Melrose Sevens: Former Edinburgh flyer steals show in final as tributes paid to Scott Hastings

On a day when the Scottish Rugby community paid tribute to the late, great Scott Hastings at the Melrose Sevens, the Scottish Thistles lifted the men’s 1883 Centenary Cup in the sunshine at The Greenyards on Saturday.

In the final against Edinburgh Accies, former Edinburgh Rugby flyer Freddie Owsley scored two tries as did Brent Jackson as guest side the Thistles - made up of exciting young and experienced talent - came out on top 22-10. The Thistles previously won the event in 2008.

Robbie Chalmers, the son of Craig Chalmers, and ‘on loan’ Ayr man Bobby Beattie scored tries for Accies, but they could not add to their triumphs of 1928, 1930 and 1949.

Freddie Owsley scored two tries in the Melrose Sevens final. | SNS Group

In round one of the 20-team men’s event, Scottish Thistles had beaten Musselburgh 33-7, Durham University were edged out by Currie Chieftains 17-12, Newcastle Red Bulls defeated Glasgow Hawks 35-14 and Edinburgh Rugby beat Stirling County 17-5.

Round two began with Melrose giving the home crowd a lot to cheer about with a 31-10 win over Gala and then the Scottish Thistles beat Peebles 28-0.

Boroughmuir made sure they would be in the quarter-finals by getting the better of Currie 19-14 and then there was a minute’s silence to remember Watsonians, Scotland and British & Irish Lions legend Hastings who passed away age 61 last Sunday.

Watsonians, with his name and number 13 on their jerseys 30 years on from Hastings leading the Myresiders to Melrose Sevens glory in 1996, were beaten 17-10 by Kelso before Ayr thumped Jed-Forest 54-5 and Newcastle Red Bulls eased past Hawick 42-5.

Edinburgh and Edinburgh Accies then became the final two teams through to the last eight when they beat Selkirk 38-5 and Heriot’s 22-7 respectively.

In quarter-final number one, the Thistles just got past Melrose 21-17 with Owsley (2) and Isaac Coates scoring their tries. Kelso made sure there would be Borders representation in the semis by beating Boroughmuir 19-7 before Scott Watson’s winning try saw Ayr defeat Newcastle Red Bulls 24-21. Cam MacDonald then scored the winning try as Edinburgh Accies got the better of Edinburgh 19-12, leaving the Thistles as the only guest side left in the competition.

Semi-final number one saw Scottish Thistles dominate against Kelso to come out on top 33-5, Gregor Johnston, Sam Leweni, Murray Waugh, Mitchell Newell and Owsley scoring their tries. Murray Woodcock went over for Kelso.

In the second semi, an early try from Vincent Hart put Accies 5-0 up over Ayr and they were 15-0 up at half-time. Chris Hyde scored a try for Ayr after the break, but Accies’ defence was excellent and they won 15-5.

The women’s Doddie Claymore competition was won by Monaco Umusa after they beat Melrose 1883 in the final 22-5.

Hannah Thornhill led the way for Monaco with a hat-trick of tries and Charlotte Woodman crossed too. Elena Korn scored or Melrose.

Hearts and Balls MB and Shogun Rugby were the other teams in that four-team competition.

And the Jim Telfer Cup for men’s under-18 teams was won by Newcastle Red Bulls who came from behind at half-time to defeat Strathallan School 26-14.

Carmarthan Warriors, Stockholm Exiles, Syston RFC, Deeside, Robert Gordon’s, Howe of Fife, Morrison’s Academy, GHA, Merchiston Castle School, Dollar Academy, Melrose Wasps, Stewart’s Melville, Boroughmuir and Stirling County were the other sides involved in that 16-team event with the earlier matches being played at Battery Dyke and the final at The Greenyards.