Murrayfield to host 2012 sevens event after U-turn

Published on Tuesday 26 April 2011 18:44

SCOTLAND will remain part of a revamped HSBC World Sevens Series next season after First Minister Alex Salmond helped reassure the International Rugby Board that Scotland was committed to the global event.

The Scotsman understands that Scotland was dropped from the draft schedule for the revamped series as the Scottish Rugby Union dragged its heels on whether to be involved.

While well run, the tournaments have made losses around 1 million since their launch at Murrayfield in 2008, after SRU chief executive Gordon McKie decided against using Melrose, the birthplace of sevens, as the venue due to fears over costs.

The SRU failed to drive up attendances but, with help from politicians keen to promote the 2014 Commonwealth Games, where sevens will be staged at Ibrox Park, and EventScotland, they have persuaded the IRB that it was serious about remaining in the world series in 2012.

The SRU refused to confirm or deny this yesterday and there was no-one from the IRB, Emirates or HSBC at yesterday's launch of the 2011 event.

However, Murrayfield is expected to be confirmed when the 2012 schedule is revealed.

The SRU is speaking to a handful of Glasgow and Edinburgh players over possible 50/50 contracts, where they would spend time both with their clubs and the sevens squad next season.

But sevens coach Graham Shiel insisted Scotland would continue to use academy players and club stars such as Fraser Harkness of Selkirk.

He said: "Fraser, Andrew Skeen and Scott Riddell are three sevens specialists who excelled this year. They help younger players understand sevens and they are massively important to us."