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Rugby team celebrates win over Springboks
Taking part in the fourth Casablanca International University Rugby Sevens Tournament, Edinburgh edged a close final against the South Africans, running out 21-19 winners.
As well as offering players the chance to take on opponents from other countries, the event also helps foster links between participants who this year included teams from France, Ghana and Tunisia.
Having beaten the host university in the group stages, Edinburgh saw off the challenge of Ile de France University in the semi-final, before taking on the South Africans.
The team did extremely well to reach the final and in beating the Springboks, they managed to overcome some of the best young players in South Africa.
David Adamson
Men's Rugby Head Coach, University of Edinburgh
In addition to recording some impressive wins, the students were able to meet and interact with young people from other nations and formed a particularly close friendship with a team from Ghana.
Having shared a bus trip to the final with the Ghanaian lads, we all joined in with their songs and dances, helping settle our pre-match nerves and giving us the perfect fillip ahead of the final.
David Adamson
Men's Rugby Head Coach, University of Edinburgh
Such was the strength of bond formed between Edinburgh and the Ghanaians, that the African team gratefully accepted a donation of all of the Edinburgh team’s training kit. Plans are already afoot for an Edinburgh team to tour Ghana in the coming years.
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The trip to Morocco follows on from the successful tour of Brazil by Edinburgh’s 15 a side team in 2011, during which they played the Brazilian national side.
Edinburgh's rugby tradition
The University has an impressive record in producing strong rugby teams, as well as players who represent their national sides.
Famous University rugby players from history include former British Lions David Bedell-Sivright, Angus Black, Dan Drysdale and C.G. Timms.
Eric Liddell, who featured in the film Chariots of Fire, also captained the University rugby side prior to winning 400 metres gold at the 1924 Paris Olympics.
This article was published on Apr 11, 2012