​Howe of Fife beaten 22-21 in final by Stirling County at their own sevens tournament

​The hosts made it to 2025’s final at their Duffus Park home ground in Cupar but were unable to claim their fifth sevens victory on home turf this century, instead ending up losing out to Stirling by a whisker, going down 22-21.

That was Stirling’s first Howe of Fife Sevens victory since 2019.

Their JR Gray Trophy-winning squad was made up of Archie Rankin, Olly and Ben Yarrow, Logan Gray, Sam Wardlaw, Tomas Burns, Harvey Cameron-Barr, Ramsay Scott, Marcus Sinclair and Bobby Shearer.

That was one of three squads contesting sevens tournaments for the Arnold Clark National League Division 1 outfit at the weekend, with the other two making it to finals at Earlston and Crieff but losing out.

Representing Howe’s firsts – one of four squads fielded by the hosts, along with a Crusaders team, a president’s VII and Seabass Select – were Fraser Allan, Kieran Todd, Tom Logan, Eden Cruickshank, Adam Williamson, Luke Connah, Ruari Barr, Cammy Walker, Stuart Dawson and Gregor Smith.

The first final of the day saw Dundee Valkyries lift the ladies’ Erin Quinn Memorial Bowl after beating Grangemouth 40-0, and the main women’s competition, for the Cordelia Manson Cup, was won by a St Andrews University team with a 19-7 defeat of Howe Harlequins in that final.

Another St Andrews Uni side took home the Ferrier Quaich, seeing off Seabass Select by 24-12.

Saturday’s main event followed two wins for Howe youth teams the day before, with their under-18s retaining the Drummond Cup after getting the better of Glenalmond in their final and their under-17s also victorious, versus Dundee for the Allan Booth Memorial Plate.