MELROSE have announced the signing of former Gala star Ewan McQuillin.

He is one of six new faces in the Greenyards line-up ahead of the start of the new season.

The Edinburgh prop, is joined by Murdo MacAndrew, from Clermont Auvergne; Neil Irvine-Hess, from Watsonians; Darren Eales, from Preston Lodge; Lewis Craik, from Duns; and Aaron Welsh, from Edinburgh Accies.

However, Melrose are now expected to be without the influential Grant Runciman and Bruce Colvine until the end of the year after it emerged their stay in New Zealand was being extended.

McQuillin, who earlier this year won a 15 week rugby scholarship to Christchurch, is not the first Gala player to make the move to the Greenyards. Melrose Head Coach John Dalziel and captain Fraser Thomson both kicked off their careers at Netherdale.

However, with Gala losing the league to Melrose by just one point last season, they would have hoped to retain the services of the player.

Melrose Director of Rugby Mike Dalgetty told the Border Telegraph: “I think it will be a very tough season as champions, everybody is going to want to beat us. Our first game is against Edinburgh Accies and they’ve got new coaches and new players so we will be expecting that to be really tough. But we’re looking forward to it. The players are buzzing, the numbers at training are superb.” As well as the new signings this summer, Melrose, who were crowned Scottish champions for the third time in four years last season, have confirmed Todd Pearce is returning from Australia to join James Head and Austin Lockington for a second season.

And competition for places is expected to be fierce.

Speaking at the launch of the new charity shield match on Thursday, centre Richard Mill said: “We’ve got extra strength in depth now and there is competition for every place in the team, which is great. If we get the best team that fits every week we should do well.

“Teamwise, we want to win the Premiership again, and we want to win the Cup. The Cup is one Melrose have tended to stumble at the last hurdle in recent times so we’re despereate to win that.

“But first and foremost we want to win the Premiership.

“Personally, I’d like to get to that next level, that’s still my goal and always will be until I think it’s not possible.”