Langholm Sevens
Langholm Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Langholm RFC, in Langholm, Scotland. The Langholm Sevens was the last of the Border Sevens tournaments to be instated in 1908.[1]
| Sport | Rugby sevens |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1908 |
| Number of teams | 16 |
| Country |  Scotland |
| Holders | Watsonians (2019) |
| Most titles | Hawick (29 titles) |
| Related competition | Kings of the Sevens |
Held around the end of every April, the tournament is part of the Kings of the Sevens competition. 2019's Langholm Sevens took place on 27 April.[2]
Sports Day
Langholm first introduced a Sports Day - as it was originally called - on 16 October 1886; and rugby union seven a sides were played then. Two local teams met; from the firms of James Scott and Sons of Waverley Mills and Hotson the Builders. James Scott and Sons won the match.[3]
However it wasn't until 1908 that Langholm RFC decided that they should hold an annual Sports Day and thus the Sevens tournament today dates from then. Eight teams from the Borders were invited to play on 1 May 1908.[3]
Scott Cup
The winner of the Langholm Sevens receives the Scott Cup.[4]
The Scott Cup was first presented to the winners in 1930. It was presented by Tom Scott; the first Langholm RFC player to be capped internationally by Scotland (in 1896), and the first Border man to be president of the Scottish Rugby Union (from 1914 to 1920).[3]
Longest match in Sevens history
The final of the 1920 Langholm Sevens is understood to be the longest match in Sevens history.
Jed-Forest played Edinburgh Wanderers in that match, which was played with two halves of ten minutes each. After 20 minutes had expired with the score at 0-0, both captains and the referee agreed to play another two halves of ten minutes, which also ended without any score.
Following this, the captains and referee agreed to play under a 'golden try' rule: if either team scored a try, it would end the match, and the scoring team would win the match (and the competition).
After another five minutes, Jed-Forest fly-half Willie Scott touched down for a try to finally break the deadlock. The final had lasted a total of 45 minutes.[5]
Invited Sides
Various sides have been invited to play in the Langholm Sevens tournament throughout the years. The Barbarians entered in a side in 1972, reaching the final. The Scotland 7s side was invited in 2000.[6] Loughborough Colleges reached the final in 1995, losing out to Glasgow High Kelvinside. Aspatria reached the final in 1990. London Scottish reached the final in 1993.[7]
Of the English sides so far invited, only Newcastle Falcons and Headingley have won the Scott Cup.
Past winners
- 2023 Kelso
- 2022 Jed-Forest
- 2021 no tournament - coronavirus pandemic
- 2020 no tournament - coronavirus pandemic
- 2019 Watsonians[8]
- 2018 Watsonians[9]
- 2017 Selkirk[7]
- 2016 Watsonians[7]
- 2015 Hawick[10]
- 2014 Melrose[7]
- 2013 Selkirk[11]
- 2012 Hawick[12]
- 2011 Jed-Forest[13]
- 2010 Kelso[7]
- 2009 Hawick[12]
- 2008
Newcastle Falcons[13] - 2007 Newcastle Falcons[13]
- 2006 Newcastle Falcons[14]
- 2005 Newcastle Falcons[13]
- 2004 Hawick[7]
- 2003 Glasgow Hut. Aloysians[7]
- 2002 Melrose[7]
- 2001 Foot & Mouth Disease[7]
- 2000 Hawick[6]
- 1999 Melrose[7]
- 1998 Gala[15]
- 1997 Kelso[7]
- 1996 Kelso[7]
- 1995 GH Kelvinside[7]
- 1994 Jed-Forest[7]
- 1993 Gala[15]
- 1992 Melrose[7]
- 1991 Hawick[7]
- 1990 Jed-Forest[3]
- 1989 Jed-Forest[3]
- 1988 Jed-Forest[3]
- 1987 Jed-Forest[3]
- 1986 Jed-Forest[3]
- 1985 Hawick[7]
- 1984 Hawick[7]
- 1983 Stewarts Melville[3]
- 1982 Hawick[7]
- 1981 Kelso[7]
- 1980 Hawick[3]
- 1979 Stewarts Melville[7]
- 1978 Boroughmuir[7]
- 1977 Hawick[7]
- 1976 Hawick[7]
- 1975 Boroughmuir[7]
- 1974 Kelso[7]
- 1973 Hawick[7]
- 1972 Gala[3]
- 1971 Headingley[7]
- 1970 Gala[7]
- 1969 Gala[7]
- 1968 Headingley[3]
- 1967 Gala[7]
- 1966 Hawick[3]
- 1965 Stewart's College FP[7]
- 1964 Gala[7]
- 1963 Melrose[7]
- 1962 Hawick[7]
- 1961 Hawick[7]
- 1960 Royal HSFP[3]
- 1959 Langholm[4]
- 1958 Hawick[7]
- 1957 Stewart's College FP[7]
- 1956 Hawick[7]
- 1955 Hawick[7]
- 1954 Heriots[7]
- 1953 Royal HSFP[7]
- 1952 Melrose[7]
- 1951 Stewart's College FP[16]
- 1950 Melrose[7]
- 1949 Royal HSFP[3]
- 1948 Stewart's College FP[7]
- 1947 Melrose[7]
- 1946 Hawick[7]
- 1940-1945 Second World War
- 1939 Heriots[7]
- 1938 Heriots[7]
- 1937 Heriots[7]
- 1936 Co-Optimists[7]
- 1935 Heriots[7]
- 1934 Kelso[7]
- 1933 Melrose[7]
- 1932 Hawick[7]
- 1931 Kelso[7]
- 1930 Kelso[7]
- 1929 Edinburgh Accies[7]
- 1928 Heriots[3]
- 1927 Hawick[3]
- 1926 Heriots[3]
- 1925 Selkirk[11]
- 1924 Gala[7]
- 1923 Hawick[7]
- 1922 Hawick[7]
- 1921 Selkirk[7]
- 1920 Jed-Forest[7]
- 1919 Jed-Forest[7]
- 1915-1918 First World War
- 1914 Hawick[3]
- 1913 Hawick[3]
- 1912 Hawick[3]
- 1911 Hawick[3]
- 1910 Gala[3]
- 1909 Hawick[3]
- 1908 Gala[4]
Sponsorship
Edinburgh Woollen Mill are longstanding sponsors of the tournament.[17]
References
- "BBC - A Sporting Nation - The first Melrose Sevens match 1883". www.bbc.co.uk.
- "Sevens Season gets going". Watsonians RFC.
- "A Centenary of Sevens at Milntown". www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk.
- "Langholm 7s - Kings of the 7s".
- Griffiths, John. "Queens House RFC, Brian Lima, the Heineken Cup Final and Sevens". ESPN scrum.
- "Langholm Rugby Football Club". homepages.enterprise.net.
- "Langholm - Kings of the 7s".
- "Watsonians renew Ned Haig title challenge after Langholm win". Peeblesshire News.
- Team, The Offside Line (29 April 2018). "Watsonians close in on Kings of the 7s title with win at Langholm". The Offside Line.
- www.dng24.co.uk, DnG24- (1 May 2015). "Hawick lift Scott Cup at EWM Langholm sevens".
- "Selkirk win Scott Cup - News - Langholm Rugby Club". www.pitchero.com.
- "Gutsy Greens turn on Milntown magic to secure Langholm title". www.hawick-news.co.uk.
- "Riverside Park men look to spoil Langholm's big day by going all-out to retain Scott Cup". www.berwick-advertiser.co.uk.
- "LANGHOLM SEVENS". old.glasgowhawks.com.
- "10-try romp as Gala crush 'Rose". HeraldScotland.
- "Stewart's Melville RFC".
- "LANGHOLM 7's- sponsored by EWM - News - Langholm Rugby Club". www.pitchero.com.