​Days numbered for Southern Knights as rugby chiefs prepare to pull plug on Super Series

​Funding is in place for the Melrose-based Knights and their five rivals to contest another championship from August onwards following April and May’s Super Series Sprint but they’re expected to call it a day in the summer rather than carry on for such a last hurrah.

That’s yet to be confirmed but bowing out then would avert the recruitment difficulties likely to be faced by some of the franchises ahead of what would be a dead-end competition and it would also enable players to agree new club deals during the close season rather than in October or November.

Knights and their rivals – Watsonians, Boroughmuir Bears, Heriot’s, Ayrshire Bulls and Stirling Wolves – are expected to merge operations with their parent clubs once their semi-professional competitions are wound up and a decision is due to be made on their fate by mid-March, with league restructuring likely to follow.

Heriot’s club side already play in the amateur game’s top flight and Ayr have earned promotion to join them next season but Melrose and Watsonians have been stuck in Scottish National League Division 1 one for the last five years, with Stirling County and Boroughmuir further down the divisions in National 2 and 3 respectively following relegation last year and back-to-back demotions in 2022 and 2023.

All six agreed to demotion to club rugby’s second tier as part of the deals that led to the creation of what was then the Fosroc Super6 Championship but it’s yet to be decided if those unable to secure promotion or relegated in the meanwhile will have to accept their fates.

In the meantime, Knights are focusing on the fixtures ahead of them rather than the uncertain future to follow as they prepare to go the same way as pro outfit Border Reivers almost 20 years ago.

“Accepting Scottish Rugby’s decision to disband the Super Series competition as part of a newly-announced male performance pathway, Knights remain focused on preparing for the upcoming sprint season,” said a spokesperson for the Greenyards club.

“Pre-season training is well under way at the Greenyards, with a number of key players from the championship season returning to our squad.

“Boosted by the recruitment of some new emerging talent within the Borders, the squad are shaping up to be an exciting blend of youth and experience, which we look forward to seeing take the field during the sprint season.

“Although uncertainty remains surrounding the conclusion of Super Series rugby, our immediate focus is to continue to build momentum as we move closer to the beginning of the sprint season.”