​Selkirk hoping to keep hold of Bill McLaren Shield over summer after winning it for first time

​The Souters’ 29-19 victory at Musselburgh on Saturday, December 16, brought the shield back to the Borders for the first time in three months, Hawick having lost it to Marr in September after being beaten 24-5 in Troon.

The South Ayrshire side went on to cede possession of it to Musselburgh via a 36-28 home defeat at the end of October but it’s now back in the late commentator’s home region and Henderson wants to see it staying put 11 miles north of McLaren’s home-town of Hawick for a while yet.

The shield will remain in their trophy cabinet for at least a month and a half as their first two fixtures after the current festive break are away – to Heriot’s Blues on Saturday, January 20, and Edinburgh Academical seven days later, both 2pm kick-offs – so they won’t mount their first defence of it until table-toppers Hawick come calling on Saturday, February 3, the last day of the current Scottish Premiership season as things stand, and if they upset the odds and win, or even draw, that one, it’ll be theirs until autumn.

“It’s a great honour to win it with Selkirk for the first time,” said Henderson, alias Sesh.

“I’ve not won it since I was coaching at Hawick a few years ago so it’s good to get hold of it again.”

Selkirk, on 30 points from 15 fixtures at the moment, lost to all three of their remaining premiership opponents in the reverse fixtures – by 26-13 to Heriot’s and 32-25 to Accies at Philiphaugh in October and by 36-8 to the Greens at Mansfield Park at the end of that month – but Henderson is hoping for better fortune in 2024.

“We lost to both Heriot’s and Accies, for different reasons, but we’re really focused now on ending this season with more consistent performances,” he said.

“If we do that, we’re going to be in the frame to get points.

“If we put in a performance like we did at Musselburgh, it’ll make it really difficult for teams to beat us and really difficult for them to defend against us because our attacking play was outstanding at the weekend.”

Selkirk will be without outside centre Ben Pickles for their remaining three premiership fixtures and three Border League games, starting with a visit from Scottish National League Division 2 table-toppers Peebles on Saturday, January 6, with kick-off at 2pm, as he sustained a broken leg in their win at Musselburgh and he’ll be a big miss, says Henderson.

“We’ve lost Ben Pickles. He’s got a broken tibia, so we’re not going to see him for some time,” he said.

Henderson’s looking forward to resuming Selkirk’s defence of the regional league title after winning two of their three games so far – premiership double-headers at home to Jed-Forest by 65-35 in September and away to Kelso by 21-19, though they lost by 36-8 away to Hawick in another double-header at the end of October – saying: “The Peebles game will be an opportunity for some of our seconds to get game-time in our first XV.

“They’ve been playing pretty well and some have put their hands up so we’ll see what they can do at that level.

“It’s a Border League game as well so there’ll be a bit of bite to it.

“We’ve got three Border League games coming up in January, February and March, mixed in with some spicy premiership matches, so we’ve got a lot to look forward to.”

They’re currently second to Hawick in the Border League, level on eight points from three fixtures with third-placed Kelso but with a points-scored difference 39 better. Hawick are on 12 points after winning all three of their premiership double-headers.

Selkirk’s other remaining fixtures in the league are at home to Melrose on Friday, February 23, and away to Gala on Friday, March 8, both 7.30pm kick-offs.

Their title win in March, thanks to a 12-6 victory over Melrose at Netherdale in Galashiels, was their first since 2010 and seventh overall.

Peebles are one of three teams without any points in the Border League, along with Gala and Jed-Forest, having only played one game apiece thus far and lost it, by 29-17 away to Kelso in August in the Pees’ case.

Next up for the Gytes outfit in their national league division is a visit from Newton Stewart on Saturday, January 13, with kick-off at 2pm.

They go into that return to action four points clear at the top of the table, on 55 points from 13 fixtures, with their visitors third, on 50 from 14.

See also …

https://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/selkirk-bounce-back-from-derby-defeat-with-29-19-win-away-to-musselburgh-in-rugbys-scottish-premiership-4452497