​South of Scotland and Caledonia Reds to contest new cup as tribute to Gala legend Nairn MacEwan

The inter-district title won’t necessarily be at stake when they next meet – at Canal Park in Inverness on Saturday, April 6, with kick-off at 3pm – though it might well be once again.

A new trophy definitely will be, though, as the two sides have agreed to contest one annually going forward in memory of mutual former player Nairn MacEwan.

Tanzanian-born flanker MacEwan, alive from 1941 to 2018, played for both the South and the old North and Midlands, renamed Caledonia Reds in 1996, as well as playing for Scotland 20 times between 1971 and 1975 and acting as head coach of the national team from 1977 to 1980.

At club level, his loyalties were also divided between north and south, having played for both Gala and Highland.

Last May’s 32-30 play-off final win for Reds in Glasgow was their third match against the South since their change of name and subsequent demise as a professional outfit in 1998, the Borderers having won the other two, by 40-24 at Stirling’s Bridgehaugh Park in 2017 and by 33-7 at Jedburgh’s Riverside Park the year before.

The two teams have issued a joint statement explaining how they came up with the idea for a cup commemorating MacEwan, saying: “Following a conversation between the two district committees, we collectively felt that playing for an annual cup would be a great way to generate additional significance for the fixture, as well as to recognise and commemorate the impact that Nairn had on rugby in each district.

“His story of travelling down to train and play for Gala from his home in Inverness three times per week has become the stuff of legend and exemplifies the commitment often required of players from Scotland’s more rural and outlying communities to pursue their rugby ambitions.”

Members of MacEwan’s family are planning to attend April 6’s match to present the inaugural trophy to the winners, along with former North and Midlands head coach Colin Baillie.