
THE precarious state of club rugby in Scotland has once again been brought into sharp focus by National One side Dundee HSFP announcing on Wednesday that they will be unable to raise a team to play against Premiership leaders Ayr in round one of the Tennent’s Cup this weekend.
The Taysiders have 14 senior squad members unavailable, and front-row appears to be the major sticking point, with the club having only one prop – who would be playing his first game in three weeks after injury – at the disposal at the moment.
“We had one first choice 1st XV prop injured last week who won’t be available until Christmas and one who can’t travel for family reasons,” explained club President Gerry Tosh. “We have used 43 players in the 1st XV this season and injuries are an increasing problem in the game. We have more than 80 registered players but the physio room on Tuesday night was a bit like a MASH unit.
“We have also seen a number of players opt to go to Murrayfield rather than play a game which is a new phenomenon in my experience. We can’t complain as we, the clubs, voted last year to play through the Autumn International games – which, on reflection, was not the best idea!
“Players are just more likely, when the mood takes them, to just find other things to do on a Saturday. Stag do’s weddings, shopping, ski trips, representative trips and so on. I know, having spoken with other clubs, that we are not alone.
“Times have changed and maybe we are asking too much of our players? I am not sure but its a possibility.”
The other seven matches will go ahead as planned, with three matches on Friday night: Boroughmuir v Melrose, Jed-Forest v Selkirk and Stirling County v Glasgow Hawks; and four matches at lunchtime on Saturday: Hawick v Gala, Heriot’s v Edinburgh Accies, Watsonians v Marr and GHA v Watsonians.
TEAMS NEWS BELOW
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS –
BOROUGHMUIR v MELROSE
VENUE: Meggetland @ 7.30m
TEAMS –
Boroughmuir: C Gossman; G Parker, J Edmunds, W Wardlaw, K Gossman; G Cannie, M Johnstone; R Dunbar, J Matthews©, R Montgomery, W Inglis, T Drennan, A Mncube, C Keddie, J Steele. Subs: D Marfo, D Robertson, S Smith, J Hamilton, B Renton.
Melrose: F Thomson; B Colvine, P Anderson, J Baggott, G Wood; S Hutchison, M McAndrew; G Shiels, R Anderson, C Young, J Head, I Moody, N Irvine-Hess, R Darge, G Runciman©. Subs: R Ferguson, R McLeod, A Runciman, A Jardine, I Sim.




JED-FOREST v SELKIRK
VENUE: Riverside Park @ 7.30pm
TEAMS –
Jed-Forest: L Young; E Stewart, G Young, R Marshall, C Young; M Mitchell, J McCough; G Paxton, C McKay, P Ferreira, C Skeldon,.G Law, D Wardrop, J Howe, B.Roff. Subs: G Munro, J Bowie, J Skudro, D Grieve, K Lamont.
Selkirk: J Welsh; F Anderson, D Clapperton, R Nixon, H Bithray; C McColm, A McColm; L Pettie, J Bett, B Riddell, A Renwick, P Forrest, S Nixon, S McCLymont, E MacDougall. Subs: C Higgins, C Graur, A McColm, C MacDougall, S Tough.
STIRLING COUNTY v GLASGOW HAWKS
VENUE: Bridgehaugh @ 7.30pm
TEAMS –
Stirling County: J Hope; L Trotter, E Magarvie, G Hughes, R Tagive; A Goudie, P Jericevich; R Chies, R Kennedy©, G Holborn, J Pow, S Yarrow, H Burr, R Bundy, A Mackie. Subs: A Orr, A Wood, A Rutherford, C Robertson, C Jardine.
Glasgow Hawks: S Peffers; J McCready, R Beattie, C Harrison, J Couper; R Thompson, K Baretto; G Strain©, P Cairncross, L Skinner, F Hastie, A Kirkland, S Dow, G Wilson, G Adams. Subs: A Fraser, L Archer, L Brims, P Boyer, M Godsman.




WHEN SATURDAY COMES –
HAWICK v GALA
VENUE: Mansfield Park @ 12.15pm
TEAMS –
Hawick: A Weir; K Davies, A Mitchell, G Walker, K Ford; L Armstrong, D Lightfoot; S Muir©, M Carryer, N Little, D Lowrie, D Redpath, S Graham, D Davison, B McNeil. Subs: C Renwick, T Hope, G Lowrie, R McKean, G Welsh.
Gala: G Spiers, R Cooke, R Jeffrey, A Emond, A Turner; S Fairburn, G Hamilton; M Christie, C Keen©, T Logan, R Tod, C Pate, J Easson, L Scott, E Dods. Subs: K Scott, D Keddie, S Mitchell, S Patterson.
HERIOT’S v EDINBURGH ACCIES
VENUE: Goldenacre @ 12.30pm
TEAMS –
Heriot’s: R McMichael, C Lineen, R Jones, S King, C Robertson; S Edwards, A Ball; M Bouab, A Johnstone, J Scott, C Jupp, A Sinclair, I Wilson©, J McLean, R Leishman. Subs: M Liness, S Cessford, M (Martin) Hughes, A Simmers, M (Michael) Hughes.
Edinburgh Accies: V Hart; C Gray, R Chalmers, R Wilson, R Kent; R Mill, M Sinclair; D Morrison, C Black, M McGinley, R Seydak, R Lovett, M Badenhorst, J Sole©, J Mann. Subs: C Imrie, C Taylor, R Campbell, S Johnson, P Flood.




WATSONIANS v MARR
(for The Bill McLaren Shield)
VENUE: Myreside @ 12.30pm
TEAMS –
Watsonians:J Rowland; A Guthrie, R Hutton, D Innes, L MacPherson; E Fox, M Scott; F Hobbis, F Renwick, D Ferguson, C McKill, C Borthwick©, J Miller, G Nelson, M Fedo. Subs: R Graham, G Jackson, H Fisher, P Cunningham, A Chalmers.
Marr: L Mcloughlin; S Bickerstaff, R Dalgleish, C Bickerstaff, T Steven; C Sturgeon, F Hazel; G Dick, O Rossi, W Farquhar, E Hamilton-Bulger, K Kirk, J Evan, Pearce, B Johnston. Subs: C Henderson, C McMillan, C Steel, G Paxton, J Scott.
GHA v CURRIE CHIEFTAINS
VENUE: Braidholm @ 12.30pm
TEAMS –
GHA: J Baillie; S Derrick, C Lonergan R Findlay, A Spowart; C King, G Baird; S Carson, M Scott©, M Fox, A Kerr, J McCarthy, L Munvanga, D Ewing, J Sutherland. Subs: L Barron, R Brogan, G Scott, J Edgar, J O’Brien.
Currie Chieftains: J McCaig; M Hooks, J Reynolds, A Hall, S Hamilton; J Forbes, R Frostwick; A McWilliam, F Scott©, M Argiro, V Wright, M Vernel, M Kelly, R Davies, S McGinley. Subs: C Wilson, R Patterson, W Nelson, G Christie, C Davies.
Merchiston edge out Watson’s to book place in Under-18 Cup Final
Years ago I played for a club on the Old Stewarton Road, & the guy allotted the chore of phoning round all the players to establish who all was available for the Saturday got p-ed off listening to the rambling excuses & made up a numbered list along the lines of:
1 – ma grannies died
2 – ma dugs died
etc.
Players just had to quote the number & thus shorten the length of time on the phone.
Hope he submitted it as a team list at least once