THE HOME OF SEVENS
Melrose Sevens is the birthplace of rugby sevens and the world’s oldest Sevens tournament. Since 1883, the Greenyards has been home to a sporting tradition that has grown far beyond the Scottish Borders, inspiring tournaments, players and supporters across the globe. Yet the original tournament remains rooted in the town and community where it all began.
In 1883, Melrose Rugby Club was looking for a way to raise much-needed funds. Local rugby player and apprentice butcher Ned Haig, together with his employer David Sanderson, helped develop a simple but revolutionary idea: reduce the traditional fifteen-a-side game to seven players and shorten the matches so that several teams could compete in a single afternoon.
The first Melrose Sevens tournament was held at the Greenyards on 28 April 1883. Eight teams took part, with Melrose defeating local rivals Gala in the final to become the first champions. What began as a practical fundraising idea had created an entirely new form of rugby.
THE LADIES CUP - A TROPHY WITH A STORY OF IT'S OWN
The first tournament was supported by the ladies of Melrose, who raised funds for a silver trophy to be presented to the winning team. Known as the Ladies Cup, it became the original prize of the Melrose Sevens and remains one of the most important objects in the history of the game.
The trophy is now displayed at Melrose Rugby, a tangible connection between the very first tournament and the generations of players who have followed. Its significance extends far beyond the Greenyards: the Melrose Cup, awarded at Rugby World Cup Sevens, was modelled on the original Ladies Cup.
MOMENTS THAT CHANGED THE GAME
1883
The first rugby sevens tournament is played at the Greenyards.
1973
Scotland hosts the first international Sevens tournament as part of the Scottish Rugby Union’s centenary celebrations.
1976
The inaugural Hong Kong Sevens helps take the game to a new international audience.
1993
The first Rugby World Cup Sevens is held at Murrayfield, with the winning trophy, The Melrose Cup, named in honour of the sport’s birthplace.
1999
The IRB Sevens World Series launches, creating a regular international circuit for the game.
2008
Melrose Rugby Club and Ned Haig are inducted into the International Rugby Board Hall of Fame.
2016
Olympic Sevens. Rugby sevens makes its Olympic debut at Rio de Janeiro, more than 130 years after its creation in Melrose.
THE GREENYARDS. THE HOME OF SEVENS.
There are now Sevens tournaments across the world, but there is only one place where the game began. The Greenyards remains the home of the original tournament, where historic surroundings, passionate supporters and generations of rugby tradition create an atmosphere unlike anywhere else.
Today, Melrose Sevens continues to celebrate both its heritage and its future. The tournament brings together leading rugby teams, women’s competition and the next generation of players, while welcoming families, friends and visitors to experience the sport in the place where it was created.