Hawick up to second in Borders’ semi-junior rugby league after wins at double

Greig Cartner on the ball during Hawick Youth's 38-21 Borders semi-junior rugby league win at home to Gala Wanderers at Volunteer Park on Saturday (Photo: Brian Sutherland)

Neither of the league’s prior top-two teams were in action at the weekend, so those victories at Volunteer Park and Philiphaugh saw the young Greens overtake one and close the gap on the other.

Second-placed Hawick are now on 21 points from 14 fixtures, trailing table-toppers Morpeth Colts, on 23 from 14, but just ahead of third-placed Peebles Colts, on 20 from 12.

Fourth-placed Kelso Harlequins are on 18 points from a dozen fixtures after edging out Selkirk Youth Club by 8-7 at home on Tuesday last week, with Gala fifth, on 15 from 13, and Selkirk sixth, on 14 from 13.

Filip Kubicki about to score a try during Hawick Youth's 38-21 Borders semi-junior rugby league win at home to Gala Wanderers at Volunteer Park on Saturday (Photo: Brian Sutherland)

Seventh-placed Jed Thistle top the bottom half of the table, with 18 points from 15 fixtures, following their 19-0 win at home to second-from-bottom Melrose Wasps at Riverside Park on Tuesday night.

Tynedale Colts are eighth, with 14 from 15; Alnwick Colts ninth, on 12 from 16; Carlisle Colts tenth, on 11 from 15; Melrose 11th, on six from 15; and Duns bottom of the table, without any points from 14 games.

Saturday’s other results were a 19-17 win for Alnwick in a Northumbrian derby at home to Tynedale and a 22-7 defeat for Melrose south of the border at Carlisle.

Two fixtures were postponed – a visit from Morpeth for Kelso and a trip to Jedburgh for Duns.

Harry Bryson in possession during Hawick Youth's 38-21 Borders semi-junior rugby league win at home to Gala Wanderers at Volunteer Park on Saturday (Photo: Brian Sutherland)

Saturday’s fixtures followed a 12-12 draw for Selkirk hosting Morpeth, an 8-7 defeat for Kelso at Gala, a 56-26 loss for Melrose at home to Tynedale and a 26-14 win for Jed at home to Alnwick seven days previously, as well as Carlisle being awarded a 28-0 home win versus Duns after that game was called off.

This coming Saturday’s fixture card sees Peebles at home to Kelso, Hawick hosting Morpeth for a potential title decider and Melrose away to Gala.

An under-18 development camp is also being staged by the Scottish Rugby Union and four Borderers will be among the 40 semi-juniors taking part over its three days, starting on Friday – Kelso’s Jack Utterson, Peebles’ Ross Wolfenden and Gala’s Mac Rutherford and Nairn Moncrieff.