JED-FOREST lifted the Five Star Taxis Gala Sevens on Sunday at Netherdale in a dramatic final with a 19-14 extra-time try from Lewis Young.

But the afternoon will be remembered most for the bitter cold that affected the attendance, and one had to be a player or referee to keep warm.

It took Jed and Gala to turn on the heat in a final that had everything with controversy thrown in for good measure.
But it was a credit to the players who took part 24 hours after playing in league matches.

The amateur players set an example to the country’s pros… imagine them playing two games/tournaments in a day.

So all praise to Jed and Gala, who faced each other the previous day, for coming through four ties each with Jed emerging with that little bit luck in the final which went to stoppage time.

Gala captain Graham Speirs had an opportunity to win the final for the hosts, but his dropped-kick penalty went wide of the posts in extra time and Jed broke clear to score at the other end.

It came after Gala appeared to have scored – but they were denied as the touch judge put up his flag, and the referee did not award a throw-in.

It was the late Bill McLaren who once said: ‘Ye never kick in sevens’ and so Speirs’ late effort denied the Maroons as Jed gained possession and Young’s pace made them suffer the ultimate penalty.

The first half was evenly balanced with Robbie Irvine and Robbie Yourston exchanging tries before a Rex Jeffrey score gave the hosts the lead at the interval. 

But Jed levelled through Yourston again and conversions by Speirs and Young took the final into extra time.

Jed took the cup to avenge their defeat by Gala in the 2015 final.

In the first of the semi-finals, Gala edged out Melrose with a late try from Ruairi Howarth while Jed defeated Boroughmuir with a Young score.

Selkirk finished without a win in the pool stages after missing a conversion in front of the posts to beat Jed, but had some consolation when they picked up the plate with a win over Powerbombs.

Melrose, with an understrength side due to cup commitments the day before, lost by two points to Gala in the semis, Ruairi Howarth scoring the winning try.

Results:
Pool games: Melrose 31, Edinburgh Accies 5; Melrose 34, Powerbombs 7; Edinburgh Accies 26, Powerbombs 21; Gala 36, Kelso 0; Gala 43, Peebles 7; Kelso 17, Peebles 19; Jed-Forest 24, Heriot’s 7; Jed-Forest 19, Selkirk 17; Heriot’s 33, Selkirk 19; Watsonians 10, Boroughmuir 22; Watsonians 52, Hawick 5; Boroughmuir 33, Hawick 0.
Semi-finals: Gala 28, Melrose 26; Jed-Forest 17, Boroughmuir 12.
Final: Gala 14, Jed-Forest 19 (after extra time).
Plate. Final. Selkirk 31, Powerbombs 14.
Bowl. Final. Edinburgh Accies 0, Watsonians 27.
Gala: R Tod, R Irvine, M Faught, J Turnbull, G Hunter, G Speirs, C Jordaan, R Jeffrey, R Howarth, D Nicholson.
Jed-Forest: S Goodfellow, D Wardrop, R Yourston, R Marshall, C Young, G Young, L Young, R Shirra Gibb, C Skeldon, E Stewart.