Trip to Edinburgh first up as rugby's Southern Knights return to action

Southern Knights losing 19-14 to Boroughmuir Bears in a warm-up match held as part of this year's Melrose Sevens (Photo: Bill McBurnie)

First up for the Melrose-based team and their five championship adversaries is the Fosroc Super6 Sprint Series, a precursor to their regular season beginning in August. It’s being held as a replacement for a planned cross-border tournament scrapped because of fears of possible Covid-19 complications.

Starting this Friday, April 15, it will see all six sides playing each other once to determine league placings.

That league will then be split, with the three teams in the top half going up against those in the bottom half over three weekends of play-offs to determine final standings.

Southern Knights on the attack against Boroughmuir Bears at the Greenyards (Photo: Bill McBurnie)

The Knights, now with ex-Melrose gaffer Bruce Ruthven as head coach, are off to Edinburgh’s Goldenacre this Saturday, April 16, for their first match, against Heriot’s, with kick-off at 4.30pm.

In round two, on Saturday, April 23, the Borderers host another capital side, Watsonians, at the Greenyards, with kick-off at 2pm, and their next two matches are also at home – to Stirling County on Friday, April 29, at 7.45pm, and Ayrshire Bulls, last year’s champions, on Saturday, May 7, at 4.30pm.

After that, they’re back on the road to Edinburgh for their last pre-split game, away to Boroughmuir Bears on Friday, May 20, at 7.45pm.

Their Friday night games will be screened live on FreeSports and their Saturday ones can be seen on the BBC Sport and Scottish Rugby websites.

Boroughmuir Bears halting a Southern Knights advance (Photo: Bill McBurnie)

The Knights concluded their pre-season preparations with a friendly at home to Boroughmuir last Friday night as part of this year’s Melrose Sevens, losing 19-14.

Winger Iain Sim touched down for the hosts, with Nathan Chamberlain converting, and they were also awarded a penalty try, putting them 14-5 ahead, but they were then pegged back by their visitors.

Ruthven wasn’t too disheartened by that warm-up defeat, though, telling Borders Rugby TV: “We had 31 guys take to the field, of whom 22 were debutants for the Knights, so we have to be realistic about where we’re at.

“You never want to lose a game, especially at home, but, all things considered, there was a lot of positive work that happened out there.

"They did all right, if you put it in perspective.”