Aberdeen Grammar tumbled out of the Melrose Sevens in the first round to a workmanlike Selkirk side which did not need to be at its best to beat a poor Aberdeen side which was under pressure from the kick-off.
Grammar’s inability to retain the ball played right into the hands of the Border side who eased through 20-12, leaving the Rubislaw outfit to reflect on a miserable season which culminated in relegation from the Premiership.
Captain for the day Morgan Ward admitted it has been a disappointing end to a dismal season.
He said: “We never got into our stride. I was really disappointed, especially as we have been in the semi-finals in the last two tournaments here at the Greenyards.”
The winners of the Ladies Cup were pro side Glasgow Warriors who were in a different class to the 23 other sides in the competition.
However, Edinburgh Accies gave the Glasgow side a run for their money in the final, but by the end of the tie were no match for the pace and strength of the professionals.
French side Clermont Auvergne, who were seeded to reach the final, proved to be a huge flop, crashing out in a last eight loss to Edinburgh Accies.
The winners apart, and to a lesser extent Accies, it was a poor tournament, although Heriot’s made a brave bid to reach the final, only to fall to the Warriors in an all action semi-final. Former Grammar captain Murray Douglas was in great form for the Edinburgh side, capping a fine day with two tries against the Glasgow pros, but it was not enough to take his team into the final.
In the first of the Caledonia Division 1 relegation play-off games Garioch had no answer to Ellon, losing 39-0 at the Meadows to the disappointment of Inverurie club’s coach Joe Longthorpe. “We had a shocker, and will have to pull out all the stops in our two remaining games against St Andrews University and Glenrothes if we are to have any chance of going up,” he said.
Orkney ended up in third place after beating second-placed Dunfermline 31-0 at Kirkwall. The teams finished tied on 66 points apiece, but the Fifers were promoted with a superior points difference.