THE second season of Super6 is to commence on 30th July, some 15-months after the inaugural campaign was brought to a premature close by the Covid pandemic.
As in the first year of the tournament, the campaign will kick-off at Meggetland on a Friday night, although this time Boroughmuir Bears will host city rivals Heriot’s Rugby, with Stirling County welcoming Southern Knights to Bridgehaugh the following day, and Ayrshire Bulls hosting Watsonians on Sunday 1st July in the first live TV game of the tournament (although the TV broadcaster for this year’s tournament is yet to be announced).
Kick-off times will be confirmed ahead of the competition beginning at the end of July.
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“We are delighted that the FOSROC Super6 will be restarting at the end of July after an understandable, but frustrating pause due to Covid,” said Scottish Rugby’s Director of High Performance Jim Mallinder.
“The FOSROC Super6 is the bridge for players to make their way from the club to the professional game, as we’ve seen by the number who have already progressed through to Edinburgh, Glasgow and now the Scotland summer tour squad.
“The tournament is being played this season in its originally intended slot from July through to October with the hope better conditions will provide an opportunity for teams to play to a high standard and continue to develop the players and coaches involved.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the competition get underway and would like to wish everyone involved well in the months ahead and extend my thanks for all their hard work to prepare for the second season in difficult circumstances.”
2021 FOSROC Super6 Fixtures:
Friday 30 July – Boroughmuir Bears v Heriot’s Rugby
Saturday 31 July – Stirling County v Southern Knights
Sunday 1 August – Ayrshire Bulls v Watsonians Rugby
Friday 6 August – Watsonians Rugby v Stirling County
Saturday 7 August – Ayrshire Bulls v Boroughmuir Bears
Sunday 8 August – Heriot’s Rugby v Southern Knights
Friday 13 August – Boroughmuir Bears v Watsonians Rugby
Saturday 14 August – Southern Knights v Ayrshire Bulls
Sunday 15 August – Stirling County v Heriot’s Rugby
Saturday 21 August – Heriot’s Rugby v Watsonians Rugby
Saturday 21 August – Stirling County v Ayrshire Bulls
Sunday 22 August – Southern Knights v Boroughmuir Bears
Friday 27 August – Watsonians v Southern Knights
Saturday 28 August – Ayrshire Bulls v Heriot’s Rugby
Sunday 29 August – Boroughmuir Bears v Stirling County
Friday 10 September – Watsonians v Heriot’s Rugby
Saturday 11 September – Ayrshire Bulls v Stirling County
Sunday 12 September – Boroughmuir Bears v Southern Knights
Friday 17 September – Southern Knights v Watsonians
Saturday 18 September – Stirling County v Boroughmuir Bears
Sunday 19 September – Heriot’s Rugby v Ayrshire Bulls
Friday 24 September – Southern Knights v Heriot’s Rugby
Saturday 25 September – Boroughmuir Bears v Ayrshire Bulls
Sunday 26 September – Stirling County v Watsonians Rugby
Saturday 2 October – Heriot’s Rugby v Stirling County
Saturday 2 October – Ayrshire Bulls v Southern Knights
Sunday 3 October – Watsonians Rugby v Boroughmuir
Saturday 9 October – Heriot’s Rugby v Boroughmuir Bears
Saturday 9 October – Southern Knights v Stirling County
Sunday 10 October – Watsonians Rugby v Ayrshire Bulls
Weekend of:
Friday 15 October – 5th v 6th Final, 3rd v 4th Final and 1st v 2nd Final
All fixtures are subject to Scottish Government coronavirus guidelines and broadcast requirements.
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This is excellent news, and if covid permits and it goes ahead it has a real chance to advance the game. Kicking off just after the Olympic 7s and in the middle of the Lions test series, interest in rugby will be at peak levels, and Super 6 will have no other domestic rugby to compete with for the first few weeks. A chance to establish a clear identity and a high class product.
The under 20’s delayed 6 nations finishes two weeks before the Super 6 starts – a great chance for young players to come at peak fitness into Super 6. And with 5 under 20 internationals in June/July, followed by 11 Super 6 games in Aug/Sept/Oct and 5 more under 20 internationals in Feb/March the best young players can have 21 high intensity games this season, with the hope of another half dozen cross border games against Welsh teams in the Spring. An ideal season of 26-28 games for developing players.
Two small measures would complete my happiness and make sense of the Scottish game.
Firstly, The Pro teams put a moratorium on signing any more players – they both have squads of more than 40 signed already – and leave gaps in their squads for 5 or 6 players each to play their way into (at least training) contracts on the back of Super 6 performances.
Secondly, Super 6 players who are not involved in Pro team training, and have been raised in Scotland, are allowed to ‘play down’ for their club of origin in the national leagues, once the Super 6 season is complete, if they want. For some Super 6 players, 11 high quality games may be all they want – a short sharp season, followed by international 7s or gym work, until the cross border games come in the Spring. For others the chance to keep fit at club level supporting the players they developed amongst would be welcome.
Super 6 players should not be allowed to play down into the amateur game as they are pros and it would distort the competition between the amateur teams giving an unfair advantage to the amateur clubs with a Super 6 side
Great to see a restart, but ….
With only 6 teams, surely the fixture makers could have done a much better job than this. With no rugby for so long, surely if first game was Away, then second had to be at Home to get members etc back involved. But No, Southern Knights first 2 games Away, Ayr have first 2 at Home. After that, all have 2 Home or 2 Away at some point during the 10 weeks, and then the reverse happens in the last 2 weeks – Boroughmuir & Stirling have last 2 Away and Heriots & Watsonians have last 2 at Home.
I expected much better than this mash-up!
will they play another league against each other starting in january/Feb and will there be a celtic competition against welsh and or irish clubs to bring up the number of games played?
So what do all these players do between October 2021 and July 2022?