SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY REPORTS

Can the Blair effect help new boys Accies keep red hot Currie at bay?
IAIN MORRISON
WHILE Scotland's pro-teams don't kick off their Magners League campaign for three weeks, the newly-named Scottish Hydro Electric club leagues get underway on Saturday and it promises to be a fascinating season.

Currie defied the odds to pick up their first title last time out and coach Ally Donaldson is optimistic that his side will be in the mix at the business end of this year's competition. The Malleny club have not been over-active on the recruitment front and the local sponsor John Connor may prove to be the club's best signing of the summer.

"John's financial help is very useful," said Donaldson, "but it hasn't persuaded us to go out and buy a lot of players. If anything our policy is the opposite of that although we have recruited a South African fly-half, Andrew Binikos, to replace Ally Warnock who signed for Edinburgh."

The former European Cup winner Mark Blair and former Scotland A centre David Officer have both hung up their boots but it is encouraging to see them remain in the game, with Blair coaching Currie's forwards while Officer oversees the development of the 2nd XV.

Donaldson insists the title race is wide open with at least half a dozen teams in contention and Boroughmuir are sure to be thereabouts. Iain Paxton has returned to Meggetland, this time as the general manager. The club also picked up former favourite Callum Cusiter when the Borders disbanded and they have given a home to hooker Sean Crombie and Fergus Pringle, the South African lock released by Edinburgh Rugby.

In contrast Ayr have looked abroad to bring some glamour to Millbrae. Prop Stuart Fenwick spent last season with French giants Castres and has returned home with three French backs to boost Ayr's already strong title challenge.

Watsonians led the capital charge last season but have lost the irreplaceable Cammy Mather to retirement while the elusive fullback/wing Matt Couper has returned to Edinburgh Accies whence he came. Accies are also looking forward to using fly-half David Blair (pictured right), brother of Mike, so long as Edinburgh don't need him. With Larkham likely to find employment elsewhere that is no longer quite as certain as it once was but, after several years with Sale Sharks, the former Scotland Under-21 skipper will be a handy asset when available.

Accies are celebrating their 150th anniversary season with matches against Edinburgh University, their original opponents in 1857, the Co-optimists and the Barbarians to mark the moment. As if that were not enough, work is about to start on the development of the ground which will eventually result in brand new facilities although no one is very sure exactly when the work will finish.

The West's challenge will come from Hawks, who look stronger than ever, thanks in part to the return of Aussie Mark Sitch. They have a mini-crisis at fly-half, losing the classy Mike Adamson to Glasgow while Murray Strang has tired of commuting from Edinburgh and joined Heriot's.

At least one Strang will appear on the teamsheet since No.8 brother Grant has moved from Aberdeen to Hawks. Going in the opposite direction is flanker Sandy Warnock, who will lead Grammar's attempt to bounce back to Premier One at the first attempt. Steven Duffy is taking a year out and Max Evans has joined brother Thom in Glasgow's professional ranks but Hawks can still field two former Scotland internationals in wings James Craig and Rory Kerr.

Hawick have lost so many players to rival clubs that the main challenge from the Borders is most likely to come from Melrose who enjoyed a morale-boosting win over Rotherham in their pre-season build up. Craig Chalmers has recruited a couple of Kiwi imports in winger David Rawnsley and centre Glen Stewart alongside two former Border professionals in John Dalziel and Rab Chrystie; the latter being one of those exiled Hawick players.

This article was posted on 26-Aug-2007, 07:00 by Hugh Barrow.