Fresh format will test appeal of derbies ahead of league fare

THE NEW format for the Scottish Cup launches today and will put to the test the theory among many clubs that local derbies are of more interest to supporters than a season of national league fixtures.

The cup has been struggling to retain interest among clubs in recent seasons in congested fixture lists. In the Borders there was the extra concern that the historic Border League, one of the oldest competitions in world rugby, was on the verge of dying off as teams ran out of time to compete fixtures.

The cup still provides an extra piece of silverware for clubs to aim for and a successful day out at Murrayfield for countless clubs each year, so rather than scrap it clubs agreed to change the competition to a new format.

Each of Scotland’s four rugby districts was tasked with devising its own qualifying format and the Borders, Edinburgh and Caledonia opted for a mini-league with the winner going through to the cup semi-finals, while Glasgow stuck with a knock-out tournament.

Watsonians host Stewart’s Melville in the first of the RBS Cup (Edinburgh) matches – a game that has the added spice of the visitors looking to avenge their only league defeat of the season.

In the Borders Gala travel to Kelso, Hawick host Selkirk and Peebles are at home to Jed-Forest in today’s RBS Cup matches (all 3pm) that double as Border League games.

The leagues will not resume until January, but Gala RFC President George Marshall hopes these cup games will produce more good crowds, after 2,200 turned up for their league derby with Melrose. He said: “For the last few years the Border League didn’t have the respect it deserved with fixtures fitted in and around the cup and rescheduled league matches. Playing the pool stages this way will alleviate some of that and by-mid January, clubs should know who will be through to the knockout stages in the cup and the Border League final.”