South of Scotland through to final of revived Scottish inter-district rugby championship after beating Edinburgh 50-17

South of Scotland vice-captain Struan Hutchison on the ball against Edinburgh at Netherdale in Galashiels in rugby's first Scottish inter-district championship for 21 years (Photo: Brian Sutherland)

That final takes place on Sunday, May 21, and head coach Matty Douglas’s South side will be up against either Caledonia Reds or Glasgow and the West.

It’s being held at Tennent’s National League Division 1 side Glasgow Hutchesons’ Aloysians’ Braidholm home ground, with kick-off at 3.30pm, and the opposition the Borders and East Lothian regional team will be facing then is to be decided by this coming Saturday’s other first-round tie at fellow National 1 side Highland’s Canal Park home in Inverness, kicking off at 3pm.

More than 1,500 supporters were there at Netherdale to watch the South, captained by Hawick loosehead prop Shawn Muir, score seven tries to their visitors’ two to rack up their fifth win on the trot since their revival in 2009.

South of Scotland's Jae Linton on the attack against Edinburgh at Netherdale in Galashiels in rugby's first Scottish inter-district championship for 21 years (Photo: Brian Sutherland)

Touching down for the South were Hawick’s Muir, Jae Linton, Fraser Renwick and Ronan McKean; Kelso’s Bruce McNeil and Dwain Patterson; and Selkirk’s Luke Pettie, with Gala’s Craig Dods adding six conversions and a penalty.

Ali McCallum and captain Rhys Davies scored tries for Edinburgh head coach Bob McKillop’s side, with Jamie Loomes converting two and also kicking a penalty.

South try-scorers Muir, Linton, Renwick and McKean were among seven Greens in Tuesday’s starting line-up, the others being Nicky Little, Andrew Mitchell and Kirk Ford, with four more as replacements – Matt Carryer, Shaun Fairbairn, Calum Renwick and Gareth Welsh.

Former Hawick captain McNeil was in the South’s starting XV too, making his fifth appearance for the red-and-white-hooped regional representatives at the age of 39.

South of Scotland captain Shawn Muir scoring a try against Edinburgh at Netherdale in Galashiels in rugby's first Scottish inter-district championship for 21 years (Photo: Brian Sutherland)

Also starting were Patterson, Selkirk’s Andrew McColm, Gala’s Liam Scott and Dods, Musselburgh’s Michael Badenhorst and Melrose’s Struan Hutchison and Bruce Colvine.

Tuesday’s other replacements were Pettie, Musselburgh’s Craig Owenson, Kelso’s Frankie Robson and Melrose’s Donald Crawford.

This week’s victory for the South followed ones by 40-24 against Caledonia Reds in Stirling in November 2017, 33-7 versus the same opposition in Jedburgh in November 2016, 22-15 against the Barbarians in Hawick in October 2011 and 37-3 versus Northumberland in Galashiels in December 2009.

Looking ahead to the first championship final to be staged for 21 years, Douglas told Borders Rugby TV: “It’ll be a tough test up in Glasgow but it’s great to have that game there as well, just as a bit of an incentive for players that didn’t quite make the squad this week as we’ll be able to bring them in a week on Sunday.

South of Scotland's Dwain Patterson scoring a try against Edinburgh at Netherdale in Galashiels in rugby's first Scottish inter-district championship for 21 years (Photo: Brian Sutherland)

“It’s a new thing for a lot of them. There are only a handful that played in the last South game.

“There’s quality right through the squad. We’ve got leaders all over the park.

“It was a tough selection and a lot of quality players missed out but we’ve got a game a week on Sunday that they can put their hats in the ring for.”