Selkirk win rugby’s Border League for eighth time after beating Gala 57-12

Though the regional league’s latest season has at least one fixture to go and potentially up to six, winning all five of the games they’ve played so far means the Souters – now on 20 points, six clear of second-placed Kelso – can’t be caught.

Touching down for head coach Gordon Henderson’s side at their Philiphaugh home ground against their Arnold Clark National League Division 1 opponents were No 8 Corey Tait and fly-half Aaron McColm at the double, blindside flanker Dylan Bronlund, right-winger Josh Welsh, lock Kieran Westlake and replacements Hugo Alderson and Bruce Riddell, with full-back Callum Anderson adding six conversions.

Opposite number Ewen Robbie’s visitors tries’ were both scored by loosehead prop Gavin Fisher.

Welcoming that first piece of silverware for two seasons, Henderson said: “The boys were up for that game as we know what this competition means to any Border club.

“They were really keen to win it this year for the eighth time.”

He’s now hoping that return to winning ways after a 28-22 defeat at home to fourth-placed Currie Chieftains last time out in the premiership at the start of the month will boost his players’ confidence as they prepare to head north to third-placed Watsonians this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 2pm, looking to make amends for a 45-22 loss in the reverse fixture in November, saying: “We were bitterly disappointed just to get two points out of that game against Currie.

“I really thought that we were the fitter side for the last 20 minutes.

“It was a hard one to take but the boys recovered really well for the Gala game. Last Tuesday and Thursday, for example, we were getting 40 players are training, so the boys are wanting to continue the season on a high.

“We’ve got to go to Watsonians with confidence and try to come away with points and see what happens.”

Selkirk’s title-decider was one of two Border League matches played on Friday, both seeing Arnold Clark Premiership sides hosting National 1 opposition, the other being a 38-31 win for Hawick, last season’s champions, against Peebles at Mansfield Park, the Greens’ first victory of this campaign at the third time of asking.

A trip to Jed-Forest for Melrose scheduled for Saturday was called off.

Three of Selkirk’s wins on their way to their fifth title of this century were premiership double-headers – by 24-22 at Melrose in September, by 16-10 hosting Kelso in December and by 34-15 at home to Hawick in February – accompanied, prior to Friday, by only one stand-alone fixture, a 31-21 victory at Jed in August.

One further fixture is lined up this month, a double-header taking 51-times champions Hawick to Melrose on Saturday, March 22, with kick-off at 3pm.

Two more are scheduled for next month – Hawick hosting Jed on Friday, April 11, with kick-off at 7.30pm, and Selkirk hitting the road to Peebles the day after for a 3pm kick-off.

Dates for three more have yet to be fixed – Jed’s visit from Melrose called off at the weekend and trips to Peebles for Kelso and Hawick for Gala – but they might well go unplayed, like two games last year and one the season before, due to the title already having been decided.

As things stand, the leaderboard south of the pole position in Selkirk’s possession comprises Kelso in second place on 14 points from five fixtures, Gala third on eight from five, Melrose fourth on eight from four, Peebles fifth on four from four, Hawick sixth on four from three and Jed bottom on two from four.

All three of the Border League’s other premiership teams are back in national top-flight action too this Saturday after a weekend off – Hawick at home to Ayr, Melrose at Edinburgh Academical and Kelso at Heriot’s, with kick-offs at 3pm.

Selkirk are currently the region’s top dogs in that table too, sitting fifth on 54 points from 18 fixtures, with Hawick sixth on 45 from 18, Melrose seventh on 45 from 19 and Kelso eighth on 40 from 19.