THE SCOTSMAN REPORTS
Hawick unhappy as Heriot's swoop again
DAVID FERGUSON

HERIOT'S have been criticised for trying to turn Division 1 rivals Hawick into their own "feeder club" after adding another Hawick player, Graham Scott, to the three signed last summer.

The Goldenacre club now have Bob McKillop in charge, the coach having been lured to the capital in the summer from under the noses of Glasgow Hawks. He has made Roddy Deans the 1st XV captain, the flanker having impressed since leaving Mansfield Park last year along with Cammy Bruce and John Houston for Heriot's, largely due to the pressures they felt of living and working in Edinburgh and making a three-hour round trip to Hawick several times a week.

Like many clubs in rural towns, the once-dominant Hawick have suffered through migration to Scottish cities, but Terence Froud, the new Greens president, believes it is unnecessary. He said: "Bob has tried to entice three of our regular forwards, Bruce McNeil, Graham Scott and Jamie Parker, though only Graham has agreed to go.

"It is very disheartening to think we're becoming a feeder club for Heriot's, who'll take a clutch of our best players each year. We have worked hard to attract people and sponsorship to our academy and for what? So that players head off to city clubs offering flats and jobs as soon as they turn senior? I have no problem with players moving if they are unhappy where they are, and if they move to the professional teams then the work we've done to help get them there is rewarded [financially].

"But no-one from Heriot's has approached us and I think it's time we had a protocol in the game to deal with transfers."

Scott, a 23-year-old who can play hooker and prop, told The Scotsman: "I am born and bred in Hawick and this was a very difficult decision to make, but I have lived in Wellington, New Zealand, in the past two years and grown to love city life. This is a lifestyle decision. I want to live and work in Edinburgh, and having a chance to continue my rugby with Heriot's just made it really."

As is common at this time of year, McKillop has been active in recruiting new players: prop Kenny Blyth from Murrayfield Wanderers, Jamie McCall, the lock, from West of Scotland, and a quartet from McKillop's old club Stirling County will join Scott. McKillop admitted he was keen to strengthen the squad to challenge reigning champions Glasgow Hawks, but insisted many of the new signings had come to him rather than him seeking them.

He added: "I have come from Dunfermline and Stirling, provincial clubs who lose players to the city, and so I understand and feel for Hawick and other clubs losing players. There is no doubt that the natural flow of young people to Edinburgh makes recruitment an easier job here - we've had good CVs coming in from students heading up from England for example.

"I admire Hawick as a club and agree with Terence that it's vital clubs develop their own youth and Heriot's are developing that side of the club. For that reason, I have mixed feelings about the four young lads coming to Heriot's from Stirling, but that's a

This article was posted on 3-Aug-2006, 07:16 by Hugh Barrow.