Murrayfield primed for sevens heaven

MURRAYFIELD is poised again to anoint a new world sevens rugby champion this weekend as the Emirates Airlines Edinburgh Sevens brings the curtain down on the 2009-10 season.

• Samoan captain Lolo Lui and Lote Raikabula of New Zealand will do battle to become world sevens champions. Picture: Esme Allen

Fiji and New Zealand reigned supreme in the abbreviated version of rugby, but South Africa last year took over after a dramatic finale at Murrayfield in the last leg of the worldwide series of sevens tournaments. This year Samoa have made the running and New Zealand are the sole remaining team who can catch them on the final weekend.

Scotland are under pressure to secure a place in the main cup quarter-finals and prove they are worthy of a place in the Delhi Commonwealth Games after the Commonwealth Games Scotland committee stated that their place in the team was under threat by this season's poor showings on the world circuit.

Scotland coach Stevie Gemmell has drafted in a host of Edinburgh professionals but they face the rising stars of the USA, Wales and the mighty Fijians merely to emerge from today's pool rounds.