THSCOTSMAN REPORTS

david ferguson
CLUTCHING optimism through a challenging RBS Six Nations was a trifling challenge for the Scottish Rugby Union's president when set alongside the emotional wringer he may endure as club delight and heartache is felt today.

The battle to remain in Division One will be fought out by Edinburgh Accies, who must beat Heriot's at Goldenacre, and GHA, who are a point ahead of Accies but can ensure of their top-flight status by winning at Stirling County. Glasgow Hawks should have been well clear, but results could still conspire to leave them a worrying finish.

The more upbeat contest lies atop the Second Division where three clubs are vying to end lengthy periods in the shadows of the country's top clubs.

Selkirk currently lead West of Scotland at the top of the table by a point, but the Souters travel to third-placed Biggar, and the hosts are acutely aware that a home win would return the Lanarkshire town back among Scottish rugby's elite. West host bottom club Hillhead/Jordanhill and will be expected to claim maximum points and seal their long-awaited return to Division One. If they lose, but Selkirk beat or draw with Biggar, the Burnbrae side will still be promoted. So the heat is on at Hartreemill to decide the other team promoted, which makes it a particularly difficult day for George Jack, the SRU president. Jack lives in the Ettrick Valley above Selkirk, was headteacher at Selkirk High School for nearly 24 years, coached school teams and so helped many of the current Selkirk squad – 14 of today's XV are local – to grow up. He still helps coach an under-15 team.

Yet, in 16 years at Hartreemill he was a leading light in Biggar's rise from the depths of national league rugby to become a widely-respected force among the top clubs in Scotland. Jack was Biggar's first coach, bringing them up through seven divisions, and remains a club member there too. "It is certainly going to be an exciting day," he said. "But I would start at this point last year, where both clubs were on the verge of relegation – Biggar survived only on points difference over Gala. So, what a tremendous turnaround for both clubs in a year."

There is a similar tale in Division Three of clubs striving to return from whence they came with Gala and Peebles fighting it out for the title.

Peebles can be caught by third-placed Kirkcaldy were the Borderers to lose at home to Livingston by more than seven points and score fewer than four tries, and the Fifers to beat fourth-placed Dunfermline by a probable margin of 130 points. A Borders shoot-out for silverware seems more likely.

Gala are at home to sixth-placed Ellon, but after scoring 95 points against the Wanderers Peebles have the better points difference, by 37, so if both teams were to win, but Gala fail to secure a bonus point, Peebles would be crowned Division Three champions this afternoon at the Gytes.

This article was posted on 29-Mar-2008, 08:34 by Hugh Barrow.