Hawick up for rugby’s Scottish cup in bid to pull off winning double

Hawick head coach Matty Douglas is now setting his sights on rugby's Scottish cup after winning 2023's Tennent's Premiership title against Currie Chieftains at Mansfield Parkon Saturday (Photo by Mark Scates/SNS Group/SRU)

The Greens have been drawn away to Edinburgh Academical in the second round of the cup on Saturday, March 25, with kick-off at 3pm, after knocking out Jed-Forest 34-7 at home in their home first-round tie at the start of February.

Kelso, Selkirk and Melrose, given byes for the first round, enter the cup at its second-round stage, and they’re at home to Heriot’s Blues and Musselburgh and away to beaten Tennent’s Premiership play-off finalists Currie Chieftains respectively, all 3pm kick-offs too.

This year’s cup is the first since 2019, Ayr being the current holders.

Hawick head coach Matty Douglas with centre Andrew Mitchell after Saturday's Tennent's Premiership play-off final win against Currie Chieftains at Mansfield Park (Photo by Mark Scates/SNS Group/SRU)

Melrose are the Borders’ most successful side in the 27-year history of the competition and also the joint most successful overall, with four wins to their name – in 1997, 2008, 2017 and 2018.

Hawick’s two final victories, in 1996 and 2001, make them the region’s second most successful side in the cup along with Gala, winners in 1999 and 2012, but they’re now hoping to improve on that record.

They’re taking this week off after winning Saturday’s Tennent’s Premiership final against Currie but will then seek to get the better of another capital side in the cup.

“We’ll get our first week off this season and then our focus turns to the cup at the end of the month against Accies,” Douglas told Borders Rugby TV.

“We want to get on a good cup run and really try to bring another bit of silverware into the cabinet at Mansfield Park, so we’ll be focused for that 100%.”