Melrose Sevens: Plenty of emotion expected in the Borderers - full draw and schedule of play

World Sevens Series stars like Cecil Afrika, Collins Injera and Max McFarland are set to light up the Melrose Sevens today, but there will be one former winner of the event who will be on everyone’s minds at The Greenyards.

It is a few days now since the passing of Tom Smith, one of Scottish rugby’s greatest ever players, was announced aged 50, but many involved in the game in this country are still numbed by the news.

The loosehead prop, of course, made a name for himself in the XVs game, earning 61 caps for Scotland, playing in two World Cups and going on two British & Irish Lions tours when he played six consecutive Test matches in 1997 and 2001.

However, sevens – and in particular the famous Melrose event – played a big part in his journey to the big time.

It was while playing for Edinburgh-based club Watsonians at the Melrose Sevens in 1995 that coaching guru Jim Telfer first spotted Smith and thought he could go on to great things.

Twelve months later, Smith would win the same sevens tournament with Watsonians in a squad that included others who had, or went on to earn full Scotland XVs caps, in the shape of Scott Hastings, Cammy Mather, Duncan Hodge and Grant McKelvey.

He toured New Zealand with Scotland that summer and the rest, they say, is history.

Given his standing in the game in Scotland and further afield and the fact that he collected a winner’s medal in the Borders 26 years ago, Smith’s death will be marked before the final later on.

Melrose president Douglas Brown said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with Tom’s family at this incredibly sad time.

“He was a huge part of the rugby family and we will be paying tribute to this great man before the final at this year’s Melrose Sevens.”

On the pitch it promises