Selkirk 6 - 19 Hawick: Clubs losing focus in crowded season as Hawick prevail

CLUB rugby returned to Selkirk after an absence of two months, and there are few better fixtures to waken up the denizens of this Border town than a derby with neighbours Hawick.

But, as the wind blew and the rain lashed down throughout the 80 minutes, tempers frayed and referee Charles Samson got it in the neck from all sides, and one wondered what this was all about. This was a Scottish Cup tie, in its new guise of the Prem-ier Cup, Pool G, one of nine pools formed to try to shorten the season and lead to quarter-finals. But on the same day three Scottish clubs were playing in the British and Irish Cup, others were playing in the post-league split of Premier A, B or C games and at the centre of it all were players who wondered what exactly they were playing for.

The Selkirk and Hawick players showed plenty of spirit on a dreich day, Hawick exposing the hosts' rustiness with three tries in the first 32 minutes, from skipper Bruce McNeil, Michael Robertson and a penalty try from forward pressure, and always holding the upper hand in defence.

Both sides tried to create in attack, but despite the promptings of Michael McVie and Gavin Craig, Fraser Harkness at inside centre, Ciaran Beattie and the workhorse Gordon Patterson, Selkirk struggled to retain ball long enough to threaten a well- organised Teri defence.

Hawick were more clinical in the build-up with a more solid set-piece, good ball-carriers in McNeil, David Lowrie, Robertson and Sean Linton, and the quality orchestrator of Rory Hutton behind the scrum, but after that first half-hour they too could not rise above the combination of poor conditions and gutsy defence to score again. Discipline also dropped with yellow cards shown to McNeil, Lowrie and Martin.

Scott Hendrie lifted Souters hopes with two penalties, but they needed tries which were rarely threatened. Both sides deserve credit for producing splashes of entertainment and striving to play rugby, but watching them rush out for the second half long before the referee had appeared and scamper in out of the rain at full-time was to appreciate their misery.

Harkness said: "It was good to get a game after a long time off and we have three huge games now in the Premier whatever (B) to keep our place in the league, but that was probably a great advert for summer rugby wasn't it? It is not enjoyable."

As if to underline the fact, Hawick say goodbye to three top players next week when second rows Craig Charters and Keith Davies, and full-back Neil Renwick, head to Australia on a year's visa to play club rugby.

Charters said: "It's something I've wanted to do for a while and it's great to be doing it with friends. It's not because of the weather or club rugby here. I enjoy playing for Hawick, but we just want a change I think.

"We're going to Perth first and then Melbourne and have made contact with some clubs there. It will be a good experience and we're looking forward to it. We'll keep in touch with the boys here and hopefully they can go on and win the cup and do well in the sevens."The many attractions of Oz may be the pull, rather than there being a push, but as the talented lock follows an increasingly familiar path out of unemployment-hit Hawick, it is impossible to escape the reality that club rugby in Scotland is losing its attraction to players.

Hawick are due to play Dundee this weekend, but with Dundee's game against Gala postponed for the umpteenth time at the weekend that will take precedence, so Hawick will be scrapping around for a friendly again, perhaps fitting in a Border League game. The historic old tournament has lost its lustre with having to shoehorn games into a season any which way they can. There was little support on Saturday for a Scottish Cup competition, even from Hawick, who are now odds-on to qualify for the quarter-finals. That is a shame. A Scottish Cup should ordinarily be an attractive proposition, another shot at silverware for players, but there is too much now crowded into a club season, in an age where men of playing age tend to have more commitments and opportunities.

Something has to give because after a promising first 12 weeks, this season is following previous ones and turning into a farce post-Christmas, with players training in cow-sheds, schools, boxing gyms, horse stables and the odd rugby pitch as they wait for the one thing they do it all for: a game. Who can blame them for following legions of supporters who have turned their backs on the club game?

Club officials have to get their act together in the next few months, shed self-interest and find a clearer way forward that takes into account Scottish winters. Sort the season for the players and the clubs, and club rugby will become attractive again.

Scorers: Selkirk: Pens: S Hendrie 2. Hawick: Tries: Robertson, McNeill, penalty. Cons: Hutton 2.

Selkirk: C Beattie; N Godsmark, S Hendrie, F Harkness (capt), D Clapperton; G Craig, M McVie; G Patterson, S Forrest, M Weller, R Aglen, S Willett, R Crockatt, N Darling, A Renwick. Subs used: C Marshall, R Taylor, M Martin, R Godsmark, R Nixon.

Hawick: N Renwick; N McColm, G Anderson, G Johnstone, S Anderson; R Hutton, G Cottrell; B McNeil (capt), L Gibson, S Linton, K Davies, C Charters, D Lowrie, N Mactaggart, M Robertson. Subs used: K Willison, M Landels, G Lowrie, C Ritson, D Johnston.

Referee: C Samson.