Kirkcaldy ditch appeal for good of the game

KIRKCALDY have decided against appealing their elimination from the Scottish Hydro Cup to ensure the first round tie between Cartha Queens Park and Boroughmuir can go ahead this evening.

The club issued a statement yesterday making it clear they remain unhappy with the decision by the SRU's Championship Committee to throw the club out of the competition in response to their failure to play a preliminary round tie with Boroughmuir, due to have been played on 21 November. The club insisted they could not find pitches playable and were not in a position to take the union's eleventh-hour offer of the 3G pitch at Murrayfield.

However, Kirkcaldy stated theydid not wish to prolong an already severely congested season. The statement read: "Kirkcaldy RFC is dismayed by the decision of the Championship Committee to exclude it from the SHE Premier Cup preliminary round.

"The club believes it has very strong grounds to appeal against this ruling which is against natural justice.

However with the time-scale available for an appeal to be heard there would be further delays in the relevant first and second round fixtures being played.

"In the interests of Scottish Rugby in general and the integrity of the competition in particular, the club has decided not to make an appeal and consequently will accept the committee's decision."

Cartha and Boroughmuir are due to meet tonight at Dumbreck with Meggetland on standby should the Glasgow pitch still be frozen.