​Hawick Harlequins notch up derby double against Linden in rugby’s Scottish East Region League Division 2

​Quins’ 28-10 victory at Wilton Lodge Park at the weekend followed a 23-13 win in the reverse fixture at nearby Volunteer Park in October, the two teams’ first meeting since 2020.

Nathan Murray, Gary Rodgerson, Neil Anderson and Steven Mabon scored tries for Quins at the weekend, with Adam Hall converting all four.

Ryan Ali touched down Linden’s only try, with Matthew Mallin adding a conversion and a penalty.

This season’s winning double for Quins is a throwback to their last season in the same league, Tennent’s East Region League Division 1, as it was at the time, as they edged out Linden 19-15 at Volunteer Park in March 2020 – both sides’ last game prior to coronavirus restrictions shutting down sport for months – after beating them 52-5 in the reverse fixture at Wilton Lodge Park in November 2019.

That campaign ended with Quins third in the table, on 62 points from 16 fixtures, and Linden at the bottom, with 18 from 17.

Quins initially failed to make a comeback after the Covid-19 pandemic but returned last season, winning the Scottish East Region League Division 3 title to set up a reunion with Linden in the next tier up and it’s now confirmed that they’ll be playing in the same division next season too.

Duns were also in second division action at the weekend, losing 38-0 at home to third-placed Dalkeith.

Saturday’s results leave Quins fifth in the eight-strong table with 24 points from 12 fixtures, Linden second from bottom on 15 from 13 and the Dingers bottom on four from 12.

This coming Saturday sees Linden concluding their current campaign by hosting second-placed Penicuik and Duns up against Dalkeith again but this time on the road, both 2pm kick-offs.

Linden lost their reverse fixture against Penicuik in Midlothian by 28-24 at the end of September.

Quins aren’t due to play again until they head north to Duns on Saturday, March 30, for a Borders derby rescheduled from December and that’s followed by a visit from Dalkeith on Saturday, April 6, to wrap up their season, both those fixtures being 3pm kick-offs.

Saturday’s Scottish East Region League Division 3 fixture card yielded defeats on the road in the capital for Gala YM and Earlston, the former losing by 61-22 at second-placed Edinburgh Northern and the latter by 49-19 to table-topping Trinity Academicals.

Those results leave Gala second from bottom of the seven-team table with five points from nine fixtures and Earlston third on 38 from 11.

The Galashiels side are back in action this coming Saturday away to fourth-placed Lismore, with kick-off at 2pm, but don’t play again after that until a visit from basement side Inverleith on Saturday, March 23, at 3pm.

Earlston have only got one game of this season left to go and that’s a derby at home to YM on Saturday, March 30, with kick-off at 3pm.