Girls anticipate playing at Daily Record Festival of Rugby

Two of the teams participating in the Daily Record Festival of Rugby, part of the Emirates Airline Glasgow 7s, had experience of the Scotstoun turf when they played in an exhibition game at half time during Glasgow Warriors’ win over Ulster last Friday.Girls’ sevens team from Ayr and Hillhead-Jordanhill took on opponents from Biggar and Dumfries in a display of sevens at under-18 and under-15 levels – catch a taste of the action and player interviews in the video.Ashley Murdoch and Anne Young (Hillhead-Jordanhill under-15s) are looking forward to playing at the event for a second successive year. Ashley said:It’s good fun, a good atmosphere and lets us play against teams we haven’t played against before.Meanwhile Ayr under-18s Emily Irving – who also won her first Scotland Women cap this season – and Niamh Durnan are equally enthusiastic about playing sevens at Scotstoun again.Emily said: The build-up to such a big festival is huge. To be a part of it and see all the adverts for it and know that we’re going to be playing on that day is a really big thing.Girls’ rugby co-ordinator for the west of Scotland, coach of the Hillhead-Jordanhill girls and Scotland Women cap Lindsey Smith said: I’ve been coaching the Hillhead girls for about two years now. The girls generally play 12 or 13-aside but also play 7-a-side depending on opposition numbers.The girls are really looking forward to playing at the festival of rugby at the Emirates Airline Glasgow 7s.The shorter version of the game is a great way for girls to pick up rugby and try a new sport within a social environment. It’s also a great way to showcase girls rugby and be included in a major event.National newspaper, the Daily Record will sponsor this year’s Festival of Rugby at the third Emirates Airline Glasgow 7s. The two-day event on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 May, which will take place on the Scotstoun Stadium 3G pitch, will see youngsters from 37 clubs from across Scottish Rugby’s eight rugby regions competing in a series of different competitions, showcasing the grassroots game in Scotland.   The festival is also an integral part of the Scottish Government’s legacy initiative ahead of this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. On Saturday 3 May, an under-18 16-team knockout competition will be played with a Cup and Plate trophy up for grabs.  The Cup final will be played on the main pitch. Then on Sunday (4 May) there will be tournaments for S1 and S2 boys and under-15 and under-18 girls. The format for the girls’ event is still to be confirmed, while the S1 and S2 boys’ competitions will be scored using the Positive Coaching Scotland criteria that seeks to reward tries, individual skills, team ethics, respect towards the referee and sportsmanship.As well as the youth tournaments, Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities will go head-to-head in a one-off sevens game at 1.26pm on the Sunday on the main pitch.The teams competing in the various events are as follows: Under-18 boys: Ellon, Mackie (both Grampian), Dunfermline, Dundee High School, Madras (all Tayside & Fife), Stirling County, Dollar Academy, Dalziel (all Central), George Watson’s College, Royal High School (both Edinburgh & Midlothian), GHA, Biggar, West of Scotland (all Glasgow North), Ayr, Marr College and Dumfries (all Glasgow South). S1 boys: Ross Sutherland (Highlands & Islands), Aberdeen Grammar (Grampian), Montrose (Tayside & Fife), Falkirk (Central), Edinburgh BATS (Edinburgh & Midlothian), Gala (Borders & East Lothian), West of Scotland (Glasgow North) and Birkmyre (Glasgow South). S2 boys: Ross Sutherland, Huntly (Grampian), Perthshire (Tayside & Fife), Grangemouth (Central), Livingston (Edinburgh & Midlothian), Preston Lodge (Borders & East Lothian), GHA and Ayr. Under-15 girls: Caithness, Oban (both Highlands & Islands), Ellon Academy (Grampian), Angus (Tayside & Fife), Balfron High School (Central), RHC Cougars (Edinburgh & Midlothian), Langholm (Border & East Lothian), Biggar, Hillhead-Jordanhill (both Glasgow South). Under-18 girls: Caithness (Grampian), Auchterarder, Bell Baxter HS (Tayside & Fife), Murrayfield Wanderers (Edinburgh & Midlothian),  Ayr, Hillhead-Jordanhill and Cumnock (Glasgow South) Come and support your team at the Daily Record Festival of Rugby!Tickets for the 2014 Emirates Airline Glasgow 7s tournament, the eighth leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series, are available now on general sale, starting from only£20 per person and£10 for under-18s, students and senior citizens.?Tickets are on sale for designated stands and for designated days, with weekend passes also available from£35.  Family tickets (two adults and two under-18s) can be bought for£45.  Buy tickets now at www.glasgow7s.com.  Groups of ten or more can also benefit from discounted rates and travel support, of up to£200, for clubs and schools is available for application (http://www.scottishrugby.org/tournaments-events/emirates-airline-glasgow-7s/group-offer).The 2014 event is circus-themed, with all supporters encouraged to come in fancy dress and join in the party spirit! 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