Pools spark fresh interest as Gala Sevens enters a new era

HISTORY will be made at Murrayfield this afternoon, but a significant change to more than a century of tradition will also take place in the Borders shortly after the Heineken Cup protagonists leave the stage.

The 121st Gala Sevens, sponsored by Five Star Taxis, will launch the Borders spring sevens at 4.30pm with the first pool format, devised in an effort to inject some fresh excitement into the Netherdale tournament and ensure more ties for each competing team. The number of sides taking part has also been cut from 16 to 12, which will ensure a final held under the floodlights for the first time at around 7.40pm.

Hawick, Jed-Forest and the Cooperatives, have been drawn in pool one, Gala, Langholm and Peebles in pool two, Selkirk, Kelso and Edinburgh Accies in the third pool and Melrose, Watsonians and Heriot’s come together in the final grouping.

Coach George Graham has already led Gala to the cup final and club events manager Gordon Keddie is keeping his fingers crossed that this new format will entice supporters, and it is perhaps unfortunate that the club’s ambition with a first new-style tournament clashes with the Heineken Cup quarter-final.

However, the later start does give sevens fans the chance to travel to Galashiels after the Murrayfield match and see their team in action.

“As a club we felt that our sevens was dying on its feet,” said Keddie, “and so we put our heads together to come up with something different.

“If it doesn’t work then so be it, but we will have tried it. All the teams that have been invited are really enthusiastic about it and are looking forward to taking part.”

There is also a Veterans tournament kicking off at 3pm and featuring a host of familiar faces from Borders clubs.