Rugby’s Waverley Cup between Melrose and Gala making comeback after two years off due to Covid-19 pandemic

It’s the only competitive fixture left on the Borders’ rugby calendar for 2022 and it’s taking place at Netherdale in Galashiels on Monday, December 26, with kick-off at 3pm.

The cup – provided by Sykes Global services’ Galashiels office, a sponsor of both teams – has been contested 13 times since its launch in 2006.

Melrose have the upper hand thus far, having won it seven times, twice more than Gala, with one game ending up all square.

Boxing Day’s cup game, a one-off match rather than a Border League or Tennent’s National League Division 1 double-header, will be the Borders rivals’ second meeting of this season, following on from a 63-15 home victory for Melrose in the league at the end of November.

Neither side reckons that result will have any bearing on how their festive fixture turns out, however, and both fancy their chances of claiming that piece of silverware and the bragging rights that come with it for the next year.

Melrose head coach Bert Grigg said: “I’ve never experienced a Boxing Day game, so I’m looking forward to it.

“All the boys talk about how good an atmosphere there is, and all the Melrose-Gala games and all the Borders derbies I’ve been involved in have always had a pretty special feeling, so I’m sure this one will be no different.

“After our last game against Gala at home, obviously we’ll be going into it with some confidence but we’re under no illusions that it’ll be a different Gala team to the one we played at the Greenyards.

“Playing at Netherdale on Boxing Day is going to be completely different challenge to what we were faced with what will be a month ago in the league.

“The boys have been performing well but I don’t know how they’ll react to this challenge. I don’t know how these Boxing Day games go.

“I’m just hoping we put in a good performance ahead of playing Ayr in the league in January. That’s something we’ve got half an eye on as well.”

Gala are currently without a head coach following Stuart Johnson’s departure earlier this month, along with director of rugby Bill Noble, so Euan and Craig Dods and Stevie Scott will be overseeing their cup challenge, and club president Gary Isaac is confident they’ll be more than up to that task.

“We had a disappointing game against Melrose in the league a month back, but this one will be a competitive match, that’s for sure,” said Isaac.

“It should definitely draw a healthy crowd, so it’s something to look forward to and I’m sure the boys will be up for it.”

Melrose and Gala both had their scheduled Saturday fixtures called off due to prospective hosts Watsonians and Aberdeen Grammar’s pitches being frozen, as did Kelso, due to visit Glasgow High Kelvinside. All three of those games have now been rescheduled to dates in April.

In the meantime, the division’s Borders sides return to league action on Saturday, January 7, all at home with kick-offs at 3pm – Kelso versus Biggar, Melrose against Ayr and Gala facing Dundee.