LATEST BORDERS RUGBY NEWS
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Nov 29th
Melrose came away from Glasgow with a draw against Glasgow Hawks. The match ended 15-15 with Melrose scoring two tries from James King and Ben Allen. Scott Wight kicked a conversion and a penalty. Ian Noble kicked five penalties for Hawks' points. The result takes Melrose over 50 points for the season. They are in third place behind Ayr - two points behind - but Ayr have a game in hand. Melrose remain undefeated in six games.

Nov 28th
While Scotland went down 9-6 at Murrayfield to Argentina in a game of no tries at Murrayfield, Jedforest were fighting for their Premier 2 survival at Riverside Park against bottom of the table Dunfermline who scored their only win of the season against them back in September. And while they won 26-14 they scored three tries for the seventh game this season; just one score away from a bonus point. This time the three on the score sheet were David Gobby, Paul Pringle and Darren Gillespie, with Ewan Scott kicking three penalties and a conversion. But coach Darren Cunningham was delighted with the win - their first since winning by a point at Kelso on September 27th. But with Haddington winning on Saturday against Aberdeen they're still five points adrift of them in 9th place.


Paul Pringle in action v Dunfermline as Ewan Scott looks on
Picture: Rob Gray, DigitalPic

In National League 1 Berwick and Langholm both lost on the road and that spells crisis for both clubs now. Berwick went down 16-3 at bottom club Annan with a Matthew McCreath penalty all they had to show for their trip, while Langholm lost heavily 34-7 to East Kilbride.

Better news in National Leagues 2 and 3. Hawick YM beat Highland 18-3 with three tries from Jamie Tinlin, Shaun Desport and Gregor Welsh - Welsh also added a penalty, while in the 3rd Division Hawick Linden picked up their first away win of the season at Ross High, winning 16-15 following the draw between the two teams earlier in the season. Graeme Anderson scored their only try with Barry Sutherland back playing again. He contributed a conversion, a penalty and a drop goal while Darrell Gray added another penalty.

In the Scottish Hydro Bowl Round 1, Duns won 18-8 at Dalkeith to progress to the next round, Earlston hammered Walkerburn 53-3 and Gala YM beat Inverleith 59-29 - amazingly the third time these clubs have met in the space of this month and YM will be delighted with two wins and a draw against the Edinburgh side.

Nov 27th
Borders teams posted three away wins in tonight's games, with Selkirk beating Boroughmuir 32-24 at Meggetland scoring a try bonus along the way thanks to efforts from Fraser Harkness, Darren Clapperton, Andrew Renwick and Rob Taylor. Mike Rutherford kicked two conversions and a penalty while Scott Hendrie scored a penalty and conversion for the Souters who are now in 8th position on 27 points, with 7th placed West of Scotland and Edinburgh Accies (6th) also on 27. Heriot's and Boroughmuir are now in the relegation zone above Stewart's Melville who look doomed already 12 points adrift at the foot of Premier 1. It was a fine performance by Selkirk, particularly as they were down to 13 men at one point in the game following Rob Taylor's red card for stamping and a yellow card at the same time.

In the two local derbies in Premier 2 Gala edged past Peebles to record their seventh win in a row. Two Graham Speirs penalties were enough to trump James Oakes' try and win the match 6-5. Gala are a clear third now while Hawick move to the top of the table above Stirling County thanks to their 20-14 win at Kelso. They scored two tries from Graham Hogg, on his return to Premier 2 rugby with Hawick and Colin Murray. David Lowrie kicked two penalties and both conversions. Nathan Trotter scored Kelso's only try with Kevin Utterson bagging three penalties. Stuart Lowrie was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in this game.


Teenager Darren Clapperton on the ball for Selkirk at Meggetland tonight
 Picture: Grant Kinghorn, Grant Kinghorn Pics


Dean McCracken bursts through a tackle at Poynder Park
Picture: Kenny Baillie, Hawick RFC

Nov 26th
Selkirk winger Lee Jones has been selected for Scotland Sevens squad who have just flown off to Dubai for the first two legs of the IRB World Sevens Series. Lee went out earlier this year to India with the squad for conditioning ahead of the World Cup next year but to be selected for the Dubai and South African legs is excellent news.


Lee Jones in action for Selkirk earlier this season
 Picture: Grant Kinghorn, Grant Kinghorn Pics

Nov 24th
Alan MacDonald will win his first cap for Scotland against Argentina on Saturday following an excellent display against Tonga for Scotland "A" last week at Netherdale. Graeme Morrison has been dropped in favour of Ben Cairns who had an awesome game for the A team, and Thom Evans will replace Simon Danielli on the left wing. Chris Cusiter is fit to captain the side while Rory Lawson is on the bench with Mike Blair not recovered from his ankle injury.


Ben Cairns called up to the full Scotland team after playing for Scotland A
 Picture: Rob Gray, DigitalPic

Meanwhile another two international games have been slotted into the Borders Rugby calendar. As well as the upcoming Scotland v France Club International game at Netherdale on February 5th, Scotland will also play France at U18 level at Philiphaugh on March 14th and then Wales at The Greenyards on March 21st.

Craig Chalmers has been announced as assistant coach for Scotland U20 and will work with Peter Wright and Eamon John. Craig said: "I am looking forward to working with an exciting set of young backs and for me this is another step up the coaching ladder, so it is an honour." Peebles' Bruce McNaughton has been named as CPD Coach for the U19 Scotland team with Graham Marshall Assistant Coach while Gala's Stevie Scott will hold a similar position in the U17 set-up.

Nov 21st
The rain wiped out a lot of rugby matches throughout Scotland but some of the games still went ahead including the Radio Borders Border League games between Selkirk and Hawick at Philiphaugh and Berwick v Haddington at Scremerston. Selkirk are the holders of the Border League trophy having won the last two seasons but if they're going to make the final this time they'll have to rely on Hawick losing at least one of their other matches because it was Hawick who triumphed in the mud to secure a 15-6 result. Ross Gibson scored a vital try for the Greens and they were awarded a penalty try too. Ali Wear kicked a penalty and a conversion, while David Cassidy landed two penalties for Selkirk.


Andrew Renwick on the charge in the mud against Hawick at Philiphaugh
Picture: Kenny Baillie, Hawick RFC

In the other Pool Berwick nearly did enough to beat Haddington at scremerston, but their 7-0 lead was eroded away by their opponents two divisions above them and they went down 7-12. Gareth Hill went over for a try with Matt McCreath converting.

In the Preliminary Round of the Scottish Cup Kelso achieved a very good 23-0 home win over Biggar at Poynder Park, scoring three tries through Gary Pontin, Ian Moody and a penalty try, while Kevin Utterson kicked two penalties and a conversion.

In East League 1 Earlston beat Hawick Harlequins to win the derby 8-6 while Duns lost 16-0 at home to North Berwick.

Nov 20th
Nearly 4000 people turned up at Netherdale tonight to watch Scotland A beat Tonga 38-7 in what was a splendid occasion for the Borders - the first representative game in the area for eight years. You can watch highlights of the game, see exclusive pictures and hear full audio commentary at our special page dedicated to the game here.

Nov 18th
Well we couldn't resist showing you the new Edinburgh strip which they will wear exclusively in the Edinburgh v Glasgow matches in December and January. Nick De Luca needed sunglasses while Phil Godman protects himself from the glare! Can't wait to see Glasgow's!

Nov 17th
Plenty of players with Borders connections will be running out for Scotland A against the full Tonga team at Netherdale on Friday evening. The starting 15 includes former Hawick players Nikki Walker and John Houston in the backline with Geoff Cross, Kelly Brown and Scott McLeod in the pack. On the bench there's another three Border favourites in the shape of former Jedforest scrum half Greig Laidlaw, ex Melrose winger Mark Robertson and Roddy Grant, who used to play for Gala. In an interesting positional switch Hugo Southwell will start at fly half - Jim Thompson being preferred at full back - while Rory Lawson, nephew of the great Bill McLaren, captains the side from scrum half. The match of course is free to watch and doors open at 6pm for a 7.30pm kick off. We'll be bringing you TV highlights of the match on Borders Rugby Television from Saturday morning in association with our media partners Radio Borders. Meanwhile it's been announced that the Club International between Scotland and France on February 5th will also be played at Netherdale.


 John Houston, Scotland A centre, speaks to Borders Rugby TV, here