Peeblesshire News | Sport | Watsonians lift Peebles Sevens title

Saturday, 17th May, 2008

Published: Friday, 2nd May, 2008 12:00

Watsonians lift Peebles Sevens title

By Atholl Innes at the Gytes

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THE sun shone on Peebles Sevens on Sunday afternoon – and the big crowd were rewarded with some superb rugby.

Not only that, but the home side reached the final to keep the big crowd inside The Gytes right to the final whistle.

And all credit to the Peebles officials, who saw their team torn apart in that final by a Watsonians squad who are prepared to come to the Borders and play their rugby.

Boroughmuir called off a year ago; this time it was Heriot’s.

Invitations withdrawn.

This was a club day to savour and appreciated by coach Andrew Ker and his squad.

Maybe, as Peebles president George Shaw suggested afterwards, Gordon McKie, chief executive of the SRU, should make time to take in one of the sevens tournaments and see that Borders rugby is surviving in the aftermath of the axing of the Reivers.

How he would love to see a crowd that attended on Sunday go along and watch one of two under-supported pro sides.

The day at the sevens belonged to Watsonians, but also to Peebles.

Ker told me: “This has been a fantastic day, a great atmosphere, there was something for everyone – adults, kids the lot – and I thought the entertainment was fantastic.”

On the field, Ker admitted that it had been a hard time (with the cup) and uncompleted league business on Saturday at Dundee. “We have two more tournaments and we will see what we can do.”

Disappointment and satisfaction for Peebles – getting to the final was incredible and disappointment at the loss. But coach Steven Ferguson, in charge as Scott Nichol was not available, heaped credit and praise on Ker’s men.

“I knew we would compete well and beat some good sides on the way, but just ran out of gas in the final,” he said. “Watsonians are a very good side full of quality, and maybe 47-17 flattered them a bit. But we are not disappointed with our performance. Scott (Nichol) has been taking the sevens and the boys did well today.

“We have a lot of good young players, and I am quite sure that if they keep working they will win a tournament sooner rather than later.

“Donald Anderson was outstanding, but he was out he blew himself out in the first three ties. We played well as a team and worked hard for each other,

“It was a typical Borders performance by a Borders side and in the end the class told on the day.”

Peebles had no failures – Neil Cruickshank, Neil Hogarth, Donald Sangster, Dale Clancy, Donald Anderson, Dan Boughtwood, Craig Hunter, Tij Jocelyn, Adam Moffat and Calum Farmer can all hold their heads high.

In an absorbing final, two Hunter tries, one converted by Anderson, almost cancelled out scores by Andrew Skeen, Mike Ker and Euan Clark.

Boughtwood scored on the restart, but from then on, it was all Watsonians with tries from Skeen Ker and Ally Rowe.

And for the second year in a row, Ker collected the Player of the Tournament award.

Skeen finished the afternoon with seven tries and Ker five, the latter kickin the majority of the conversions.

The result through the Kings of the Sevens series wide open with leaders Selkirk and second placed Hawick each crashing out to Watsonians.

Ker’s side has crept into third place ready for the final assault at Earlston and Jed-Forest.

Peebles aimed to do well from the kick-off, ousting a strong Jed-Forest side, Musselburgh and then Kelso in a dramatic semi-final.

Roared on by a huge crowd, Peebles rose to the occasion to play some sparkling rugby in the afternoon.

Selkirk had battled hard to defeat Gala, who led 14-7 at the break.

Fraser Thomson scored a double for the Maroons before Fraser Harkness, Gavin Craig, Lee Jones and Ross Nixon hit back for the Souters.

But Selkirk were outplayed by Watsonians with Jones scoring their only try.

Melrose again fielded a second squad, and although they got past Berwick, would be embarrassed to go out to Biggar.

The Lanarkshire side, not known for their sevens expertise, had defeated Haddington before tries by Mike and Chris McKeand as well as Conor Lavery ensured a Biggar success over Melrose.

First round

Hawick 0, Watsonians 35; Selkirk 26, Gala 21; Biggar 31, Haddington 12; Melrose 22, Berwick 5; President’s 7 7, Hamilton 33; Edinburgh Accies 0, Kelso 33; Jed-Forest 0, Peebles 31; Musselburgh 24, Langholm 21.

Second round

Watsonians 33, Selkirk 7; Biggar 31, Melrose 10; Hamilton 10, Kelso 38; Peebles 33, Musselburgh 17.

Semi-finals

Watsonians 21, Biggar 5; Kelso 12, Peebles 24.

Final

Watsonians: 45

Peebles;17

Watsonians: T. Callander, G. Brown, D. Brown, E. Howie, M. Ker, A. Skeen, A. Rowe, G. Hills, C. Sorbie, E. Clark.

Peebles: N. Cruckshank, N. Hogarth, D. Sangster, D. Clancy, D. Anderson, D. Boughtwood, C. Hunter, T. Jocelyn, A. Moffat and C. Farmer.

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