IT’S GOOD TO BE BACK! FIRST OUTDOOR
GATHERING AT PHILIPHAUGH PROVES BIG SUCCESS Ready to roll! Vice-president
Jim Harold (left) is joined on the decking by volunteer helpers Matthew Francis, Alan Skeldon, David Anderson and
Graham Easton.
Called to the bar – staff members Janice Seal (left) and Nikki Alexander won plaudits for all their hard work on
Saturday afternoon. [Photos – DAVID NICHOL]
SELKIRK Rugby Club took its first tentative steps towards the ‘new normal’ on Saturday afternoon when the club
welcomed its first visitors to Philiphaugh since the UK-wide lockdown came into effect on March 23.
The occasion was the opening of the club’s outdoor seating area where members were able to enjoy a drink, seated
at appropriately distanced tables to comply with current Covid-19 restrictions.
All tables had to be pre-booked, with numbers limited and decided on a ‘first-come first-served’ basis. “To be
honest we were more than a wee bit nervous on Saturday morning,” Selkirk Rugby Club vice-president Jim Harold told
the selkirkrfc.com website on Monday. “However, I’m pleased to say the day really couldn’t have gone any better.
“I’d like to thank everyone who came along for their patience and for following the official guidance to the letter.
Everyone’s behaviour was exemplary, and will go a long way to allowing us to do something similar in the not-too-distant
future.”
Jim added: “As you know these things don’t just happen, they involve a huge amount of work and effort behind the
scenes. To get the event up and running took a few weeks of meetings, consultations with Scottish Borders Council,
the Police, the Health & Safety Executive - the list is endless.
“The club is particularly grateful to ex-player Allan Linton for the HSE advice, bar and event manager Layla for
setting-up, Janice andNikki for a sterling
shift, Graham and Taff for helping during the morning, local butchers J. A. Waters & Sons for the food, and
1st XV skipper Malcolm MacDougall for checking the gas equipment.
“In addition Guthrie Group supplied all the PPE equipment we used, while ex-captain Cammy Cochrane, of Brown &
Muir Ltd, checked out the water supply. If I’ve missed anyone out, then I can only apologise!
“Last but not least, four guys came together to make the day happen, with all of them putting in a huge effort
and a great shift throughout Saturday – take a bow David Nichol, David Anderson, Ewen Robbie and Alan Skeldon.
Some effort boys, thank you so much.”
Selkirk Rugby Club chairman Dennis Henderson added: “It’s great that Saturday’s event was so well supported, and
this sets a benchmark for future Philiphaugh get-togethers. The organising group did a fantastic job, so on behalf
of the club I’d like to thank every person involved.”
**********
FRIENDS FINALISE DATE FOR FUND-RAISING
BAMBURGH CYCLE RIDE
Next stop Bamburgh! The
four charity cyclists pose for a team shot wearing their Katie McKerracher Trust cycling tops. From left – Kenny
Houston, Shirley Houston, Ann McKerracher and Andrew McKerracher.
By JOHN SMAIL
SELKIRK couple Kenny and Shirley Houston aren’t
people who will ever duck a challenge, so when the Etape Loch Ness cycling event was cancelled back in April because
of Covid-19 restrictions, the pair were determined to keep their fund-raising plans on track.
Kenny, a retired police officer who is a member of Selkirk Rugby Club’s general committee, and Shirley, a support
officer at Hawick Police Station, had originally planned to participate in the Etape along with close friends Andrew
and Ann McKerracher of Ettrickbridge.
By completing the 66-mile course, the four friends hoped to raise funds for the Katie McKerracher Trust – a charity
established in 2009 in memory of the McKerrachers’ 11-year-old daughter Katie, who died on January 27 that year
from Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (a brain tumour on her brain stem).
Having already raised over £3,000 in sponsorship for the cancelled Loch Ness event, the friends felt duty-bound
to plan another ride, and decided to complete a similarly distanced route on Saturday, August 1 - from the McKerrachers’
home at Ettrickbridge to the Northumberland village of Bamburgh.
“Our family have very close ties with that area,” said Kenny, better known to everyone at Philiphaugh as ‘Skip’.
“My mother Rhona belonged to Belford, which is very close to Bamburgh, and all my childhood holidays were spent
down there so I have special memories of that part of Northumberland.”
Diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2013, Kenny has made it his mission since then to repay the dedication and kindness
of the NHS staff treating him, by raising as much money as possible in support of their work.
In 2015 he organised a black tie dinner & auction in support of the BGH’s Borders Cancer Centre and the Katie
McKerracher Trust, with each organisation receiving a sum in excess of £10,000. Last April he staged a dinner-dance
& auction in Selkirk’s Haining House, raising a further £11,000 for the Borders Cancer Centre.
“This will be my last fund-raiser,” added Kenny, who has undergone five major surgeries over the past five years,
and is currently deferring treatment until his next medical assessment in August.
“I’m delighted the four of us are raising funds for the Katie McKerracher Trust. Shirley and I were extremely fond
of Katie, and the trust has done an amazing job of supporting DIPG patients and their families over the past 11
years.”
To date, cycling events have played a major role in the Katie McKerracher Trust’s fund-raising efforts. “Our first
big fund-raiser was a Hebridean Cycle Challenge in 2010,” said Ann McKerracher, a foster parent and achievement
coach at Borders College. “Then the following year supporters raised funds at the Ken Laidlaw Sportive in Hawick.
“Since its formation in 2009, the trust has assisted DIPG patients and their families in a variety of ways. This
can be answering questions by sending copies of our DIPG information booklet, providing assistance to deal with
practical day-of-day issues, or working with health professionals to seek to improve treatment of DIPG patients.
”We’ve seen a big increase in requests recently,” added Ann, “and of course during lockdown these patients have
had to be especially careful about not picking up any infections.”
Ann and her husband Andrew, who is vice-president procurement & supply chain for Galashiels-based pharmaceutical
firm Kyowa Kirin International plc, have been out cycling on local roads training for the Bamburgh event.
“I’m definitely the most inexperienced rider of the group,” said Ann, “but we’re all definitely up for the ‘Brigend
to Bamburgh Challenge’, which should be a really fun experience.” Kenny meanwhile has cycled over 1,500 miles since
March, so is understandably raring to go!
The quartet will leave Ettrickbridge at 8am on August 1, and will make stops at feed stations in Coldstream and
Fenwick, both of which will be manned by friends and family members.
“We’re hoping to complete the route in about six hours,” added Kenny, “and have booked an overnight stay in a Seahouses
hotel. We’d like to say a big thank you to everbody who is supporting us, and to let people know that our JustGiving
page is still open should anyone wish to make a donation.”
LEADING TRY SCORERS (after 23 matches): 9 – Henry
Bithray; 6 – Ewan MacDougall, Scott McClymont, Josh Welsh, Ryan Cottrell; 5 – Luke Pettie, James Bett; 4 – Callum
McNeill; 3 - Frazer Anderson, Peter Forrest, Aaron McColm, Jacob Henry; 2 – Bruce Riddell, Sean Rankin, Luca Berte,
Donald Nichol, Andrew McColm, Callum Anderson; 1 – Josh Mackay, Andrew Renwick, Luca Merolle, Jack Houston, Robert
Cook, Michael Waldron, Ross Purves, Nathaniel Armstrong. Tries scored: 80. Tries conceded: 70.
LEADING POINTS SCORERS (after 23 matches): 99 – Aaron McColm (3 tries, 10 penalties, 27 conversions); 55 - Henry
Bithray (9 tries, 5 conversions). Total points scored: 540. Total points conceded: 495.
MOST APPEARANCES (after 23 matches): 23 – Luca Berte; 22 – Peter Forrest; 21 – Luke Pettie, Ewan MacDougall, Luca
Merolle, Josh Welsh, Scott McClymont, Callum Anderson, Ryan Cottrell, Bruce Riddell; 20 – James Bett; 19 – Aaron
McColm; 18 – Frazer Anderson, Henry Bithray, Andy Mackay; 17 – Ross Nixon, Sean Rankin; 12 – Josh Mackay, Donald
Nichol; 9 – Callum McNeill.
‘A’ XV
(up to & including March 7th, 2020)
P 20 W 13 L 6 D 1
LEADING TRY SCORERS (after 20 matches): 9 – David
Cassidy; 8 – Nathaniel Armstrong; 5 – Jy Griffin, Kieran Monks; 4 – Lewis Martin, Robert Cook; 3 – Michael Waldron,
Ross Purves, Matthew Francis, Andrew Renwick; 2 – Robbie Reilly, Clark Young, Mark Rutter, Liam Blair, Gary Robertson,
Donald Nichol; 1 – Rory Hamilton, Matthew Brass, Andrew McColm, Matthew Mackay, Callum McNeill, Ryan Cottrell,
Josh Bain, Liam Cassidy, Grant Forrest, Peter Forrest, Bruce Riddell, Henry Bithray. Total tries scored: 72. Total
conceded: 58.
LEADING POINTS SCORERS (after 20 matches): 126 – Scott Clark (14 penalties, 42 conversions); 37 – David Cassidy
(6 tries, 1 penalty, 2 conversions); 35 – Nathaniel Armstrong (7 tries); Total points scored: 460. Total points
conceded: 365.
MOST APPEARANCES (after 20 matches): 18 – Liam Cassidy, Nathaniel Armstrong; 17 – Matthew Mackay, Mark Rutter,
Matthew Francis; 16 – Kieran Thomson, David Cassidy; 15 – Scott Clark; 14 – Harris Macdonell; 13 – Lewis Martin;
11 – Jy Griffin, Robbie Reilly, Jamie Turnbull, Paul Smail; 10 – Harry Aynsley, Ross Purves; 9 - Derry Alexander,
Matty Brass, Michael Waldron; 8 – Moray Haldane, Andrew Davidson, Liam Blair; 7 – Rory Hamilton, Kieran Monks,
Robert Cook, Andrew McColm; 6 – Grant Forrest, Harry Borthwick.
News
SELKIRK CHAIRMAN SETS OUT OPTIONS
FOR COMPETITIVE RUGBY IN 2020/2021
OVER the past couple of days, the SRU have announced
there may be no competitive league games this season due to Covid 19. Both the Border League and the SRU Council
have canvassed clubs’ views and suggestions, as to what type of competitive rugby could take place.
We already know that the season will not start at the end of August, and that the next alternative dates are in
October or November depending on how the Covid restrictions are lifted. Selkirk Rugby Club officials have held
a number of discussions with the coaches regarding what we could do with a delayed start to the season, and our
thoughts are set out below.
Note: Because we still don’t fully know what will be decided, we’ve split our options into rugby starting in October
and starting after November 7 - this the last date by which a competitive league programme could be played, if
permitted.
OCTOBER – NOVEMBER 7 START DATE
If there is to be no competitive league season,
then the club’s thoughts are that we should form a league between the Border League clubs and the Edinburgh clubs
along the following lines;
The 2nd XVs of these clubs could also play against each other, and this league could also include Langholm, Berwick
and any junior Border clubs if they wished to join.
This would give a competitive league with travelling limited to the Edinburgh/Borders area and thus minimising
the possible spread of Covid.
NOVEMBER TO END OF SEASON
If rugby cannot start until some time in November,
and there cannot be a fully competitive league season because of Covid 19 restrictions, Selkirk RFC believes we
should resort to a full Border League structure with home and away fixtures. The club feels we can have an
eight-team league that would be fully competitive in playing terms for the following senior teams -
This would also open up the opportunity for a 2nd XV league comprising teams from all Border clubs, including all
the junior teams across the Borders.
By only playing Border League teams, this minimises the distances to be travelled between clubs and also the costs,
plus there is the potential for attendances to be significantly greater for these games between Borders teams.
Moreover, by playing local sides it limits the potential spread of the virus and, if areas outside the Borders
are locked down, minimises the impact on the league.
Regards,
DENNIS HENDERSON
(Chairman, Selkirk RFC)
Upcoming Fixtures
/ Events
ALL RUGBY CURRENTLY
IN LOCKDOWN
A full list of games for season 2019 / 2020 can be
viewed on our 'Fixtures'
page
07/03 Selkirk ‘A’ 17, Heriot’s Blues 2nds 5 Report
A full list of results and reports for
all games played this season and the past 18 seasons can be accessed by clicking on the 'Results' link above.
.
Apologies for any bad language that
may be heard during this recording.
.
.
*********
TENNENT’S PREMIERSHIP
P
W
L
D
Pts
Marr RFC
16
14
1
1
69
Currie Chieftains
17
13
4
0
67
Hawick
16
12
3
1
60
SELKIRK
18
9
7
2
49
Aberdeen Grammar
18
8
10
0
39
Jed-Forest
18
6
12
0
36
GHA
18
6
12
0
34
Musselburgh
18
5
11
2
34
Glasgow Hawks
17
5
12
0
32
Edinburgh Accies
16
4
10
2
27
*****************************************
BOOKERS BORDER
LEAGUE (Pool ‘B’)
P
W
L
D
Pts
SELKIRK
3
2
1
0
11
Hawick
1
1
0
0
4
Peebles
1
0
1
0
1
Kelso
1
0
1
0
0
*****************************************
TENNENT’S RESERVE
LEAGUE EAST 1
P
W
L
D
Pts
Hawick Force
16
15
1
0
77
Musselburgh 2nds
16
12
4
0
63
Stew/Mel. 2nds
18
10
8
0
60
SELKIRK ‘A’
17
11
5
1
60
Edin. Accies 2nds
16
7
8
1
53
Heriot's Blues 2nds
15
7
7
1
45
Biggar 2nds
16
7
9
0
44
Currie Chieftains ‘A’
16
5
11
0
38
Boroughmuir 2A
16
3
10
3
33
Jed-Forest ‘A’
16
1
15
0
15
Sponsors
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LOOKING to celebrate in style? Selkirk Rugby Club’s
Philiphaugh Function Suite offers free room hire… and more! Professional DJ and party planner LAYLA ANDERSON is
available to hire for your party requirements. Photos can be projected on the suite’s big screen via our personalised
photo projection package. If you would like to book an event don't hesitate to get in touch with Selkirk Rugby
Club’s bar and events manager LAYLA ANDERSON on 07563 617 471.
… AND A GREAT VENUE FOR WEDDINGS!
The Philiphaugh Function Suite at Selkirk Rugby
Football Club is available to hire for weddings and receptions. Affordable and competitive rates. Professional
wedding decoration design and DJ hire also available. If you would like to book, don't hesitate to get in touch
with Selkirk Rugby Club’s bar and events manager LAYLA ANDERSON on 07563 617 471.
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