The world-famous Melrose Rugby Sevens tournament is gearing up to celebrate its 125th Anniversary year in style with arrangements well underway to host a spectacular four days of Rugby Sevens action from 10 to 13 April 2008.

Making a first-time appearance for the weekend is the 'Greenyards Village', open from 11th to 13th April.  The new tented village area will provide a host of local retail opportunities and offer visitors the chance to explore the best of Borders food and drink.

Sevens competitions will be played throughout 10th to 13th April including the Veterans', Ladies' and Youth Tournaments and of course Sunday's main action. 

Tickets for this special anniversary occasion have been selling in their thousands and organisers expect a capacity crowd and more as Melrose swings into full carnival mode for the Sevens weekend. 

As of writing, the grandstand and enclosure tickets have sold out, with ground tickets moving fast.  To secure your place at this true Borders special event visit Melrose Sevens official site . 

Rugby Union fans are right at home in the Scottish Borders where the game has been revered for generations, with locals often likening it to "a religion", and the Sevens format of the game was invented in Melrose in 1883. 

No records exist to clarify how or why this new, short game was devised but local verbal tradition states that Ned Haig, a local butcher, Melrose Rugby Football Club committee member and former player, suggested a tournament as a means of raising club funds. 

The cut-down version of Rugby, played with seven men per team as opposed to 15 in the long game, was invented to meet the tournament format.  The inaugural invent was extremely popular, attracting huge crowds, and ensuring that other local clubs soon introduced their own Sevens tournaments.

Within 10 years of its creation, Rugby Sevens had spread into Northern England but it was not until the 1920s, when Sevens was played at Twickenham for the first time, that the wider Rugby Union playing world became hooked on the Sevens format.

For more information about Melrose Rugby Sevens, online ticket shop and more please visit the official Melrose Sevens site.