With Heriot's and Strathallan having booked their places in the last four of the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools under-18 Cup, it has now been revealed that the organisers of the competition intend to play the semi-finals on the day of the Scotland v Japan international on November 9, at Murrayfield.
In what looks like an idea influenced by the marketing department, the plan is to play the matches on the back pitches at 12 noon, followed by a post-match meal in Murrayfield, with free tickets to the Scotland match given to all players and coaches.
At half-time in the Scotland match, there will then be interviews with the captains, while the Scotland matchday programme will also feature information on the semi-final teams and a preview of the final.
The plan certainly meets the need for having neutral venues but there will be many potential spectators dismayed by the lack of a stand on the back pitches at the international ground, a situation which exposes those attending the game to potentially bad weather while simultaneously making viewing much less user-friendly.
Still to be played are the quarter-finals between Edinburgh Academy and Dundee High School, as well as Glasgow High School and George Watson's College, with both matches scheduled for 30 October.
In the Plate competition, Marr College's hopes of defending their under-18 title may depend on their Glasgow South regional final against Carrick Academy. Marr defeated Galashiels Academy last season in the final but already the Borders school is out of this year's competition having lost to Hawick High School in the Borders regional semi final. Hawick HS now play Peebles High School to determine the Borders winners.
Meanwhile, Merchiston may be out of the 2013 competition but the Colinton school has a different challenge this weekend when they travel to Ipswich for the 27th St Joseph's rugby festival, a high quality tournament that brings together sixteen schools from England, Wales and Scotland.
Merchiston will certainly feel the heat this weekend. They are drawn in the third of four groups alongside, Bedford School, Brighton College and Royal Grammar School Newcastle. The top two sides from each group will go into the quarter-finals and the third and fourth teams into the Plate quarters for Sunday's knock-out stages. Defending their title will be Millfield who this season are likely to feature Adam Hastings, the son of Scotland and Lions captain, Gavin Hastings.
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