Edinburgh Academy on a roll in sevens

EDINBURGH Academy, the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools Under-18 Cup winners, continued their run of success by claiming the Goldenacre Sevens on Saturday, beating Fettes College 42-26 in the final.

That followed a tense semi-final against George Watson’s College that went to the wire before Edinburgh Academy scored in the final minute to win 19-14, all of Academy’s points coming from stand-off Fraser Gillies.

Edinburgh Academy will now be attempting to achieve a hat-trick of sevens titles this season in the Watson’s tournament at Myreside today. The line-up for the that tournament includes two north- east teams, Aberdeen Grammar School and Robert Gordon’s College, who will challenge the predominantly Edinburgh entry.

Absent from the Watson’s tournament are Merchiston, who are playing in the Rosslyn Park Sevens. Merchiston are in the Open competition which lists schools such as Sedbergh, Millfield and the two Daily Mail Cup finalists, Whitgift and RGS Newcastle. Merchiston have been drawn in a group alongside Exeter College, Croesyceilog, Robert Clack School, and Monmouth Comprehensive.

In the west, the Glasgow High School sevens title went east with Stewart’s-Melville taking the honours by defeating St Columba’s in the final at Anniesland. Sevens continue in Glasgow tomorrow with the staging of the Lenzie tournament.

It may be the sevens season in schools rugby but there are still titles to be decided in the Brewin Dolphin Under-18 Plate and Bowl competitions. Today Royal High School play Linlithgow Academy in the second of the Plate semi- finals, with the winner facing Wellington School in the final.

The Bowl final will be contested between Aberdeen Grammar School and Williamwood High School but, as yet, no date for the match has been announced.

Meanwhile, in the National Youth Under-18 Cup Aberdeen Grammar have reached the semi-finals after defeating Highland 25-15 in Inverness. The remaining three quarter finals – Haddington v Dumfries, Boroughmuir v GHA, and Musselburgh v Currie Colts – will not be played until 14 April, 12 days before the final at Murrayfield on 26 April.

• High School of Dundee defeated Hawick High School 24-7 in the final of the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools Under-15 Plate at Murrayfield last night.