Border Telegraph | Sport | It's D-Day for Borders clubs

Saturday, 10th May, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 19th March, 2008 11:00

It's D-Day for Borders clubs

By Atholl Innes

Comments (0)

Print Article

GALA and Selkirk will take a giant step on the rung of the Scottish club rugby ladder this weekend.

On paper, it’s simple; in practical terms, the penultimate 80 minutes of the season will make or break the ambitions of both clubs.

A win at the unknown Irvine will see Gala promoted while a Selkirk defeat of West of Scotland alongside defeat for Biggar at Hamilton will be the best Easter present for the Borders clubs.

Now the coaches are asking their players to stand up and be counted by 4.30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.

Arguably, Selkirk face the toughest assignment on the back of a horrendous cup defeat last weekend at Haddington.

But that, said coach Rodney Pow, may be the wake-up call the players need ahead of the West match and the visit to Biggar a week later.

“I hope that defeat hurt the players – for this (against West) will be a real test of their character,” he added.

Pow will drive into his players the importance of the occasion. “Yes, we have a second bite of the cherry (at Biggar), but if the boys believe in themselves, we want to win the championship and not just promotion.

“Saturday means so much for all of us at the club. We have come so far and it would be disappointing to lose out now. At the end of the day, it is all about the players and we need more of the magic formula that has taken us so far this season.

“It would be hugely disappointing not to make it now.

“It is all about the men in the Selkirk jerseys and to be proud to wear them.

“We are at a stage well above the target we set and we want to go the whole way now. We are all looking forward to it and we cannot wait to get started.”

Selkirk will have Lee Jones, David Cassidy, Gavin Craig and Ally Lyall available again, and the only doubt surrounds Scott Hendrie, who is recovering from a broken arm.

On the other side of the country, Gala will take the field at Irvine buoyed even by their cup defeat by Heriot’s.

“We have competed well against three Premiership 1 clubs recently (Melrose, Hawick and Heriot’s), but we will be taking nothing for granted,” said coach Richie Gray.

“We were never going to shy away from the cup, but we have picked up a number of injuries.”

Fraser Thomson, Chris Dalgleish and Graeme Bryce are all in the doubtful category – and will be given to the last-minute to prove their fitness.

And Gray is calling on the support to make the journey, if they can, to Irvine to get behind the team. “They have been tremendous this season and we want to win it for them,” he said.

“I think being in Premiership 3 has changed the mindset of many of the players, who have been to places they have not thought of in the past.”

Meanwhile, Premiership 1 draws to an interesting close with Boroughmuir having clinched the title weeks ago and only one relegation slot (Dundee are already down) to be decided.

Hawick can ease their worries if they still remain when Stirling County come to Mansfield Park while Melrose, boosted by that cup win over Boroughmuir, will want to maintain that consistency at Currie.

Comments