President’s Welcome
It’s here at last! The premiership play-off semi-final against our Border rivals Kelso. It’s great to be back at Mansfield on a Saturday afternoon – the first time since we played Jedforest on 9th December, almost three months ago. What a sad indictment of the Premiership fixture schedule. The need for play-offs is a controversial topic. If our opponents beat us today – and good luck to them if they do – and go on to win the Premiership trophy they will do so despite having finished the regular League fixtures 25 points behind the leaders. Many believe the trophy should be presented to the team which finishes top of the pile after 18 fixtures. I shared that view until we experienced last season’s wonderful semi-final and final when crowds flocked to Mansfield in numbers not seen for many a year to witness two intense matches which will be remembered for a long, long time.
Congratulations to our players, coaches, Director of Rugby and medical team on finishing top of the League as they did in 2022-2023. To complete the regular season with only one defeat has been a tremendous achievement You have done the Club and the town proud whatever happens today and the rest of the season.
A warm welcome to Kelso President Neil Hastie, Vice President Eric Paxton, the coaches, players and the many Poynder Park supporters who have given the A 698 its busiest day for years to get to today’s game. Promoted to the Premiership this season when you left Mansfield Park on the afternoon of 16th September having lost 61-7 I am sure making the play-offs must have seemed an impossible dream. However, you have turned your season around magnificently and you gave us one of our closest games in a bruising encounter in the return fixture on 18th November.
A lot has happened since my last President’s programme welcome. My wife Margaret and I and Club Captain Shawn Muir and his partner Leah, were hugely honoured to be invited down to London by John Lamont MP, in recognition of the Club’s 150th anniversary, its winning of the double and its contribution to bringing the Hawick community together through sport. A tour of the Houses of Parliament was followed by a ‘Community Sport Champions’ reception at 10 Downing Street hosted by the Rt Hon Lucy Frazer KC MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Certainly, a never to be forgotten day for the four of us.
The Club’s 150th anniversary commemorative events have continued. On Tuesday 6th February Ron Smith and Allan McCredie gave an excellent presentation to Hawick Archaeological Society on “150 Years of Rugby in Hawick” and the following afternoon at Wilton Cemetery in a quiet ceremony our Captain Shawn laid a wreath at the grave of the Club’s first Captain Bob Michie 150 years to the day after Hawick’s first ever match was played against Langholm.
On Friday 9th February more retrospective international caps were awarded to Hawick players by the SRU. In a ceremony hosted by Chris Paterson, Scottish Rugby President Colin Rigby presented caps to Donnie McLeod and Bruce White while Wattie Davies jnr, and his family were there to receive father Wattie’s cap which was presented posthumously. Three very worthy additions to Hawick’s great international wall of honour.
A new exhibition to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Hawick Rugby club opened yesterday in Hawick Museum. It will run alongside the highly successful Bill McLaren Centenary Exhibition. A series of intriguing displays, showing some hitherto unseen artefacts, trace the origins of the club to the present day. All Club members are invited to an Open Afternoon from 2.00 to 4.00 pm on Sunday 10th March.
Now. Let battle commence. It’s great that at a time when the powers that be seem to have turned their back on what was always the heartland of the Scottish rugby game that we are assured of having a Border team in the final. May the best team win.