More silverware for the Netherdale trophy cabinet as they topple all at the Greenyards

IT was the finest Melrose tournament for many a year, as open as anyone could remember, yet in the end it was won neither by a glamorous visiting side, nor a team bolstered by full-time professionals, but, as we have have become reacquainted with saying this season, by Gala.

This was a great victory, done the hardest of ways. In Edinburgh on Friday night to receive one of the many team of the year awards coming their way, they had not returned to the Borders until well into the wee sma' 'oors.

On arrival at The Greenyards several of them, despite a self-imposed drinking ban, were distinctly queasy, putting it down to the richness of the cheese, or something of the sort. At least one would lose that previous night's dinner before the afternoon was out.

They were, too, in action from the very start, having to negotiate the preliminary stage. While that has frequently proven an advantage entering the second round, those extra 15 minutes of play have taken their toll at the end of Melrose tournaments before.

Yet they were impressive throughout, opening up by taking the opportunity of facing an Edinburgh club to address claims, emanating from the capital, that their cup final had been a second-rate affair and no match for Heriot's FP's national championship success. In truth neither achievement should be demeaned - they were merely achieved differently.

That gentle stroll against Stewart's Melville did seem to have helped when, in their last meeting with Scottish opposition, they came from behind, their trademark on the day, to overcome a West of Scotland side led by Gordon Bulloch, one of two of this season's Five Nations regulars in action.

In the bottom half of the draw, meanwhile, the other, Cammy Murray, would also exit at the second round stage, an extra match insufficient to prepare Hawick for the vibrancy of the youthful, free-flowing Heriot's seven.

That half of the draw went very much as expected, however. The Irish Wolfhounds may have gone out in their first match, but they were up against a Watsonians line-up which included Scotland sevens squad members Cammy Mather, Marcus Di Rollo, and Graeme Burns, as well as Scott Hastings and Jamie Mayer.

Watsonians were also too powerful for Heriot's, while South Africans Villager made steady progress towards the semi-final.

Villager had not looked as impressive as their countrymen from Stellenbosch University, a team of elegant athletes who cruised past their hosts, Melrose - having begun the day looking for a hat trick of consecutive wins - with the biggest win of the day.

However, in their six-try drubbing of Watsonians in the semi-final they provided Scotland's sevens management with food for thought and looked like they might have timed their run the better.

All the more so after those weary boys from Gala dug to remarkable depths in overturning what had become a customary 14-0 deficit against Stellenbosch to shock a second set of students, a big effort having been required to subdue a dangerous looking Cambridge side.

Though he was to score a wonderful try from under his own posts in the final to turn that game Gala's way, it was Chris Paterson's brilliant break to steal the semi-final win with the last touch of the ball, which did most to earn the player of the tournament trophy to set alongside the man of the match award won at Murrayfield, seven days earlier.

Though Villager took the early lead in the final there was only one team in it after Tom Weir's brilliant tap tackle prevented Howard Johnson from claiming their second try.

That in itself was apt since Johnson, brother of Springbok Gavin, had ensured Gala the support of the Border crowd with a wild swipe which laid out Kelso's Stevie Ross during their quarter-final win.

Mike Dods' break, supported by the workhorse Nathan Hines, provided Weir with the chance to level the scores, Gary Parker, inevitably, putting them into a lead they were only to extend thereafter.

Paterson, Kevin Amos, and Davie Gray were the other try scorers in another wonderful team effort summed up by captain of the day, Dods.

''I think we wanted it a bit more than they did,'' he said of the way they had reached into their reserves in the final, noting that, in spite of local rivalries, Gala had been superbly supported.

''I said last week it couldn't get any better, but this was brilliant.''

Though their last Melrose win was only five years ago, Dods, who captained them that day as well, was one of the few survivors of that victory.

''I feel very privileged and very humble to have been in a winning side here twice,'' he said. ''The guys have worked hard for this. There's real steel in this team and the family atmosphere in the club is terrific, but we have to build on that.'' Results:

First round - Gala 43, Stewart's Melville FP 14; Boroughmuir 29, Langholm 12; Hawick 33, Currie; 12; Glasgow Hawks 24, Jed-Forest 22.

Second round - West of Scotland 14, Gala 24; Stirling County 19, Cambridge University 21; Melrose 35, Boroughmuir 21; Peebles 0, Stellenbosch 39; Heriot's FP, 19 Hawick 14; Watsonians 24, Irish Wolfhounds 19; Kelso 26, Glasgow Hawks 24; Selkirk 0, Villager 31.

Quarter-finals - Gala 33 Cambridge University 17; Melrose 7 Stellenbosch 49; Heriot's 17 Watsonians 26; Kelso 7 Villager 28.

Semi-finals - Gala 31, Stellenbosch 26; Watsonians 5, Villager 40.

Final - Gala 28, Villager 5.