The launch marked the tenth year that Brewin Dolphin, one of the largest independent private client investment managers in the UK, has sponsored the tournament which has grown to offer a platform for young players to progress to the professional ranks and senior club rugby.

John Barclay lifted the under-18 Schools' Cup at Murrayfield on two consecutive occasions, captaining his school, Dollar Academy, the second time round in 2004 - just three years before winning the first of his 21 caps earned so far.

Barclay said: "The Schools Cup brought meaning to school rugby and gave all the pupils something to aspire to. Everyone saw it as the main focus of the season.

"As the tournament went on I remember it generating more interest in the media and crowds grew and grew leading into the final where there were 5000 people at Murrayfield. I couldn't believe how loud it was and remember thinking how I could never imagine what it must be like to play in when it's full.

"The hype, the crowds and the competitiveness of the games all played a massive part in my development. It provided a pathway for me to being signed straight from school and a platform to be exposed to representative selectors."

Despite the success of the competition in serving some of rugby's top young players, the Cup represents a small portion of those who participate, with over 160 Schools battling it out in three tiers of competition - the Cup, Plate and Bowl, at under-16 and 18.

Previously, a series of open-entry preliminary rounds determined which tier a school would be placed however, this season, schools are invited to enter a distinct Cup or Bowl competition based on their own assessment of their side's ability.

Scottish Rugby's head of community rugby, Colin Thomson, said: "Working with schools and coaches we have developed a competition structure that enables everyone to benefit from the appropriate level of competition at every age group.

"It allows developing rugby schools to avoid mis-matches against the more seasoned schools and the higher ranked schools to secure more competitive matches throughout the season.

The 16 schools that progress from the Cup's two qualification rounds will be drawn in four pools of four (to increase the number of games against similar opposition) with the winners of each pool progressing into the knock-out stage.

The losers from the qualification rounds will make up a Plate competition while the emerging schools' Bowl competition will progress through four regional rounds before turning national for the quarter-final onwards.

Nick Burge, PE teacher at Glenwood High School, is excited about the restructured competition and is looking forward to entering his school for the second time.

In just a single academic year, Burge, has successfully re-introduced rugby to all boys' and girls' curriculum at S1 to S4 and fields teams at U14, U15, U16 and U17 (boys).

This season, to develop the school's young talent, the school have kick-started their "EXCEL" programme to offer an intense outlet to their most exceptional players as they look to make their mark on Scotland's flagship schools' competition.

Burge said: "The layout suits us because we'll play more games. We've played a lot of the emerging schools in Fife and are looking forward to taking some of our successes in those games into this season's competition. The reduced transport costs of playing locally make the competition a lot more accessible too.

"By having a distinct Bowl competition, we enter a level playing field which allows us to stabilise and increase our playing numbers as each game is a realistic play-to-win.

"Our players are very excited about the competition because it gives them more games, while starting the Bowl a bit later means we can have a mini pre-season to get our skills and basic fitness to hit the tournament running."

Marc Wilkinson, Head of Brewin Dolphin in Edinburgh, said: "As the tenth anniversary, this is a landmark year for Brewin Dolphin and its sponsorship of the Schools Cup. Over this period, the competition has continued to thrive with more and more schools from across Scotland signing up each year.

"We have also seen raw rugby talent come through the competition over the past decade, and it is great that Brewin Dolphin has been able to support these players in some way through their development.

"This year in particular is an exciting year for schools and players taking part. A number of structural changes have been introduced which is hoped will encourage increased competitiveness amongst schools and allow the boys more games throughout the season.

"We wish all of the teams, old and new, taking part this year the best of luck."

2010/11 BREWIN DOLPHIN UNDER-18 SCOTTISH SCHOOL CUP - PRELIMINARY ROUND DRAW
All ties to be played on or before Saturday 4 September 2010

Borders & Edinburgh city & Lothians, Tayside & Fife
Galashiels Academy v Hawick High School
North Berwick High School v Preston Lodge High School
Royal High School v Earlston High School
Selkirk High School v Kelso High School
Peebles High School v Knox Academy
Fettes College v Dunbar Grammar School
Buckhaven High School v Boroughmuir High School
Currie/Balerno High Schools v Linlithgow Academy composite

North, Highlands & Islands, Tayside & Fife
Perth Academy v Madras College
Culloden Academy v Strathallan School
Glenalmond College v Aboyne Academy
Aberdeen South (Portlethen/Mackie/Mearns) v High School of Dundee
Bell Baxter High School v Kinross High School
Fortrose Academy v Gordonstoun School
Gordon Schools v Nairn Academy
Aberdeen Grammar School v Banchory Academy

Glasgow North & South
Glasgow Academy v St Andrews RC Secondary
St Aloysius College v Cathkin High School
Jordanhill School v Lenzie Academy
Hamilton College v St Columba's School (Kilmacolm)
High School of Glasgow v Lomond School composite
Kelvinside Academy v Carrick Academy
Wellington School v Hutchesons' Grammar School

Byes:
Dollar Academy, George Heriot's School, George Watson's College, Loretto School, Merchiston Castle School, Robert Gordon's College, Stewart's Melville College, Edinburgh Academy, Marr College.

2010/11 BREWIN DOLPHIN UNDER-18 SCOTTISH SCHOOL CUP - ROUND 1 DRAW
All ties to be played on or before Saturday 25 September 2010

Edinburgh Academy v (Selkirk High School or Kelso High School)
Stewart's Melville College v (Royal High School or Earlston High School)
(Peebles High School or Knox Academy) v George Watson's College
(Buckhaven High School or Boroughmuir High School) v Merchiston Castle School
(Glenalmond College or Aboyne Academy) v George Heriot's School
(Aberdeen Grammar School or Banchory Academy) v Robert Gordon's College
Loretto School v (High School of Glasgow or Lomond School composite)
(St Aloysius College or Cathkin High School) v Dollar Academy
(Hamilton College or St Columba's School, Kilmacolm) v Marr College
(Fortrose Academy or Gordonstoun School) v (Gordon Schools or Nairn Academy)
(Culloden Academy or Strathallan School) v (Aberdeen South or High School of Dundee)
(Currie/Balerno High School or Linlithgow Academy composite) V (Bell Baxter High School or Kinross High School)
(Galashiels Academy or Hawick High School) v (Perth Academy or Madras College)
(Glasgow Academy or St Andrews RC Secondary) v (Wellington School or Hutchesons' Grammar School)
(Fettes College or Dunbar Grammar School) v (Kelvinside Academy or Carrick Academy)
(North Berwick High School or Preston Lodge High School) v (Jordanhill School or Lenzie Academy)

2010/11 BREWIN DOLPHIN UNDER-16 SCOTTISH SCHOOL CUP - PRELIMINARY ROUND DRAW
All ties to be played on or before Saturday 4 September 2010

Borders & Edinburgh city & Lothians
Peebles High School v Hawick High School
Kelso High School v Earlston High School
Preston Lodge High School v Boroughmuir/ J Gilliespie High School
Linlithgow Academy composite v Dunbar Grammar School
Selkirk High School v Currie High School
Loretto School v Galashiels Academy
The Royal High School v Knox Academy

Glasgow North & South
High School of Glasgow v Lenzie Academy
Cathkin High School v Hamilton College
Lomond School composite v St Andrews RC Secondary
Douglas Ewart High School v Glasgow Academy

Central, Tayside & Fife
Buckhaven High School v Bell Baxter High School
High School of Dundee v Mackie Academy
Kinross High School v Dollar Academy
TCS Auchterarder v Perth Academy

North
Banchory Academy v Aboyne Academy
Gordon Schools v Gordonstoun School
Mearns Academy v Aberdeen Grammar School

Highlands & Islands
Nicolson Institute v Plockton High School
Millburn Academy v Fortrose Academy
Culloden Academy v Nairn Academy

Byes:
George Heriot's School, George Watson's College, Hutchesons' Grammar School, Kirkwall Grammar School, Madras College, Marr College, North Berwick High School, Robert Gordon's College, St Aloysius College, Stewart's Melville College, Edinburgh Academy.

2010/11 BREWIN DOLPHIN UNDER-16 SCOTTISH SCHOOL CUP - CUP ROUND 1 DRAW
All ties to be played on or before 25 September 2010

(Linlithgow Academy composite or Dunbar Grammar School) v George Heriot's School
(Buckhaven High School or Bell Baxter High School) v Edinburgh Academy
(Preston Lodge High School or Boroughmuir/J Gillespie High School) v Marr College
(Peebles High School or Hawick High School) v George Watson's College
(Mearns Academy or Aberdeen Grammar School) v (Banchory Academy or Aboyne Academy)
(Loretto School or Galashiels Academy) v (High School of Dundee or Mackie Academy)
(Kelso High School or Earlston High School) v (High School of Glasgow or Lenzie Academy)
(Selkirk High School or Currie High School) v Stewart's Melville College
(Lomond School composite or St Andrews RC Secondary) v Madras College
(Millburn Academy or Fortrose Academy) v Kirkwall Grammar School
(Culloden Academy or Nairn Academy) v (Nicholson Institute or Plockton High School)
(TCS Auchterarder or Perth Academy) v North Berwick High School
(Gordon Schools or Gordonstoun School) v Robert Gordon's College
(Douglas Ewart High School or Glasgow Academy) v (The Royal High School or Knox Academy)
(Kinross High School or Dollar Academy) v St Aloysius College
(Cathkin High School or Hamilton College) v Hutchesons' Grammar School

Current Schools champions
Brewin Dolphin under-18 Cup - Edinburgh Academy
Brewin Dolphin under-15 Cup - Hutcheson's Grammar School
Brewin Dolphin under-18 Plate - Wellington School
Brewin Dolphin under-16 Plate - High School of Dundee
Brewin Dolphin under-18 Bowl - Aberdeen Grammar School
Brewin Dolphin under-15 Bowl - Earlston High School
* This season the under-15 competition became under-16 in line with the Scottish Rugby safety principles of "Are you ready to play rugby?"

Brewin Dolphin
The Brewin Dolphin Group manages £23 billion of funds for over 130,000 private clients and of this over £13 billion is on a discretionary basis. BD has 41 offices throughout the UK and Channel Islands and Brewin Dolphin Corporate Advisory and Broking is adviser to 90 small and medium size quoted companies and institutions.

The Brewin Dolphin Research department won the Investment Week 2010 Award for best discretionary research. The Brewin Dolphin Group was named Best Discretionary Broker in the Shares Awards 2009 and also received the top awards for its Market Newsletter and Exceptional Performance in Business Support at The Daily Telegraph wealth management awards in 2009.