The good news being that one of the town's most popular rugby internationals, Scott McLeod, has had the doping charge against him dropped.

The bad news – well where do we start?

Hawick RFC's battle to escape the relegation zone took a step backwards last weekend after receiving a thumping on home territory from Heriot's. Just days before, the struggling club banned their own coach, Jim Hay, from the touchline.

For most at Mansfield the news of McLeod's investigation was expected, but few, if any, believed him guilty to start with.

And, although the confirmation from the SRU that the high level of testosterone found in a sample earlier this year was the result of alcohol consumed while celebrating the news of his impending fatherhood, the former Hawick lock and rugby fans in the town greeted the news with relief as well as frustration.

Speaking this week, MacLeod said: "I am glad that this ordeal is finally over and look forward to resuming my playing career.

"I never thought that an impromptu night out to celebrate the news that I was going to become a dad for the first time would lead to all this.

"Nevertheless, I feel very frustrated that my sample was not tested for alcohol at an earlier stage of these proceedings.

"Given the severity of the charge that I was facing, I would have expected that the alcohol test should have been performed as a matter of routine.

"Had that been the case, I would have been able to establish my innocence at a much earlier stage."While McLeod's ordeal is over, the troubles at his former club continue.

As well as receiving a 90-day ban from his club, head coach Jim Hay and assistant coach Derek Armstrong have had a media gag put on them.

The unprecedented move came just days after Hawick RFC received a letter from the SRU informing them that Hay faced a misconduct charge. Hay and assistant coach Derek Armstrong were reported to have verbally abused the referee after the recent Watsonians game and the former was quoted in the press as calling the official "a joker".

Hawick sit third from bottom in the Scottish Hydro Electric Division One table, seven points above Stirling County. They have won twice and drawn once in 11 matches and Hay is under increasing pressure to turn things around. The uphill battle continues this weekend as the Greens travel to Millbrae to face league leaders Ayr.

Elsewhere in the top flight Selkirk face Boroughmuir at Philiphaugh, while Melrose look to continue their current winning ways when they take on West of Scotland at Burnbrae. For the rest of this week's rugby fixtures see the Sporting Week Ahead at the foot of the page.