With all the palaver at Edinburgh Gunners / Rugby / Circus No-stars, the Scottish domestic season has crept up rather quietly a few pre-season matches and no real coverage has made it difficult to judge what differences have been made in the close season.
Premier 1, now sponsored by Scottish Hydro-Electric, has gone back to 12 teams after a solitary year as a 10 team league. The experiment was barely allowed to bed in before it was ended. Proponents had hoped that a smaller top flight would concentrate talent and raise the quality of the rugby. Opponents, for all intents and purposes seemed simply determined to get their teams into the league by dint of a re-organisation, when they had failed to earn it on the field.

One note of interest is the geographical spread of the clubs, using the old District system;

EDINBURGH (5): Boroughmuir, Currie, Edinburgh Academicals, Heriot's and Watsonians

GLASGOW (3): Ayr, GHA, Glasgow Hawks

BORDERS (2): Hawick, Melrose

NORTH & MIDLANDS (2): Dundee HSFP, Stirling County

The demise of the Borders as a force in Scottish Rugby, either at club level or at pro-level is possibly the result of 2 unrelated phenomena, the death of the Border textile industry and the arrival of pro-rugby.

Players who are ambitious need to be seen to do well at the top level in the Scottish game to have a chance of a pro-contract, staying loyal to your home town team may no longer benefit these guys.

The expansion of tertiary education sees players gravitating toward Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee. All these cities have benefited from an influx of "country" boys.

In particular Glasgow's representation is back to three after a season with GHA in Prem 2.

Last season Ayr played well at Millbrae but struggled away from home. There has been a retention of the core group and a few players have been acquired who are certainly capable of taking points off of anyone at home. String a few wins away and there's no reason they should not be challenging for the League. Ayr should finish in the top 4.

Last year Hawks slow start made a 4th championship impossible as the team was reconstructed by Davy Wilson after a load of players retired or went pro. As the team started to play together they won more than they lost and ultimately were on fire in their Cup winning run, which saw them beat Edinburgh Accies at Murrayfield. The side should be stronger from the start, although opening against the Champions away is a problem.

Currie were outstanding last season and by all accounts have strengthened their squad. I don’t believe it will be a canter but it is difficult to see beyond the men from gloomy Malleny over the course of 22 games. I think Hawks will finish 3rd behind Currie and Watsonians in that order.

GHA have bounced back, courtesy of reconstruction, but they are welcome back no less. The possibility of 6 derby games this season is great and hopefully they will attract some support. Third of the promoted sides they were very much in the shadow of a rampant Edinburgh Accies (An historic return to the top of Scottish Rugby for the country’s oldest club) and a County side who should not have gone down the previous season.

GHA will struggle, and staying up should be their priority but they look the weakest side in the league and I think they will finish last, but I'm prepared to eat my words.

Ayr v Dundee HSFP
Ayr’s big pack should provide the platform necessary to dominate a lighter Dundee side, I can’t see anything other than a home win.

Currie v Glasgow Hawks
A championship decider? No, too early but this will indicate if the title will remain in Edinburgh for a 2nd season. It hurts to say this but Currie will win this on their own midden.

GHA v Stirling County
There are worse ties to start the season, they know County and if they are to survive this is a must win. I think they will.

Scottish Hydro-Electric Premier 2

The balance of power in Prem 2 is definitely in Glasgow’s favour. With 5 sides in the division there are 20 derby matches the first of which will be on Saturday.

Hills v West
Not only a Glasgow derby but a real West End classic both will be trying to mount a real challenge, but the difficulty lies in building a side in the shadow of Hawks. That said West gave a good account of themselves in the cup against Hawks last year, but home advantage should see Hills home. Playing in front of the old Hughenden stand for at least season.

Musselburgh v Hamilton
Hamilton are ambitious, they have in recent years modernised and whilst in the past they would be happy for players to move on to further their ambitions, they now have a desire to give players the opportunity nearer to home. If Biggar did it, then why not?

Haddington v CQP
Cartha are such a friendly club that you forget you are in the Sooside, only kidding. They are a fantastically run club and they could have a great run this year. Certainly they are capable of giving Haddington a game but home advantage could see CQP wait until next week to open their points account.

Selkirk v Biggar
Biggar should be competing for promotion, they have had a taste and beat some fancied sides at Hartreemill. Selkirk should prove a limited opposition to them.

Scottish Hydro-Electric Premier 3

Irvine and Ardrossan Academicals represent Ayrshire and the west's interest in this division. They could well be out of their depth and only time will tell.

Irvine v Perthshire
A home win, to create a bit of a false dawn.

Murrayfield Wanderers v Ardrossan Academicals
Mortgage the house and put your money on Wanderers, Accies are about to discover the difference from National to premier rugby.

This article was posted on 31-Aug-2007, 18:38 by Hugh Barrow.