Melrose Sevens wins financial backing

The Melrose Sevens has secured a three-year sponsorship designed to maintain its place as perhaps the premier club sevens tournament in the world.

Fund management house Tilney Investment Management will back the event, held at the Greenyards, the birthplace of sevens in 1883.

The blue riband of sevens in Scotland will for the next three years be known as the Tilney Melrose Sevens and the company has an option to extend the association beyond 2003.

The company will also be supporting the Tilney Junior Coaching Clinic, run by Scotland's director of rugby, Jim Telfer, on the morning of the event.

Looking to avenge

It will involve 100 children from rugby clubs all over Scotland.

The Tilney Melrose Sevens in 2001 will be played at the Greenyards on Saturday 14 April.

Twenty teams will play for the coveted Ladies Centenary Cup, with international representation from five top-class guest sides.

Fijian Cup holders Nawaka will be trying to repeat their success in 2000, while runners-up Christchurch will be looking to avenge their final defeat last year.

The famous Barbarians will be present for the fourth time and a development side from Uruguay will be making their first appearance at the tournament.

Broken glass

Fifteen top Scottish sides will also be vying for the title: Boroughmuir, Currie, Gala, Glasgow Hawks, Hawick, Heriots, Jed-Forest, Kelso, Kirkcaldy, Langholm, Melrose, Peebles, Selkirk, Watsonians and West of Scotland.

The heritage and passion of the Tilney Melrose Sevens was summed up by Tony Bayliss, Fixture Secretary of Kirkcaldy, newcomers to the event.

"The club would have crawled on hands and knees over broken glass, such is our pleasure at being invited to take part in the most prestigious sevens event in world rugby," he said.

Tilney director Colin Brown said: "Everyone at Tilney is excited about this new association as it talks to our target consumers through a sport that many hold very close to their hearts."

Thanks to Tilney's association with Melrose RFC, prize money for the event has been increased to £12,000 and, for the first time, the defeated quarter-finalists will take a share of the pot.

Melrose RFC has also been successful in gaining the support of Edinburgh law firm Brodies, and accountants PriceWaterhouseCooper as sponsorship partners.