Borders’ top-flight rugby sides in warm-up action

Kelso beating Gala 26-21 in a pre-season friendly at Netherdale on Saturday (Pic: Brian Sutherland)

Defending champions Hawick took part in a three-way contest against Lancashire’s Fylde and Cheshire’s Sale at the former’s Lytham St Annes home ground, playing 40 minutes against each.

Head coach Matty Douglas’s Greens beat Sale 35-19 but lost 12-0 to Fylde.

That trip south of the border followed a 37-14 victory against further English opposition in the form of Northumberland’s Tynedale the weekend before.

Selkirk hosted South Lanarkshire’s Biggar at Philiphaugh, losing 53-19 to the National League Division 1 outfit.

Kelso took on Borders rivals Gala at the National 1 side’s Netherdale home ground, winning 26-21.

That followed a 29-17 victory against National League Division 2’s Peebles earlier in the month in a Border league fixture doubling up as a pre-season warm-up.

The region’s other top-flight team, Jed-Forest, had a friendly lined up south of the border at Penrith but it was called off due to the Cumbrians being unable to muster a team.

That was their second cry-off of the close season, a planned friendly against Northumberland’s Morpeth earlier in August having been scrapped too.

East Region League Division 2’s Hawick Linden were also in pre-season derby action at the weekend at the town’s Volunteer Park, beating Earlston 27-12 ahead of a visit from Livingston this coming Saturday.