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]
| Sport | Rugby sevens |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1884 |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Country |  Scotland |
| Holders | Edinburgh Academicals (2019) |
| Most titles | Hawick (42 titles) |
| Related competition | Kings of the Sevens |
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
editGala introduced a Sports Day in 1884. This contained rugby sevens, a kicking competition and athletics.[4]
Memorial Football trophy
editThe winner of the Gala Sevens receives the Border Memorial Football Trophy.[5]
Invited Sides
editVarious 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
editThe Sevens tournament is usually sponsored by Five Star Taxis of Galashiels.[6][7][8][9]
Past winners
edit- 2022 Gala
- 2021 Melrose
- 2020 no tournament - coronavirus pandemic
- 2019 Edinburgh Accies
- 2018 Jed-Forest
- 2017 Watsonians
- 2016 Watsonians
- 2015 Gala
- 2014 Melrose
- 2013 Gala
- 2012 Jed-Forest
- 2011 Melrose
- 2010 Melrose
- 2009 Selkirk
- 2008 Heriots
- 2007 Hawick
- 2006 Boroughmuir
- 2005 Watsonians
- 2004 Royal Scots
- 2003 Watsonians
- 2002 Royal Scots
- 2001 Kelso
- 2000 Melrose
- 1999 Melrose
- 1998 Glasgow Hawks
- 1997 Watsonians
- 1996 Watsonians
- 1995 Gala
- 1994 Gala
- 1993 Gala
- 1992 Hawick
- 1991
Fiji - 1990 Saltires
- 1989 Saltires
- 1988 Saltires
- 1987 Melrose
- 1986 Hawick
- 1985 Kelso
- 1984
Richmond - 1983 Kelso
- 1982 Gala
- 1981 Kelso
- 1980 Stewarts Melville
- 1979 Hawick
- 1978 Hawick
- 1977 Gala
- 1976 Stewarts Melville
- 1975 Orrell
- 1974 Kelso
- 1973 Heriots
- 1972 Gala
- 1971 Gala
- 1970 Gala
- 1969 Gala
- 1968 Hawick
- 1967 Hawick
- 1966 Hawick
- 1965 Loughborough Colleges
- 1964
Cardiff - 1963 Gala
- 1962 Melrose
- 1961 Hawick
- 1960 Hawick
- 1959 Hawick
- 1958 Hawick
- 1957 Blackheath
- 1956 Hawick
- 1955 Langholm
- 1954 Gala
- 1953 Melrose
- 1952 Stewart's College FP
- 1951 Langholm
- 1950 Glasgow HSFP
- 1949 Hawick
- 1948 Kelso
- 1947 Hawick
- 1946 Hawick
- 1942-1945 Second World War
- 1941 Kelso
- 1940 Hawick
- 1939 Glasgow Academicals
- 1938 Melrose
- 1937 Kelso
- 1936 Kelso
- 1935 Hawick
- 1934 Gala
- 1933 Hawick
- 1932 Hawick
- 1931 Hawick
- 1930 Gala
- 1929 Gala
- 1928 Hawick
- 1927 Hawick
- 1926 Hawick
- 1925 Kelso
- 1924 Hawick
- 1923 Hawick
- 1922 Gala
- 1921 Jed-Forest
- 1920 Gala
- 1919 Royal HSFP
- 1917-1918 First World War
- 1916 4th K.O.S.Borderers
- 1915 First World War
- 1914 Gala
- 1913 Gala
- 1912 Hawick
- 1911 Hawick
- 1910 Hawick
- 1909 Hawick
- 1908 Gala
- 1907 Gala
- 1906 Hawick
- 1905 Watsonians
- 1904 Hawick
- 1903 Hawick
- 1902 Hawick
- 1901 Hawick
- 1900 Hawick
- 1899 Jed-Forest
- 1898 Hawick
- 1897 Hawick
- 1896 Hawick
- 1895 Hawick
- 1894 Hawick
- 1893 Hawick
- 1892 Jed-Forest
- 1891 Gala
- 1890 Gala
- 1889 Melrose
- 1888 Gala
- 1887 Gala
- 1886 Melrose
- 1885 Tynedale
- 1884 Gala
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "BBC - A Sporting Nation - The first Melrose Sevens match 1883". bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Edinburgh Accies beat Watsonians in final to win Gala Sevens". 6 April 2019.
- ^ "Victory for Accies at Gala 7s". edinburghaccies.com.
- ^ "Gala Rugby - Club History". Gala Rugby. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
- ^ The Annual Sports (1930 programme), Gala Football Club
- ^ "Five Star Taxis Gala Sevens - News - Gala Rugby". pitchero.com.
- ^ "Jed-forest Rugby Club - Jed win Five Star Taxis Gala 7s". jedforestrfc.com.
- ^ Rugby, Gala (4 March 2016). "Five Star Taxis Gala Sevens 2016".
- ^ "Five Star Taxis - The Scottish Borders' largest Taxi firm". fivestartaxisgalashiels.com.
