Selkirk to face Melrose in final of rugby’s Border League

Will Owen, seen here in action previously, scored two tries for Melrose against Peebles on Friday (Pic: Douglas Hardie)

The Tennent’s National League Division 1 side will be up against Tennent’s Premiership outfit Selkirk in that cup final on a date yet to be fixed.

They earned the right to challenge for that piece of silverware by finishing top of their pool, with 14 points from three fixtures, edging out second-placed Kelso by three points, Selkirk having pipped Hawick to the post in theirs by a single point after two games.

There’s one more game to go in pool B, Peebles hosting Gala, but it’ll be a dead rubber if fulfilled, the former being on two points and the latter one.

Melrose’s tries against their Tennent’s National League Division 2 hosts at the Gytes, 14-10 up at half-time, were scored by Will Owen at the double, Gregor Lindsay and Donald Crawford, with David Colvine converting three and also kicking a penalty.

Touching down for Peebles were Ross Brown, James Dow, Buster Davidson and Ross Thomson, with Donald Anderson converting three.

Melrose are the second most successful side in the 122-year history of the Border League, the oldest championship of its kind in the world, after Hawick with 20 wins to the half-century hit by the Greens. Selkirk are fifth in the roll of honour with six successes to their name.

Melrose’s last win was in 2019 and the Souters’ in 2010.

Melrose fly-half Struan Hutchison was delighted to see the Greenyards outfit make it through to the final, telling Borders Rugby TV: “Peebles came out firing and we really struggled in that first half playing into quite a strong wind. 14-10 wasn’t the half-time score we were looking to have.

“We knew that Peebles were going to be up for it, absolutely.

“Iain Chisholm coached at Melrose last year so he knows a little bit about some of our players and he’s obviously got this Peebles squad firing.

“Fair play to them, they stuck in right to the very end and maybe we were fortunate to get over the line. They were a good outfit.”

Peebles captain Finlay Collins added: “At the start of the season, we said we wanted to earn respect in our league and the Border League and I think we’re almost there.”