Gutted: members of the Galashiels Academy rugby squad, only weeks away from representing Scotland. Picture: PETER KEMP

YOUNG rugby players whose comprehensive school raised #18,000 for them to represent Scotland in a world championship tournament have been told at the last minute that the event is off.

In a sport traditionally dominated by fee-paying schools, the team from Galashiels Academy have bucked the trend and taken the Scottish School champions title five times.

Last November, the school received a letter from Masters International, a sports management company, inviting them to represent Scotland in the first-ever World Schools Rugby Championship in Zimbabwe this summer.

The Berkshire-based firm said if the boys and the school raised #20,000, their flights to Africa, plus accommodation and most other costs, would be paid for.

But ten weeks away from the trip, and after raising #18,000, the school has received a fax from Masters International saying the championship was off ''for reasons beyond our control''.

It is believed that teams from premier fee-paying rugby schools all over the world will still be going to Harare and covering their own costs at an alternative festival.

Mr Brian Keenan, Galashiels rector, said last night: ''This isn't the sort of school where parents can solve the problem by writing a big cheque.

''There is no way we can raise an extra #20,000-plus in ten weeks, and unless someone comes to the rescue the whole thing is off. The boys would have represented Scotland with honour and they are devastated.''

Mr Malcolm Changleng, the team coach, said: ''In all my years teaching, telling these boys that the tour was off was the worst thing I have had to do.

''Boys of l8 don't cry easily but there were tears.''

Masters International is owned by Mr John Bredenkamp, a 57-year-old millionaire and former Zimbabwe rugby captain.

Mr Bredenkamp sold a tobacco wholesaling company for #100m before branching out into sports management .

In l996 he made a bid to take over Nottingham Forest. Stars on his books have included golfer Ernie Els and Nick Price, England rugby star Mike Catt, and cricketers Brian Lara and Shane Warne.

In l994 the Channel 4 programme Dispatches examined allegations that he was involved in a #120m shipment of Italian anti- personnel mines to Iraq.

Mr Bredenkamp denied the allegations.

Speaking from his Berkshire headquarters last night, Mr Bredenkamp said: ''We hit problems with sponsors who kept telling us that budgets were tight. But I have just returned from Zimbabwe and I am working to see if the championship can be resurrected.

''I am already personally #250,000 down the tube on this and will make a decision by next Thursday on whether I am prepared to put my hand even deeper into my own pocket. Air travel alone for all the boys taking part will cost #350,000.''

Mr Brian Keenan said: ''We feel that we have been led up the garden path because they have been reassuring us for months that everything was on course.

''If something was going wrong with the sponsorship, which seems to be the case, we should have had warning long before this. Just to be told out of the blue by fax, with only ten weeks to go, is appalling.''

Galashiels captain and Scotland schoolboy cap John Berthinussen added: ''We are all gutted. We have worked so hard to raise a lot of money and it would have been a wonderful experience to play against top quality opposition from all over the world.

''We are hoping something can be rescued, but it's looking pretty remote.''