Selkirk 0 - 25 Hawick: Hawick in snooze control

HAWICK eased into the top eight with a comfortable victory over neighbours Selkirk yesterday, but this was a damp squib of what had promised to be a firecracker of a Premier split weekend.

The early kick-off between Stirling County and Melrose meant that Hawick went into this game knowing that their Borders rivals were three tries up at Bridgehaugh and turned around at half-time with news having filtered through that they could even afford to lose and still qualify for the top eight. The game itself did not lack endeavour, but it definitely was missing skilful rugby as an injury-hit Selkirk, featuring seven teenagers in their ranks, struggled to cope physically with Hawick and the visitors seemed incapable of holding onto ball long enough to turn their dominance into scores.

When Hawick did retain possession through a handful of phases, they did score, Greg Anderson grabbing the first and Rory Hutton the second. The fly-half could not convert either, but Graham Hogg took over to add a penalty before half-time and while Selkirk had brief flurries of enterprise, a great break by wing Ciaran Beattie almost bringing a try on the stroke of half-time, Hawick survived to head inside 13-0 up.

A try just after the hour by flanker Danny Landels, converted by Hogg, and another with five minutes to go by wing Steven Anderson, after an interception cruelly ended a Selkirk attack that should have brought a first home score, rewarded Hawick's superiority. Selkirk toiled manfully but were undone by basic errors at key moments and the game was not helped by yellow cards for Craig Charters and Neil Darlin,

So, Hawick enter 'group one' and Selkirk head into 'group two' of the new split, but these Borders sides are acutely aware that they need to spark improvement if the former are to savour any more victories this season and the latter to survive a relegation battle.

Scorers: Hawick: Tries: G Anderson, Hutton, Landels, S Anderson. Cons: Hogg. Pen: Hogg.

Selkirk: F Harkness; N Godsmark, S Hendrie, R Armstrong, C Beattie; R Banks, M McVie; G Patterson, M Martin, R Taylor, C Marshall, S Willett, N Darling, R Godsmark, A Renwick. Subs: M Rutherford, M Weller, S Forrest, C Johnstone, C Patton.

Hawick: G Hogg; G Anderson, G Johnstone, A Dunbar, S Anderson; R Hutton, B Campbell; S Linton, L Gibson, L Niven, C Charters, M Robertson, D Lowrie, D Landels, B McNeil. Subs: M Landels, C Robertson, K Davies, N Mactaggart, R Sutherland.

Referee: A Macpherson.