Hawick make it four out of four to seal record sevens win on home turf

RECORD-BREAKING Hawick swept to victory in their own sevens on Saturday at Mansfield Park and won all-round praise from coach Derek Armstrong, whose future at the club remains uncertain.

"It has been the hell of a week," he said following the 22-19 victory over Selkirk in an absorbing and bruising final in which Hawick came from behind and held on for their fourth win in four years.

It was Hawick's 45th win since the first event in 1885 and their sixth final in as many years.

Armstrong had earlier seen the club's Premier A XVs win at Glasgow Hawks in a match which had been controversially postponed earlier this month and led to his club being fined and docked points.

"I am delighted for the boys. To create history is fantastic," Armstrong added.

"Winning four in a row has never been done before and it is a tremendous day for Hawick," said club president Alister Pow.

Hawick rode their luck when two poor Selkirk kick-offs led to tries and Selkirk's Scotland sevens player, Fraser Harkness, knocked on in the final seconds with an open run to the line. But Hawick played with an aggression and determination that unsettled a Selkirk side, which started as favourites. Ryan Hogg and Rory Hutton in particular were outstanding,

The scores were level 17-17 at half-time with tries from Darren Clapperton and Gavin Craig to scores from Hutton and Bruce McNeil. Craig added his second, but tries from Stuart Hogg and Ryan Hogg proved to be match-winners.

Melrose, who fielded Edinburgh professional Mark Robertson, were punished by Selkirk in the opening tie, while the guests, the Vikings, from Denmark and the Royal Scots, failed to get past round two.

Results

First round: Selkirk 36, Melrose 12; Berwick 19, Royal Scots 33; Gala 33, Kelso 19; Watsonians 14, Peebles 17; Edinburgh Accies 7, Hawick 17; President's VII 15, Edinburgh University 17; Langholm 7, Danish Vikings 35; Jed-Forest 19, Boroughmuir 17.

Second round: Selkirk 35, Royal Scots 5; Gala 46, Peebles 14; Hawick 53, Edinburgh University 7; Vikings 10, Jed-Forest 26.

Semi-finals: Selkirk 42, Gala 7; Hawick 17, Jed-Forest 14.

Final: Selkirk 19, Hawick 22.

Selkirk: R Taylor; F Harkness, C Marshall, M Davies, G Craig, R Nixon, D Clapperton, N Darling, R Godsmark, S Willett.

Hawick: S Hogg, R Hutton, G Hogg, G Johnstone, R Hogg, G Lowrie, B McNeil, G. Cotterell, A Dunbar (G Young), M Robertson.