Six tries earn Hawick first win at Currie for 12 years in top-of-table Tennent's Premiership tussle

That was the Borderers’ first win at the Edinburgh side’s Malleny Park home ground for a dozen years and it takes them to within a whisker of pole position in the table.

Hawick’s unbeaten start to the season goes on, seeing them sitting in second place, up from third, with 29 points from seven games.

That’s one point shy of current league leaders Edinburgh Academical, the capital side’s tally of six bonus points, twice as many the Greens have picked up, making up for their one defeat to date, by 13-12 at home to Hawick last month.

Hawick’s scorers at Malleny Park, assisted by a penalty try, were scrum-half Gareth Welsh, hooker and captain Matt Carryer, number eight Jae Linton, flanker Calum Renwick and lock Dalton Redpath with tries and full-back Kirk Ford with four conversions and two penalties.

Their hosts’ try-scorers were hooker Ryan Stewart, scrum-half Paddy Boyer, prop Chris Anderson and replacement Charlie Brett, with fly-half Jamie Forbes adding a conversion and penalty.

Next up for head coach Matty Douglas’s title contenders is a visit to their Mansfield Park home ground by fifth-placed Glasgow Hawks this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm.

Carryer was delighted to see his side end their 12-year wait for a win at Malleny Park, telling Borders Rugby TV afterwards: “They’re very physical. You always know they’re going to come at you.

“It’s a tough place to come, Malleny Park, as well.

“The facilities and the walk to the pitch and that are daunting more than anything else.”

Asked if he thinks Hawick can win the league, Carryer had no hesitation in replying: “I would think so, aye.”

Ford added: “It was tough. We knew it was going to be tough coming here.

“They’re a good side and obviously near enough went unbeaten in the league last year, so we knew it was going to be hard.

“We’d not won up here for over ten years so it was just good to get across the line in the end.

“We feel our attack’s improving week on week and that’s probably the best it’s been again, so hopefully it’s onwards and upwards from here and we can just keep it going.

“It was just a great performance from everybody and we couldn’t be any more happy about that.”

Saturday’s win also saw Hawick retain the Bill McLaren Shield.

The Greens’ squad was boosted this week by the return of Southern Knights players Fraser Renwick and Daniel Suddon following the conclusion of the semi-professional side’s Fosroc Super6 Championship season at the weekend with a 21-19 home defeat by Stirling Wolves, and Carryer says he welcomes the increased competition for places their arrivals will bring.

“Competition’s good,” he said. “It makes you work a wee bit harder when someone’s chapping on your door to get your shirt, so all competition’s welcome.”