Published: Wednesday, 30th April, 2008 10:00
Fired-up Melrose go for cup glory
By Atholl Innes
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Melrose coach Craig Chalmers puts Richard Higgins, left, through a weights session on Monday night while Kieran Cooney, right, who misses the game due to suspension, gets behind his team.
MELROSE will carry the flag for the Borders in the Scottish Hydro Electric Cup final on Saturday at Murrayfield.
And it could be the last ever final as clubs vote at the SRU’s agm in June to scrap the competition because of the cost and two many matches.
Hawick this year, for example, have had two journeys to the north and one to Dumfries – and missed out on a trip to Orkney thanks to Morgan Academy, who knocked out the Orcadians.
Borders clubs have been calling for a Regional Cup with the top sides then going into play-offs.
But it will be the present and not the future that will pre-occupy the minds of Melrose coach Craig Chalmers and his team as they prepare to face Heriot’s at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Tickets have been selling well for the game with Melrose running buses for supporters to Murrayfield.
Chalmers goes into the game without John Dalziel and Kieran Cooney, who lost their appeals against three and six-week bans respectively.
The decision forced Chalmers to call for a review of the disciplinary system.
And will mean that his players will be more fired up than ever to win the cup for the first time since 1987, the second year of the competition.
Chalmers is looking forward to the challenge. After wins over Kilmarnock, Boroughmuir and Hawick, two away from home, Chalmers believes that has the armoury to bring the cup back to The Greenyards.
“We trained on Saturday and will train again this week,” he said. “It is all about having the players in the right frame of mind for Murrayfield.”
Chalmers has his starting line-up in his mind, and it is expected that Andrew Gillie will come in for Cooney and Dalziel will be replaced by Stuart Johnson.
“I feel sorry for Kieran and John, but we just have to get on with it,” said Chalmers.
“The players were distraught after the decision, but when you have a disciplinary procedure where the people involved work for or with each other, or on behalf of the SRU at various times, and none of them have recent experience of playing the game, this is what you get.
“How could they over-rule a match referee who saw what happened.”
The decision will have fired up even more the Melrose players, who will want a win not just for the club, but as much for the players who will miss out at the weekend.
“We have had a tough run,” said Chalmers, “and it is important that we go there and enjoy the experience.
“I will instil in them the need to play a controlled game and not to be too loose or Heriot’s will punish us. We will want to ask questions of them that have not been asked for a while”
Chalmers said that there was a real buzz in the town and at the club.
And ex-president Jimmy Doyle told me: “Tickets are selling well. All the money from sold tickets goes to the club and we have even had people from Edinburgh booking tickets through us.”
Buses will leave from The Greenyards at 12.30 p.m. (this is a change of time) and return after the game to the ground for what supporters hope will be a winning party night.
The buses must be pre booked.
Mr Doyle added: “Tickets for the buses are £5 and for the match £10 adults and £5 concessions can be purchased at the Club Office from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. each da y.
“All purchases must be made as soon as possible—and in particular to guarantee bus seats they must be booked before Friday.
“Further details can be obtained by ringing the Club office on 01896 822 993.”
While fans will be roaring from the touchline, Chalmers will be asking his players to do their talking on the pitch.
“We will just concentrate on our own game, but we all know how difficult it will be.”
It would be a Melrose double if the Ladies win the Bowl competition.
The Ladies take on Morgan at 11 a.m.
Meanwhile, Melrose Director of Rugby, Mike Dalgetty, has stood down as the Premier 1 rep on the SRU Championship Committee.
It follows a conflict of interests on the disciplinary process.
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