Date fixed for 2023 Border League final between Selkirk and Melrose

It will take place on Monday, March 20, at Netherdale in Galashiels.

Melrose booked their place in the final following a 29-26 victory against Peebles a week ago on Friday, putting them on top of the competition’s pool B, with 14 points from three fixtures, having previously beaten Gala 63-15 in November and Kelso 16-14 in October.

Kelso have ended up second in the pool, on 11 points, though there is one more game to go, with Peebles due to host Gala, the former being on two points and the latter one.

Selkirk pipped Hawick to the post in pool A by a single point after two games, having drawn 20-20 with them at the end of August and beaten Jed-Forest 36-10 in November, giving them seven points to current champions Hawick’s six.

The other game played in the pool was a 22-12 win for Hawick at Jed-Forest at the start of September.

Tennent’s National League Division 1 outfit Melrose are the second most successful side in the 122-year history of the Border League, the oldest championship of its kind in the world, after Hawick with 20 wins to the half-century hit by the Greens.

Tennent’s Premiership side Selkirk are fifth on the roll of honour with six successes to their name.

Melrose’s last victory was in 2019 and the Souters’ in 2010.

Selkirk and Melrose last met in the regional league in February 2022, with the latter running out 43-5 winners at home at the Greenyards.

Gala are third on the league’s roll of honour with a dozen wins, Jed-Forest fourth with ten, Kelso sixth with five and Langholm seventh with a single success.