It’s back! South of Scotland take on Caledonia Reds this evening at Jedburgh’s Riverside Park, the first time the teams have met for fourteen years.
Players from the best club sides from either region make up the teams this evening. Coached by Dundee High Rugby head coach Colin Sangster assisted by Niall Lear and Craig Deacons, Caledonia Reds represent all rugby north of Forth and Stirlingshire and have picked a “State of Origin” style team of players currently playing club rugby in Scotland in a 22-strong squad.
For South of Scotland tonight is only the third time this century a South XV made up of club players in the Scottish Borders will don the red and white hooped jersey. Coaches Kevin Barrie (Jed-Forest) and Chris Dalgleish (Gala) have selected six players from Gala in the starting line-up, with four each from Jedforest and Hawick and two from Selkirk.
With District pride at stake it promises to be an absorbing encounter at Riverside Park, as some of Scotland’s best club players get a rare opportunity to test themselves at a higher level.
Caledonia Reds squad: Forwards: Greig Ryan (Ellon/Aberdeenshire, capt), John Cox (Ellon/ Aberdeenshire), Lewis Skinner (Larbert HS/Falkirk), Nicki Fraser (Ellon/Aberdeenshire), Alan Brown (Harris Academy/Dundee High), Andrew Simpson (Hillfoots/Falkirk), Andrew Cook (Aberdeenshire), Connor MacFarlane (Grangemouth/Aberdeenshire), Campbell Cunningham (Grangemouth/Royal Navy), Jack Eaglesham (Ross and Sutherland/Falkirk), Chris Jollands (High School of Dundee/Aberdeen Grammar), Aubrey McCube (Grangemouth/Boroughmuir).
Backs: Peter Jerevich (Garioch/GHA), Andrew Dymock (Dundee High), Liam Brims (Caithness/Falkirk), Graeme Clow (Perthshire/Currie), Sam Knudson (Aberdeen Grammar), DJ Innes (Grangemouth/Watsonians), Erlend Oag (Perthshire/Glasgow Hawks), Jordan Webster 9Kirkcaldy/Heriots), Angus Rennie (Gordon Schools/Falkirk), Jacob Adamson (Dollar/Falkirk).
South of Scotland squad:
15 LEWIS YOUNG (Jedforest) 14 GRAHAM SPEIRS (Gala) 13 GREGOR YOUNG (Jedforest) 12 LEE ARMSTRONG (Hawick) 11 DARREN CLAPPERTON (Selkirk) 10 GREGOR HUNTER (Gala) CAPTAIN 9 SEAN GOODFELLOW (Jedforest) 1 SHAWN MUIR (Hawick) 2 MATT CARRYER (Gala) 3 CHRIS KEEN (Gala) 4 GREGOR LAW (Jedforest) 5 ANDREW RENWICK (Selkirk) 6 GRAHAM LOUW (Gala) 7 STUART GRAHAM (Hawick) 8 BRUCE McNEIL (Hawick) VICE CAPTAIN REPLACEMENTS 16 CALLUM MacKINTOSH (Hawick) 17 CONNOR HOGG (Jedforest) 18 CURTIS REYNOLDS (Gala) 19 IAN WALLACE (Kelso) 20 CHRIS WEIR (Gala) 21 ANDREW TAIT (Kelso) 22 ROSS NIXON (Selkirk) 23 CRAIG ROBERTSON (Gala)
Kick-off is at 7.30pm.
Admission is on the gate. Adults £10/Concessions £5/U16s free.
Parking £2 – Only Car Park Entrance is the North entrance.