HAWICK V CURRIE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Today it is my pleasure to welcome Currie President Charles Mullins, committee members, coaches and players from Malleny Park for what has all the makings of a cracking encounter.
No-one privileged to be present will ever forget the last time our visitors came to Mansfield Park. An incredible match had a fairy-tale finish for the Robbie Dyes and their supporters. Currie had been in the ascendancy for much of the game and with Hawick down to thirteen men it looked all over when today’s opponents scored a converted try with not long to go but deep into injury time Shaun Fairbairn won the ball and Ethan Reilly – remember him – spun a wonderful cross-field pass to Ronan McKean who crashed over in the corner for the most memorable of tries sparking off scenes of delirious jubilation. The Currie players, committee and supporters were understandably gutted, the more so since they had lost the Premiership final for the second year in a row. Today they will be coming with revenge in mind and the Greens are in for what will be their toughest test of the campaign as our visitors have begun the season with a bang with four bonus point wins. May the best team come out on top.
Congratulations to our two Hawick boys on the part they played in Scotland’s victory over Tonga on Sunday. Rory played one of his best games in the Scotland jersey holding his own against a man mountain in the scrum and rumbling about in the loose to good effect and when twinkle-toed Darcy picked up the ball in broken field there was only going to be one outcome.
Still on the international front we wish our Teri rugby bright-eyed daughters Lana and Lisa well for the inaugural WXV2 tournament in South Africa where they will be taking on the hosts, USA and Japan.
An exhibition to celebrate the centenary of Bill McLaren’s birth opens at Hawick Museum on 4 October. This is one of the most ambitious exhibitions ever held in the Museum. It has been organised by Live Borders, working in partnership with the Bill McLaren Foundation and Hawick Rugby Club. Murray Watson, Ross Cameron and Museum Curator Shona Sinclair have done a power of work to bring this to fruition. Tracing the life of Hawick’s very own renowned broadcaster who is held in huge regard all over the rugby playing world, the exhibition combines a collection of hitherto unseen artefacts from Bill’s career and life. According to this week’s press release” an immersive digital gallery includes a recreation of Bill’s chaotic study, where visitors will hear Bill speaking to them in the very last interview he ever gave from a concealed loud speaker. Elsewhere visitors will be invited to “Be Bill”, to sit behind a broadcast microphone watching a monitor, just like Bill did, to record their efforts to describe Tony Stanger’s winning score in Scotland’s 1990 Grand Slam victory. Alongside the interactive commentary booth visitors can see Tony’s number 14 shirt, his Scotland cap and the original Big Sheet Bill prepared for that game.” Get yourself up the Park for an experience not to be missed.
Back to this afternoon. Get ready for another thrilling match between arguably the two best club teams in Scotland.
International Tickets The club received its full allocation of tickets for the Home Six Nations games so applicants should receive their tickets soon, electronically. Members can now apply for Away Six Nations games. More information can be found on the clubhouse notice board, on the club’s website or you can contact David Wright.
