Border Reivers (Rugby)

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Border Reivers
Full name	Border Reivers
Founded	1999
Location	Galashiels, Scotland
Ground	Netherdale
Capacity	6,000
Coach	Steve Bates
League	Magners League
Home colours		Away colours

See also Border Reivers for the historical background.

Border Reivers, Originally known as 'Scottish Borders Rugby' are one of three professional teams in Scotland, Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors being the other two.

Border Reivers will play in the Celtic League, Celtic Cup and the Heineken Cup in the 2006/07 season. They play their home matches at Netherdale (capacity circa 6,000) in Galashiels.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Rugby in the Borders Regions 1.2 Border Reivers and Borders Rugby 2 Notable players 3 Notable coaches 4 See also 5 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Rugby in the Borders Regions

Borders Rugby has many long and proud traditions. The Border League was the first rugby union league to be set up anywhere in the world, and a select South team used to regularly compete against Touring sides from the Southern Hemisphere

Many famous Borders clubs e.g. Gala, Melrose and Hawick play in Scotland's top flight.

[edit] Border Reivers and Borders Rugby

When the Heineken Cup was suggested SRU officials were concerned that the existing and long established Scottish semi-professional club sides could not compete against the best teams from France and England and that by establishing district sides they would be more capable of advancing Professionalism within Scottish Rugby

Scottish Borders Rugby was created in the South district to compete in the Heineken Cup.

Then financial difficulties - the SRU's high debt, partly as a result of the redevelopment of Murrayfield - called for retrenchment. After two seasons, financial difficulties forced the Union to merge the four teams into two. The now renamed "Border Reivers" merged with Edinburgh to form a team to be known as Edinburgh Reivers, causing outrage with the Border rugby fans.

They were resurrected in 2002 as 'The Borders' and joined the second season of the Celtic League.

Since their return as a team in 2002, the Borders failed to make an impression in any competition, finishing bottom of the Celtic League in the 03/04 and 04/05 seasons but after reverting back to the name "Border Reivers" they made a strong start this campaign beating both Scottish rugby rivals Edinburgh and reigning champions the Ospreys

However, their existence remains under threat due to a lack of funds within the Scottish Rugby Union. Some claim that the Reivers suffer due to the SRU's determination, despite poor crowds and results, to make rugby a success in Glasgow (a city traditionally where Football has always been the most popular sport.)

[edit] Notable players

• Chris Cusiter (scrum-half)
• Simon Danielli (wing)
• Gary Armstrong (scrum half, retired 2004)
• Gregor Townsend

[edit] Notable coaches

• Steve Bates

[edit] See also

• Scottish Rugby Union
• Celtic League
• Heineken Cup
• European Challenge Cup
• Border Reivers

[edit] External links

• Official site
• Borders secure Heineken spot with record victory - The Scotsman, May 27, 2006
• Border Reivers video vault on Channel XV
• Scottish rugby union fans forum
• Border Reivers on itsrugby.co.uk