THE HERALD REPORTS

Berwick turn to national pride in quest to reach Scottish Cup final

KEVIN FERRIE, Chief rugby writer April 05 2006

BERWICK are taking inspiration from Scotland's Calcutta Cup defeat of England as they prepare for a BT Scottish Cup semi-final against Currie on Saturday week.
Although based in the English town, Gary Holburn, their captain, has made it clear where their loyalties lie, not least because two players who learned the game at their Scremerston ground played roles in Scotland's RBS 6 Nations win over England in February.
Craig Smith and Gavin Kerr, Holburn's fellow front-row forwards, were members of the Scotland team that beat England and France this season, and their ties to the club they came from remain close. "Craig was the second person who shook my hand after our win at Goldenacre [against Heriot's in the cup quarter-finals] on Saturday and we expect to see a bit more of Gav now he is moving from Leeds to the Borders," said Holburn.
"They are lads who have never been lost to the club. Gav's mum works at the bar so has kept us in touch with what he has been up."
Following Saturday's win at Heriot's, which took them into the semis, Holburn believes his men, who have also seen off first division Stirling County, can continue their progress by knocking Currie out to book another return trip to Edinburgh for the final on April 29.
Having helped with the draw at Murrayfield, he and Alan Gibbon, his Cartha QP counterpart, had only themselves to blame for forcing their teams to do it the hard way to become the latest second-division side to follow in the footsteps of 1998 winners Glasgow Hawks, 1999 winners Gala and 2000 winners Boroughmuir.
While Gibbon and Holborn were disappointed at not having a home draw, there was no sense of despondency and Berwick's captain even suggested the best outcome for the competition could be for the second division sides to go through. "It might be better for us and Cartha to be at Murrayfield because we will bring a crowd," he said.

DRAW
BT Cup
Semi-finals Currie v Berwick, Watsonians v Cartha Queen's Park
BT Shield
Semi-finals West of Scotland v Dumfries, RHC or Ellon v Falkirk or Perthshire

This article was posted on 5-Apr-2006, 07:28 by Hugh Barrow.