Stewart's Melville College 8 - 10 Hutchesons' Grammar: Hutchesons hold off Stew-Mel to earn victory

HUTCHESONS' Grammar School won the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools under-15 Cup at Murrayfield last night after a dramatic final against Stewart's Melville College.

They held on to claim a 10-8 victory despite late pressure and were indebted to a superb showing from their man of the match, scrum-half Robbie Blackwood.

Stewart's Melville spent much of the night defending, but showed fighting spirit to keep themselves in it. Hutchesons started strongly and could have taken the lead in the first minute such was the pace that they came out of the blocks.

The Edinburgh school got into matters after that, however, and in the 13th minute centre Russell Grant had a good break and four minutes later their pressure told when Docherty did kick a penalty from in front of the posts.

The Glasgow school then conjured up a try, centre Ruairidh Bottomley's evasive run testing the Stewart's Melville defence and what followed was a moment of magic from Blackwood.

The younger brother of Scotland age-grade cap Sam picked up the ball at the base of a ruck and took off on the blindside, catching the defenders unawares and diving over the try line. Stand-off George Swankie converted and it stayed 7-3 until the break. In the 45th minute Hutchesons' earned a penalty in front of the posts which the calm Swankie converted. That was the cue for Stewart's Melville to up their game and after good set-up play by replacement Danny Brown and Grant the forwards eventually rumbled over under the posts, prop Will Kesley being credited with the score. Docherty missed the conversion and Hutchesons' still had a two-point advantage with seven minutes to play. The Edinburgh school kept pressing but the night ended in triumph for Hutchesons.

Scorers: Stewart's Melville College: Try: Kesley. Pen: Docherty. Hutchesons' Grammar School: Try: Blackwood. Pen: Swankie. Con: Swankie.

Stewart's Melville College: Ryan Frost; Jesper Price, Russell Grant, Scott Murchie, Damon Salmanzedeh; Scott Docherty, Mark Statham; Will Kesley, Lewis Begbie, Fergus Crawley, Matt Hutcheson, Alex Clayton, Shane Brown, Harry Turner, Mark Lowes. Subs: Bruce Gorrie, Graham Wilson, Chris Ward, Ali Scott, Cameron McCall, Simran Wilks, Danny Brown.

Hutchesons' Grammar School: Leo Milton; Jamie Crawford, Conor Forgie, Ruairidh Bottomley, Toby Buchanan; George Swankie, Robbie Blackwood; Ben White, Ryan Howie, Ilan Selby, Sheryar Awan, Tom McMurtrie, Blair McCarte, Gordon Campbell, Scott Young. Subs: Douglas Connell, Duncan Forrest, Louis Kerr, Ciaran McLaughlin, Robbie Jessiman, Grant Thomson, Paul Smith.

Referee: Lloyd Linton.