Hawick Harlequins RFC

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HISTORY

George Watson Fraser, a friend and colleague for over forty years, was a person of many qualities, who was respected by all who knew him. He was a man, who whilst devoted to his family, found time to show concern for those less fortunate than himself, as an Elder of Trinity Church and many other associations.

Watson joined the Quins in 1946, when he was elected to the committee, where he held many positions including that of secretary. His knowledge and enthusiasm helped the Club to the position it holds today. It was largely due to the endeavours that the first sojourn to Wales by a Hawick junior club transpired, when the Quins travelled to Swansea in 1950 and the club was elected to the Border Junior League the same year.

He ceased to be an active member of the committee when he was invited to report on the senior team games for the local press. This was a challenge he couldn’t resist and with his knowledge of the game and gift of expression soon proved himself most successful in this field.

Hawick Harlequins Rugby Football Club, an impressive title for a Club widely known as the “Cinderallas” of Hawick rugby. Yet by no means an inept description when one considers their beginning fifty years ago.

These were the darkest days of the post “Great War” depression, in the wake of the 1926 General Strike with millions unemployed. Hawick was no better off in this respect, as the knitwear industry was not so widely established. Among this vast array of unemployed were many young men who had been born, or were at school, in the war years. The luckier ones found employment and served their apprenticeship in the “Tweeds” or in knitwear, but having completed their training they frequently found that they were no longer required and so joined the dole queue.

Hawick Harlequins came into being in these depressing circumstances. “Came into being” is a more accurate description than “were formed.” To say the club were “formed” implies a degree of formality which was not the case in the birth of the Harlequins.

The founders of the Quins were just a bunch of youngsters, seeking ways and means of filling in time. They had no particular intention of becoming an “organised” club. Some no doubt dreamt of becoming internationalists, or even playing for Hawick, but most not even the intention of becoming proficient players. But they had time on their hands, “the Ludge” was always available for a pitch and for a practice game, the Millers Knowes. With so many unemployed there was no shortage of “players” and one way or another a ball could be aquired so they had all the necessary ingredients.

Where the “funds” came from to provide the first ball and jerseys cannot be ascertained but it seems the former was purchased from money raised by “going round doors.” The jerseys must have posed a problem but it is known that the local businessmen were sympathetically disposed to such appeals.

Harlequins fully established themselves in 1930/31, in these early days the team did not enjoy a full fixture list and seem to have played teams who have long since disappeared from the scene, many of whom had only a brief existence. Quins of course, were not in any league and so played with any team they could get a fixture. The early opponents included four Hawick sides now defunct-Albion, Albert, Institute and Waverley and one whose name has not, but which later re-appeared as a new club in 1955/56, Wanderers. Abe Butler, a founder member, reckons that their first “away” game was at Denholm. Most of the villages around had an odd game or two usually “out of season,” but they have long since disappeared.

The first tangible success the Quins enjoyed came in 1938 at Langholm junior sports when they carried off the Murray Shield. They fielded two sevens but the “B” team went out in the first round to Fettes. The “A” seven struggled in their opening tie against Carlisle, largely because of injury to Alec Telfer (father of Hawick and Scotland stand-off Colin). Substitutes were not permitted during a tie in those days, but in the next round they were able to field Bert Turnbull who already played in the beaten Linden seven and who had already been a Quins player. They then defeated Langholm “B” 12-3, Edinburgh Accies “A” 11-8 and in an exciting final overcame Edinburgh Accies “B” 16-13 in extra time. The seven was, Bert Turnbull, Ronnie Burns, Jim Lumsden, John “Sunner” Coltman, Stewart Coltman, Cecil Froud, John Robson. Turnbull was a substitute for Alec Telfer from the second round. Of those eight fine young players two were to pay the supreme sacrifice in the war that was to follow eighteen months later. Ronnie Burns and Bert Turnbull were killed while serving with the RAF.

Three of the others, Lumsden, Coltman and Froud, went on to become regular senior players though their careers were interrupted by the war. Stewart Coltman of course went on to gain five Scottish caps and both he and Froud were honoured with the captaincy of the Green.

THE RENWICKS

Practically ever since the Harlequins were resuscitated after the war there has been a Renwick somewhere in the team or on the committee, Jim is obviously the best known. The first was Addie, recruited from the A.T.C. a team which disappeared when semi-junior and junior clubs restarted. Similar in build to Jim, he had many of the same skills as the latter. Quins normally played him at centre where he attracted the attention of the Hawick selectors. He progressed to the Hawick team where he usually played on the wing and was a member of the fifteen that won the Border League and were runners-up in the unofficial championship under the captaincy of Robin Charters. Addie was still a Greens regular under captain Jack Heggarty which won the Border League and Scottish Championship in 1959/60, and repeated it the following season. A shoulder injury put him out of the game for a long spell and after “hanging up his boots,” took on the job of Quins Club coach.

He attended coaching courses at Murrayfield but found these hard but valuable. Charlie Renwick played most of his junior rugby with the YM and like brother Addie, also made his mark in senior rugby. Normally a fullback he had all the requisites for that role. He to played for Hawick in the great 1959/60 season and indeed might have made the fullback his own but for the fact that the “sitting tenant” was Jim Gray. Like many another fullback Charlie was capable of filling the stand-off berth for he had safe hands and good “feet.” He came into his own in sevens wgere his “dummy” found many takers.

He came back to Quins as coach but because of shiftwork he found it difficult and was appointed Quins representative on the S.D.U. where he was elected to the selection committee. From another branch of the Renwick family came Kenneth, Alex and Leslie, brothers and cousins of the aforementioned.

Kenneth played only a short time for Quins before emigrating to South Africa but up till then was regarded as a youngster with potential.

Alex “Pecker” vied with Leslie for the scrum-half berth, the latter ultimately getting the vote but Alex frequently filled in at centre or stand-off, indeed he played intermittently for ten years before a rib injury forced him to call a halt.

Leslie was a gutsy scrum-half whom many regarded as unlucky not to be given a run in the senior side his occasional appearances there never really giving him the opportunity to show his proper abilities. He played also at stand-off and full-back and was an above average utility player in the back division. “moose” as he was familiarly known, was an inspiring captain led by example. He was a good exponent of the “short” game and played in many good Quins sevens.

INTERNATIONALISTS

Donald Maltman, Stewart Coltman, Norman Davidson, Alex Valentine and Jim Renwick.