McNeil, who was not used in the game, for the injured Alan Emond, scored twice through George Graham and Craig Robertson to a try from Robbie Shirra-Gibb and led 12-7 at the break.

Lewis Young put Jed back in front and they held on to take the cup as they repeated their form of displays in the Melrose tournament. The Gala players did not realise they had won the ‘Kings’ until they came off the field after beating Loughborough. “It has been outstanding,” said Craig Dods. “I think that we had the hardest draw, and it all comes down to our strength in depth in the sevens.” Graham, the sevens captain, added: “It has been a long hard season and it is tremendous to win the trophy. We showed a great deal of determination and we want to keep going to the end of the sevens.” Although Gala failed at the last hurdle at Philiphaugh, they have been the most consistent side this season with previous wins at Gala, Berwick and Peebles, and runners-up also at Langholm, Kelso and Earlston as well as Selkirk.

Jed accounted for Falkirk, Melrose and Selkirk while Melrose’s hopes of retaining the title ended when two tries from Lewis Young knocked out the champions and Jed beat Selkirk comfortably and Gala cruised past Hawick in the semis. The eighth of 10 tournaments tested the strength of most sides, and which probably accounted for the final being a pulsating, but very tense contest.

Jed headed for the winners’ rostrum for the first time, but left knowing that there are still two cups up for grabs.

First round Melrose 26, Peebles 0; Falkirk 7, Jed-Forest 17; Heriot’s 7, Hamilton 24; Stewart’s Melville 12, Selkirk 24; Kelso 10, Loughborough Colleges 29; Gala 47, Edinburgh Accies 5; Berwick 7, Hawick 45; Watsonians 36, Langholm 5.

Second round Melrose 12, Jed-Forest 26; Hamilton 7, Selkirk 45; Loughborough Colleges 19, Gala 22; Hawick 22, Watsonians 17.

Semi-finals Jed-Forest 21, Selkirk 10; Gala 40, Hawick 12.

Final Jed-Forest 14, Gala 12.

Jed-Forest: S. Ainslie, D. Grieve, F. Harkness, C. Gillon, L. Young, G. Young, R. Shirra-Gibb, M. Weekley, G. Law, D. Wallace.

Gala: A. Emond (B. McNeil), G. Graham, S. Wilkinson, C. Dods, R. Jeffrey, G. Speirs, J. Parker, S. Cairns, C. Robertson, G. Young.