VICTORY for either Melrose or Kelso would have been a dream come true
at the Greenyards on Saturday. Each had a special reason to win the
Bell's Islander Melrose sevens, but Randwick had no place for sentiment
in becoming the first Southern Hemisphere winners of the short game's
oldest tournament.
As Australians, they were forceful and direct. Their rugby had the
same elements on an uncharacteristic Melrose day, with a sharp wind and
heavy showers touched with sleet.
Randwick edged past Melrose to win their semi-final by 16-15 with a
last-minute try by David Campese, his third of the tie. No-one else in
the tournament would have had the pace and verve to squeeze in at the
right corner to deny the hosts, and the Sydney club then swept Kelso
aside for a 26-8 win in the final.
Melrose, so used to being on top this season, had been aiming to add
their own trophy to the national championship and the Border League. It
would have been all the more fitting when this was the hundredth version
of abbreviated rugby's original tournament at the Greenyards 107 years
ago, and as Craig Redpath suggested, the youngsters in the team wanted
to win all the more for the sake of their father figure, Keith
Robertson.
A Kelso win would have been just as appropriate. They have been the
dominant force in the Border sevens for more than a decade, and not only
was this their eleventh Melrose final in 13 years, but it was to be the
last for Andrew Ker, perhaps also for Eric Paxton.
Ker leaves Kelso at the end of this season after 18 faithful years of
commuting back to his home town -- first from Glasgow, and then from
Edinburgh -- and in that time, no-one has been more influential in
Scottish seven-a-side rugby. Over those years, Kelso have not won a
senior tournament without Ker at stand-off. Seven of those successes
have been at the Greenyards.
In recognition of Ker's contribution, the club have arranged to
display all of his hundred and more medals at Poynder Park on Friday,
May 11. How many has he? No-one will be certain until Ker collects them,
and counts these memorabilia of an era of Border rugby that is about to
end.
Gavin Boneham was Randwick's principal ball-winner at lineout and
restart, Mark Ella and Acrua Niuqila relished the ample provisions, and
John Maxwell, as captain and coach, was a subtle, almost unobtrusive
orchestrator. Most of all, however, the Australians had the threatening
presence of David Campese.
Whether lying wide or rallying in retreat, Campese was the spearhead.
An inch of space to run was gleefully accepted, and over the tournament,
he scored 46 points, with seven tries and nine conversions, including
all of Randwick's points against Melrose.
Robertson, striking with typically sudden acceleration, responded to
Campese's first try by beating Lloyd Walker to run in his fifth try of
the afernoon, and bullish determination procured the Andy Purves try
with which Melrose equalised the second time.
Craig Chalmers converted both tries, and then, as in the quarter-final
against Harlequins, the stand-off kicked a penalty goal. Harlequins had
led by 12-0 at half-time against Melrose, but a Robertson try sparked
the hosts' recovery off Carl Hogg's tapped penalty. Hogg then deflected
the restart kick, Redpath linked, and Chalmers cut through for an Andy
Purves try.
Chalmers converted both, and when John Eagle, caught by Robertson,
deliberately threw into touch, the stand-off kicked the goal from well
out on the left. Harlequins had no time left to recover.
Randwick, however, exploited a quick penalty against Melrose for
Campese to dive over in a Purves tackle. Randwick lost Walker (injured
against Melrose) and Niuqila (stretchered off with a cracked ankle bone
late in the final's first half), but Walker's deputy, John Flett, wasted
no time in joining the action, running away for a try in the first
minute against Kelso.
Paxton replied for 4-6 after Ker had been denied on the goal-line, but
a Campese try countered the John Jeffrey kick and chase in which Niuqila
was hurt. By then, Kelso legs looked tired, and the Borderers also were
without their strong, sharp scrum half, Bob Hogarth, injured in the
quarter-final against London Scottish.
Ella put Boneham away for the opening try of the second half, Clive
Millar replied from a Campese fumble, and Randwick finished comfortably
with Flett's second try and one by Michael Cheika. Campese converted two
and Ella one.
Melrose not only had close ties against their guests but they were
also taken to extra time by Ayr, last season's beaten finalists. Ayr
pulled back from 6-16 with two Phil Manning tries, the second from
Robbie Kemp's break from his own line, before Hogg's interception let
Redpath in for his second try of the game. Results:-
First round -- Jed-Forest 20, Stirling County 10; Kelso 26, Gala 0;
Glasgow High/Kelvinside 12, Langholm 10; Melrose 22, Watsonians 6.
Second round -- Hawick 12, Jed 6; Stewart's Melville FP 14, Racing Club
de France 8; Kelso 24, Selkirk 6; London Scottish 24, Heriot's FP 16;
Edinburgh Academicals 28, GHK 8; Randwick 30, Glasgow Academicals 0;
Melrose 20, Ayr 16 (after extra time); Harlequins 28, Boroughmuir 10.
Quarter-finals -- Hawick 18, Stewart's Melville 0; Kelso 12, London
Scottish 8; Randwick 20, Edinburgh Academicals 6; Melrose 15, Harlequins
12. Semi-finals -- Kelso 22, Hawick 4; Randwick 16, Melrose 15. Final --
Randwick 26, Kelso 8.
Randwick -- D I Campese, J Flett; A Niuqila, M Ella; M Cheika, J
Maxwell, G Boneham. Replacement -- D Phillips for Niuqila (half-time).
Kelso -- D R Robeson, S Wichary; A B M Ker, P S Dunkley; R E Paxton, C
Millar, J Jeffrey.
JED-FOREST open the defence of the Hawick sevens trophy with a tie
against Langholm at Mansfield Park on Saturday. The draw (first tie 2pm)
is: Gala v Heriot's FP, Hawick v Edinburgh Academicals, Stewart's
Melville FP v Kelso, Jed-Forest v Langholm, Glasgow Academicals v
Boroughmuir, Melrose v Selkirk, Watsonians v Ayr, Wakefield v Glasgow
High/Kelvinside.
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