THEY unashamedly teamed up to enjoy the social side of rugby.

But, having just gone two years in a row unbeaten, St Boswells have warned their rivals they intend to take their sport “more seriously” next season.

The Borders club completed a league and cup double by lifting the BT Shield at Murrayfield at the weekend after ending GHK’s year-long unbeaten run.

And now, with plans to add to their squad and appoint a new coach, they are already plotting to repeat their success next season.

Speaking to the Border Telegraph amid his team’s celebrations at the national stadium on Saturday, St Boswells player-coach David Cassidy said: “I can’t begin to explain how proud I am of the boys – we’re absolutely delighted to have come here and get the victory.

“We’ve taken every season as it comes and we want to try to keep that great run going. Everybody we play is trying to take our scalp, every team we play that’s their cup final so I can’t wait until next year.

“There is a real buzz around the club at the moment and a good social side which is what people are coming for.” But he added: “As we’ve won two leagues on the trot and gone 45 games undefeated we will be looking to take it more seriously next year because we’ll be up another league.” The former Selkirk star revealed lifting the trophy at BT Murrayfield was one of the highlights of his career. He credited much of his success to his father, Brian Cassidy, who remains on the coaching staff at Philiphaugh.

And, while his immediate focus is on bringing more success to St Boswells following their promotion to East League Divsion One, he hasn’t ruled out a return to his hometown club, who won promotion to the Premiership this season, at some point in the future.

“I’m a Selkirk man and some of my best moments have been with Selkirk,” he explained. “My father is probably one of the best men I know down there, he’s unbelievable. And he doesn’t like me playing at another club but that’s just the way it is.

“I’ve had some great achievements (at Philiphaugh), when we won the second division I broke the kicking record with 296 points in 22 games - that’s still my highest achievement. It was a great honour today for St Boswells but my heart is always with Selkirk and one day, hopefully, I’ll maybe get back there, once I’ve got a bit more experience with the coaching.

“We’re trying to attract another coach in to St Boswells to help out because I’m just a novice to be fair, I just do what I do, what I did at Selkirk; my dad taught me a lot of good drills. So I’m looking to build on that and hopefully get another one (trophy) next year.” St Boswells had to withstand a second half fightback from GHK, who won promotion into the National Leagues this season, 27-19 - having led 24-0 at half-time.

However, Cassidy, whose team were denied a place in the Bowl Final last year after they were judged to have fielded three ineligible players in earlier rounds, revealed he never stopped believing in his squad.

“I’ve been dreaming of this,” he smiled. “I was confident (of victory) but, at the end of the day, they are in a league above us and were undefeated and we went out there and, in the first half, we took them apart.

“To be fair to GHK, they were a great side and showed their class to stage the comeback in the second half but we showed the character to hold on and seal the win.”