Rugby: Hawick 35 Selkirk 18

Yet for much of the game Selkirk, playing delightful rugby when they had possession, challenged the Greens and were level with Hawick at half time, despite a whirlwind start by the Mansfield Park men that produced a try, conversion and penalty for Lee Armstrong.

But two Rory Banks penalty goals and the winger’s conversion of a penalty try put Selkirk into a 13-10 lead, only for Armstrong to level the scores with a late first-half penalty.

Hawick then stretched their lead with a penalty and a converted try by Armstrong before play was interrupted by an injury to Hawick replacement John Coutts. When the game resumed Sean Goodfellow raced in for Hawick’s third try, Armstrong’s conversion giving the stand-off a 25-point tally.

Selkirk then showed how to play rugby with a try by flanker Ewan McDougall from a 95-metre move, but in a final surge Hawick handled skilfully for Craig Russell to grab the bonus point score.