The Border League, currently known as the Booker Border League, after its sponsors, includes rugby union teams from all over the Scottish Borders as well as Berwick RFC from Northumberland compete every year from the competition.
The Borders has always been a stronghold of rugby union, coupled with the competitive rivalry that exists between the local Border towns, derbies are something to behold, with the teams fighting for pride as well as league points.
Although originally the premier tournament for its clubs, the formation of a league system in the 1970s means that Border clubs now play in the Scottish League Championship and the Scottish Cup and, although still prestigious, the Border League is now regarded by many of its members as more of a supplementary competition. The current holders are Gala RFC who beat Selkirk RFC in 2016.
By tradition, the two main strongholds of Scottish rugby have been the cluster of towns that flank the River Tweed in the Borders, and the private schools of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Although this situation has changed somewhat, the Borders still exert a disproportionate influence upon the Scottish game, and have made a major contribution to world rugby in the form of rugby sevens.
Between them the two camps have directly or indirectly provided the vast majority of Scotland's international players, but their different traditions have produced an enmity based as much on class as geography.
That tension was evident even in the late Victorian period, when rugby's popularity was growing in both areas. In the Borders where clubs such as Hawick, Gala and Jed Forest were largely working class institutions, there was a resentment of the haughty control exerted by representatives of city schools on the Scottish Football Union (as the SRU was known then).
On more than one occasion, the mutual distrust almost led to the creation of a breakaway group that would have mirrored developments in England, where the rebel Northern League produced the game of rugby league.
The Border sides, however, remained in the Scottish rugby union fold. Yet their desire for more meaningful rugby at a time when the SRU viewed that concept with disdain, was to produce in the 1901–2 season, the Border League, the championship which is now the game's oldest and most established competitive club league.
The League's original members were Gala, Hawick, Langholm, Melrose and Jed Forest. In 1912, Selkirk and Kelso joined to bring the competition up to seven teams, a number which did not change until 1996, when Peebles after years of lobbying, was admitted into the competition.
Throughout its history, the League has been contested on a home and away basis. surviving even the introduction of National Leagues in 1973. Then with a fine sense of irony, the Border clubs opposed the arrival of the national championship, fearful of the effect it would have on their own competition.
By the end of the 1996–7 season, Hawick's 43 Border titles – outright or shared – made them easily the most successful side. Melrose had won 14, Jed Forest six, Kelso five, Selkirk three and Langholm one. Recent innovations have included play-offs, when the League produces a tie, and a points for tries system.
Teams will play their opponents in the pool once each (although all matches are not necessarily completed, due to fixture overcrowding), with the pool winners meeting in the final.
Membership Issues
Following their failure to fulfil any fixtures during 2005–2006, many anticipated Duns RFC withdrawing or being replaced – either by local rivals Earlston RFC, who are the largest Scottish Borders club not to participate in the Border League, or possibly by Eyemouth RFC (who have since disbanded as a league club), St Boswells RFC or Walkerburn RFC who while being far down the national league structure, come from towns currently unrepresented. Calls for Biggar RFC (geographically just outside the Scottish Borders but a major Scottish club) were also made.
However, Duns RFC retained their place, and confirmed their status by playing their first fixture of the season before the National League season had even began. They were resoundingly beaten 62 – 7 by Peebles RFC on Saturday 19 August 2006.#
Duns, failed to make the grade for the following season and were replaced by Haddington RFC from East Lothian who were felt to be a suitable team as they play in Division 2 of the national league set-up.
Melrose Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club located in the town of Melrose in the Scottish Borders. The professional men's side competes in the Super 6 as the "Southern Knights". The club plays at the Greenyards.
Hawick Rugby Football Club is an semi-pro rugby union side, currently playing in the Scottish Premiership and Border League. The club was founded in 1885 and are based at Mansfield Park at Hawick in the Scottish Borders.
Selkirk Rugby Football Club are a rugby union side based in Selkirk in the Borders, Scotland.
Jed-Forest Rugby Football Club are a rugby union team who are based at Riverside Park in Jedburgh.
Kelso Rugby Football Club are a Scottish rugby union team founded in 1876. They play their home games at Poynder Park, Kelso in the Scottish Borders.
Scottish Premiership Division Two is one of Scotland's national rugby union league divisions, and therefore part of the Scottish League Championship – being the middle division in the Scottish Premiership. Until the 2009–10 season, the best teams were promoted to the Scottish Premiership Division One whereas the bottom teams were relegated to the Third Division. Since the 2010–11 season, the division merges with the Scottish Premiership Division One. After 11 matches, the top eight teams in Division One play each other in Premier A. The bottom four teams join the top four teams of Division Two to form Premier B and the bottom eight teams of Division Two form Premier C.
The Scottish National League Division One is the second tier of the Scottish League Championship for amateur rugby union clubs in Scotland.
The Borders Sevens Circuit is a series of rugby sevens tournaments held annually in the Scottish Borders. Originally the circuit consisted of 5 tournaments; Langholm Sevens being the last added in 1908. It is the oldest Sevens circuit in the world; the first Sevens tournament outside Scotland - bar two single Sevens matches in Chorley, England in 1888 and 1889 - was held in the Scottish expatriate city of Dunedin in New Zealand in 1889 and there was no other Sevens tournament clusters elsewhere.
The Scottish Premiership is the highest level of amateur league competition for Scottish rugby union clubs. First held in 1973, it is the top division of the Scottish League Championship. The most recent (2023) champions are Hawick who are also the most successful club who have won the competition thirteen times.
Rugby union in the Scottish Borders has a long, and significant history.
The 2018 Melrose Sevens also known as the Aberdeen Standard Investments Melrose Sevens was the 128th staging of the world's oldest annual Rugby sevens competition at the home of Melrose RFC at the Greenyards in Melrose, Scotland on Saturday 14 April 2018. It was played as a male only competition which featured 24 teams in a single elimination tournament with all the ties from the first round through to the final being played throughout the same day and formed part of the Kings of the Sevens series.
Langholm Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Langholm RFC, in Langholm, Scotland. The Langholm Sevens was the last of the Border Sevens tournaments to be instated in 1908.
Hawick Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Hawick RFC, in Hawick, Scotland. The Hawick Sevens tournament started in 1886 and is the third extant oldest Sevens tournament in the world; behind Melrose Sevens (1883) and Gala Sevens (1884).
Gala Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Gala RFC, in Galashiels, Scotland. The Gala Sevens was the second of the Border Sevens tournaments to be instated in 1884, just behind the Melrose Sevens in 1883.
Jed-Forest Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Jed-Forest RFC, in Jedburgh, Scotland. The Jed-Forest Sevens was the fourth of the Border Sevens tournaments to be instated, in 1894, after the Melrose Sevens (1883), Gala Sevens (1884) and the Hawick Sevens (1885).
Peebles Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Peebles RFC, in Peebles, Scotland. This was one of a group of Sevens tournaments instated after the First World War extending the original Borders Spring Circuit. The Peebles Sevens began in 1923.
Earlston Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Earlston RFC, in Earlston, Scotland. This was one of a group of Sevens tournaments instated after the First World War extending the original Borders Spring Circuit. The Earlston Sevens began in 1923.
Selkirk Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Selkirk RFC, in Selkirk, Scotland. This was one of a group of Sevens tournaments instated after the First World War extending the original Borders Spring Circuit. The Selkirk Sevens began in 1919.
Kelso Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Kelso RFC, in Kelso, Scotland. This was one of a group of Sevens tournaments instated after the First World War extending the original Borders Spring Circuit. The Kelso Sevens began in 1920.
The Scottish Unofficial Championship was the top league of Scotland's best amateur rugby union clubs. The Championship was 'unofficial' as the Scottish Rugby Union held that the sport should remain amateur and at the time did not sanction competitive games between the clubs.
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