Hawick skipper McNeil moves on to Biggar things

Published on 26/06/2012 01:34

Hawick have been dealt a blow ahead of the upcoming rugby season with the news that captain Bruce McNeil has opted to join Biggar.

After they failed to gain a place in the revamped ten-team RBS Premier League for 2012/13, it was always likely that some Greens players would be looking to move on from Mansfield Park.

However, head coach Phil Leck will have been keen to have kept a hold of the talismanic McNeil and to lose him to a club in the same division – the RBS National League – will make the loss even more frustrating.

It is rumoured that Ayr and other top-flight clubs had made moves to bring the 27-year-old in over recent weeks, but ambitious Biggar have won the race for the former Edinburgh professional.

McNeil can play prop or back-row and Biggar will hope that he can play a big part in their promotion push in what will be an ultra-competitive division.

Also heading to Hartreemill from Mansfield Park is 19-year-old forward Rory Sutherland, who was impressive for Hawick last season and is an age-grade international.

The RBS National League gets under way on August 25 and Hawick and Biggar meet on September 22.