Melrose and Gala through to Scottish rugby under-18 youth shield final but Hawick go out of cup

Gala Wanderers and Melrose Wasps both racked up home victories on Saturday, the former by 44-7 against Dumfries Saints and the latter 43-7 versus Whitecraigs.

The other Borders semi-junior side in national trophy action at the weekend weren’t so fortunate, however.

Hawick Youth’s home game against West of Scotland in the under-18 youth cup ended tied at 17-all, but that result at the Greens’ Volunteer Park home ground was enough to take the East Dunbartonshire side through to the final.

That outcome was decided on the basis that the Milngavie team weren’t shown any yellow cards and their hosts picked up one, their try, conversion and red card tallies being the same.

“It was a tough one to take, especially on our home ground,” Hawick captain Marcus Brogan told Borders Rugby TV afterwards.

“We tried our best but it just wasn’t our day really.”

West of Scotland will now go on to play Boroughmuir in the cup final at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium at the end of March following the capital side’s 38-0 home win against Stirling County on Saturday.

Hawick remain top of the semi-junior league, with a 100% haul of 34 points from 17 games, going into the coming weekend’s fixtures.

They’re at home to fourth-placed Kelso Harlequins, currently on 22 points from 16 games after being awarded a 22-0 home win against Jed Thistle at the weekend.

Second-placed Gala, on 28 points from 17 games, are at home to third-placed Melrose Wasps, their visitors being three points behind them but with a game in hand.

Second-bottom Jed Thistle are away to Corbridge’s Tynedale Colts, currently four places and 15 points better off than them and with four games in hand.

Neither of the league games played last weekend involved Borders sides, Carlisle Colts winning 34-27 away to Alnwick Colts and Tynedale playing out a 24-24 draw away to fellow Northumbrians Morpeth Colts.