Craig Chalmers urges Melrose to emulate legends of 1990s

MELROSE coach Craig Chalmers has called on his ‘class of 2012’ to drive on to the Premier One title at Meggetland tonight and put their names up in the clubrooms alongside the Greenyards legends of the 1990s.

The Borders club last season ended a 14-year wait to reclaim the top club championship, but many can still remember when Chalmers was the fly-half in a team that won six titles between 1990 and 1997. He played alongside the likes of Bryan Redpath and Carl Hogg, who went on to play for Scotland and now coach Gloucester; centre Graham Shiel and hooker Steve Brotherstone, who also played for Scotland, and Doddie Weir, the lock who added British and Irish Lions appearances to his Scotland caps.

With the advent of professionalism fewer players make that leap now, but this season’s Scotland debutants Greig Laidlaw, Lee Jones, Stuart Hogg, Duncan Weir and Jon Welsh all played club rugby in Scotland, with Jones and Denton even turning out for Melrose last season as they sought to keep match-fit.

Chalmers is convinced that more are in the pipeline, and urged his current squad to prove that by beating Boroughmuir tonight and emulating the 90s teams with back-to-back titles.

He said: “There are some boys very lucky to be sitting on pro contracts at the moment, because there are some better players in the club game working very hard and just need an opportunity. League matches like this, cup finals and the British and Irish Cup provide opportunities, but, in saying that, they have to go out there and take it.

“There are a lot of great players at all levels of sport who have never actually won anything, far less a title two years in a row. These guys now have the chance to put their names up on the wall beside the Melrose players of the 1990s.

“It was great to win it for the first time in a long time last season, but it is always harder to retain it. We had a great high last season of winning our own sevens, narrowly losing the cup final but then facing Ayr again in the league decider and winning in front of a great crowd at the Greenyards.

“But we knew with guys retiring, losing Scott Wight and Calum Anderson and serious injuries we had that it would be tougher this season, and we have really had to dig deep so I would say that while we maybe haven’t played as well this year we have been very resilient. Now we have to finish it off.”

To achieve that feat tonight ‘Rose must win with four tries, to claim the bonus point and go six points clear of second-placed Dundee, who finish at Stirling County tomorrow. Win, lose or draw and they leave themselves at the mercy of the Dundonians, who have never won the championship. If Melrose and Dundee finish level on points, Dundee would have to make up 42 points on ‘Rose to level points difference.

“We’d obviously like to win it now,” added Chalmers, “but we won’t be getting hung up on bonus points because we have a lot of respect for Boroughmuir.

“They are a skilful and dangerous team, and have nothing to lose. Defence is key for us. If we keep it tight we have a strong attack that hopefully will get enough points on the board to win the game. I don’t think I can see Dundee beating Stirling with four tries and the 40 points they need because Stirling are still in the hunt for the British and Irish Cup, but we need to do our job.”

The British and Irish Cup is a tantalising lure, with agreement expected soon that four Scottish clubs will compete in next season’s competition. That means Melrose, Dundee and Gala will be there, with Currie or County, if they beat Dundee well, the fourth side. The B&I Cup will also be swollen to six games each with Newcastle now odds-on to drop into the mix and be drawn with a Scottish side.

Chalmers added: “A Newcastle match would be huge for us, but, personally, it’s great to see Gala and Melrose both up at the top.

“There is a perception that rugby has shifted towards Edinburgh and Glasgow now, but I’ve been really impressed with what George [Graham] has done at Gala, and the way Ranks [Ian Rankin] has brought Dundee through as well to challenge that.

“We had two great derbies with Gala this season, with big crowds showing the passion that remains for good club rugby in the Borders. We now have to go and do the first job at Meggetland, and I’d love to see Gala then bring the cup back to the Borders as well.”