New Borders rugby club are leagues apart from union opposite numbers
A new rugby club being set up in the Borders are leagues apart – literally – from those already up and running in the region.
Border Barbarians are the region’s first rugby league club ever, ending the union code’s long-running monopoly in the region.
They’re one of two new teams set to contest 2026’s Scotland Rugby League Premiership, increasing the Rhino-sponsored competition’s membership by a half again to six, the other debutants being Tayside Silverbacks.
The Earlston-based Barbarians will be going up against against Glasgow’s West End Warriors, winners of 2025’s grand final; Edinburgh Eagles, last season’s beaten finalists; Glasgow and Clackmannanshire’s Forth Valley Vikings.
They’re being set up by former Scotland students and A international and Earlston player David Anderson and Cammy Hill, his head coach at the Arnold Clark East Region League Division 2 club and also part of the current South District Union’s coaching team.
“The Borders has long needed a rugby league team,” said Anderson.
“We’re bringing something to the region that many wish had happened years ago.
“We have had many good players over the years, playing at various representative levels, but we’ve never had our own team as such.
“I played for Scotland at rugby league at different age groups in the early 2000s, starting with my debut at under-17s versus France in Peebles.
“After attending last year’s Scotland Rugby League grand final at Penicuik, I got the bug again and decided to take to plunge and look at the possibility of starting a team at Earlston, where I have played and coached for the last two years.
“Obviously rugby sevens are a big deal in the Borders, but not all players are built for it, so they’re the players we’re hoping to interest in an alternative option over the off-season.
“We’ve had a lot of positive engagements, and I would like to thank Earlston for their support.
“I can’t wait to see what our debut season brings.”
Welcoming the Borderers aboard, Scotland Rugby League operations director Barry McGuffog said: “Two clubs joining the league competition is obviously fantastic news for everyone involved with the game in Scotland.
“From an organisation point of view, it’s great to see the game growing gradually again domestically and expanding into different areas.
“West End Warriors joined the competition last year and the aim this year was to add another team. Adding two is amazing.
“Having recently announced that we’ll be playing fixtures at Hawick this year, it’s great to see a club start up in the Borders.”
Playing on Saturdays, the Barbarians kick off their inaugural season on May 2 away to Vikings at Hillfoots’ Tillicoultry home ground.
Their first home game is against Glasgow seven days later and they’re away to Eagles on May 23 and back home on May 30 to take on fellow newcomers Silverbacks.
June bring three further fixtures – away to Warriors on the 6th and Glasgow on the 27th, sandwiching a visit from Vikings on the 13th.
Two games follow in July, at home to Eagles on the 18th and on the road at Strathmore’s Forfar ground on the 25th versus Silverbacks.
Their regular season wraps up on August 1 at home to Warriors, with play-offs to follow on August 8.
Hawick’s Mansfield Park hosts this year’s grand final on August 15.
In readiness for that campaign, the Barbarians train at Earlston’s Haugh ground on Tuesdays from 6.45pm to 8pm, with next week’s session being their third.
Prospective new recruits can find further details on their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/people/Border-Barbarians-Rugby-League