​Southern Knights name squad for upcoming Fosroc Super Series Championship rugby season

Ex-Duns winger Patrick Anderson continues as vice-captain of head coach Alan Tait’s 29-strong squad, due to kick off their latest campaign at home at Melrose’s Greenyards to new youth side Fosroc Future XV this Friday at 7.35pm.

Tait has retained 19 players from the Knights’ last Fosroc Super Series Sprint season and added ten new faces.

“The players have grafted during the off-season and we’ve made a real step change in the past few weeks,” said former Scotland international centre Tait, 59.

“With a few additional players arriving late, we’re pretty settled and looking forward to the championship.

“We’ve got a good balance of young players and experienced ones in some key positions and have worked hard to promote local talent from the Borders and Northumberland in the recent window.

“We know the quality of this competition and every team we play will be a tough challenge but that’s what playing in the best league in Scotland is about.”

The Borderers among Tait’s new recruits are Gala’s Chris Bell, Selkirk’s Monroe Job, Duns’ Johnny Rutherford and Melrose’s Donald Crawford.

They’re accompanied by former Scotland club international Gregor McNeish from Hong Kong Scottish, Alex Dodds from Blaydon in Gateshead, Theo Nwosu-Hope from Tynedale in Northumberland, Scottish rugby league international Hamish Bentley from France’s Le Mas Agenais XIII and Calum Barrett from Sandy Bay in Hong Kong.

Making up the rest of the squad are forwards Harry Borthwick, Craig Greer, Erem Demirel, Sam Derrick, Jack Dobie, Tom Dodds, Allan Ferrie, Dan Gamble, Mikey Jones, Connor Sutherland, Luke Thompson and Garry Young and backs Rory Brand, Ryan Cottrell, Aidan Cross, Callum Grieve, Adam Hall, Harris Rutherford, Cameron Scott and Murray Wilson.

Scott Wight and Lewis Carmichael carry on as assistant coaches.

Knights’ director of rugby, Rob Moffat, added: “The coaches have worked exceptionally hard to bring this group together and we know the competition doesn’t stand still, so it’s great to add real quality and competition to the group.”