Gala Sevens

Gala Sevens
SportRugby sevens
Instituted1884
Number of teams12
CountryScotland Scotland
HoldersScotland Edinburgh Academicals (2019)
Most titlesScotland Hawick (42 titles)
Related competitionKings of the Sevens

Gala Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Gala RFC, in Galashiels, Scotland. The Gala Sevens was the second of the Border Sevens tournaments to be instated in 1884, just behind the Melrose Sevens in 1883.[1]

Held around the start of every April, the tournament is part of the Kings of the Sevens competition. 2019's Gala Sevens took place on the 6 April.[2] It was won by Edinburgh Academicals.[3]

Sports Day

Gala introduced a Sports Day in 1884. This contained rugby sevens, a kicking competition and athletics.[4]

Memorial Football trophy

The winner of the Gala Sevens receives the Border Memorial Football Trophy.[5]

Invited Sides

Various sides have been invited to play in the Gala Sevens tournament throughout the years. The Barbarians entered in a side in 1976, as did Harlequins. Newcastle Falcons reached the final in 1999; Llanelli RFC reached the final in 1970; Bridgend RFC reached the final in 1971.

The Fiji national rugby sevens team won the event in 1991. They beat the Canada national rugby sevens team in the final.

Cardiff RFC won the event in 1964 and were runners-up the following year.

Of the English sides so far invited, only Tynedale, Blackheath, Loughborough Colleges, Orrell and Richmond have won the Memorial Football Trophy.

Sponsorship

The Sevens tournament is usually sponsored by Five Star Taxis of Galashiels.[6][7][8][9]

Past winners

See also

References

  1. ^ "BBC - A Sporting Nation - The first Melrose Sevens match 1883". bbc.co.uk.
  2. ^ "Edinburgh Accies beat Watsonians in final to win Gala Sevens". 6 April 2019.
  3. ^ "Victory for Accies at Gala 7s". edinburghaccies.com.
  4. ^ "Gala Rugby - Club History". Gala Rugby. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  5. ^ The Annual Sports (1930 programme), Gala Football Club
  6. ^ "Five Star Taxis Gala Sevens - News - Gala Rugby". pitchero.com.
  7. ^ "Jed-forest Rugby Club - Jed win Five Star Taxis Gala 7s". jedforestrfc.com.
  8. ^ Rugby, Gala (4 March 2016). "Five Star Taxis Gala Sevens 2016".
  9. ^ "Five Star Taxis - The Scottish Borders' largest Taxi firm". fivestartaxisgalashiels.com.