Duns go down 32-10 in Tennent’s East Region League Division 1 rugby season opener

Ben Simmonds, pictured playing for Duns Colts earlier this year, got half of the senior side's points against Forrester on Saturday (Photo: Bill McBurnie)

Duns kicked off their 2022/23 rugby season with a 32-10 loss at home at Castle Park to Edinburgh side Forrester.

That puts them in seventh place in Tennent’s East Region League Division 1 ahead of their second fixture of the new campaign, away to East Lothian’s Haddington, beaten 34-27 by Leith at the weekend, this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm.

Fly-half Ben Simmonds scored a first-half penalty for the hosts, fielding a youthful side featuring no fewer than nine teenagers in their starting line-up, and that was followed by a try by scrum-half Lewis Learmonth, converted by Simmonds, just ahead of the final whistle.

Duns were also hit by injuries during the course of their opener, debutant centre Duncan Smith going off with an ankle issue, Chip Brailsford being elbowed in the face, leading to red card for the opposing player responsible, and Hamish Reynolds requiring replacement after sustaining a bang to the head.