Safari so good for Harky as team look to ground Hawks

Fraser Harkness went on the prowl at Hughenden last week before jetting off to join the Samurai Barracudas Safari Sevens in Nairobi..

Published on Friday 21 September 2012 13:10

THERE’S no such thing as a big game in Selkirk coach Brian Cassidy’s book – they are all big games.

Nevertheless, Cass’s men have been working extra hard this week as National League high-flyers Glasgow Hawks prepare to swoop on Philiphaugh.

“All the games in this league are big and they should all be quite tight,” he told The Wee Paper.

“Hawks have been clocking up the tries, though, and our defence has not been as good as I’d hoped this season, so we have been working on tightening things up this week.

“Saying that, we have had the best start we have had for the last few years. Because of this there is a great deal of spirit in the squad, which in turn makes them train harder and their fitness is good.”

Meanwhile, Selkirk’s globe-trotting full back Fraser Harkness will be missing from the home team line-up for this weekend’s top-of-the-table clash.

The Scotland sevens star has accepted an invitation to play for the Samurai Barracudas team at the Safari Sevens in Nairobi, which takes place today and tomorrow.

Speaking about his trip earlier this week, Harkness said: “It’s a great opportunity and I’m really excited about going.

“The Barracudas are taking the place of Russia in what has become a top international tournament. I’ve already played for the Samurai seven at tournaments in Glasgow, Cardiff and Liverpool, but this one promises to be a little bit more exotic.”

Funnily enough, Harkness won’t be the first Selkirk player to appear at the Safari Sevens, as a team from Selkirk was invited to the inaugural tournament in 1996, which was won by the Public School Wanderers team, who defeated Zimbabwe in the final.

This article was posted on 21-Sep-2012, 13:31 by Hugh Barrow.