HAWICK V KELSO PRESIDENT’S WELCOME
Today we welcome Kelso President Neil Hastie, Vice President Eric Paxton, immediate Past President Scott Forbes, the team and supporters from Poynder Park. It’s great to have another Border team back in the Premiership and apart from this afternoon and the game on 19 November we wish them well. Also returning of course, as Kelso coach, is Bruce McNeil about whom many tales could be told!
It was a bad day at the office at Fullarton Park last Saturday. For whatever reason the boys never got going and Marr, keen to revenge last season’s Premiership play-off and Cup Final defeats, were deserved winners. We have sadly handed over the Bill McLaren Shield after retaining it for twenty-four games, a record which will be very hard to beat. Although our opponents today are newly promoted, we are taking nothing for granted. They come to Mansfield undefeated having unusually started with two high scoring draws away to Musselburgh and at home to Heriot’s and we remember clearly how close they came to defeating us here in the 2021-22 Border League final. Their seven beat ours with the last play at the Gytes in August and their Sharks team defeated our Force boys again at the very end of the game last Friday night. It will be another hard-fought close encounter this afternoon.
This morning our 150th commemorative mural was unveiled on the gable end at the junction of Mansfield Road and Mansfield Crescent. I am sure everyone on seeing it could not fail to be impressed. A huge thank you to the talented artist Chris Rutterford, to long time Hawick supporter John Park for his generous financial support of the project and to our very own Kevin Reid who has worn the famous green jersey more than any other player in the Club’s 150-year history and who unveiled the artwork, all of whom have been guests at our hospitality lunch. Other invited lunch guests today were John McGuigan, the new Chairman of the S.R.U, Brian Rae who recently retired after videoing our home games for fourteen years, Shona Sinclair who is doing sterling work preparing for what will be a memorable exhibition on the life and work of Bill McLaren which will open to the public on 4 October, to be followed with an exhibition on the history of Hawick RFC in the Spring, Tom Sellar who recently retired from his role as financial adviser and the talented Kenny Spiers who provided his usual top class musical entertainment.
Tomorrow all roads lead to the cricket field for 2.30 to watch the re-enactment of Hawick’s first ever game against Langholm. The over 35s teams will be in period dress and playing to the laws of 150 years ago which differ considerably from what we will see this afternoon. Indeed “Fifty Years Football in Hawick” written a century ago states that “the only rule acted upon, or indeed understood, was that the players of the respective sides should play in different directions…. drop outs…..throwing in from touch….were then undreamt of, neither did the offside rule perplex the judgement nor hamper the impetuosity of the more ardent players who strove without regard to back or forward position”. It’s going to be very interesting.
Next Wednesday at 12 noon a memorial service is to be held here at Mansfield for Greig Oliver whose tragic untimely death shocked and greatly saddened the town and the whole rugby community. Come – Club ties requested – to support the family and celebrate the life of one of Hawick RFC’s most loved players.
Before our next home game against Currie on Saturday, 30 September our annual Farmers Day lunch will be held. Davey Scott from Duns will be our speaker and David Chapman and Andrew Dobbie will be providing the musical entertainment. You don’t need to be a farmer to attend. As usual phone Eileen on 07703575825 to book a place.
Enjoy today’s game and join us in the Clubrooms afterwards.
