Border League
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| Border League | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Rugby union |
| Founded | 1901 |
| No. of teams | 10 |
| Country(ies) |  Scotland |
| Most recent champion(s) |
Selkirk RFC |
For the defunct baseball league, see Border League (baseball)
The Border League, is the oldest established rugby union league in the World, having been formed in 1901. Currently known as the Borders Solicitors Property Centre Border League, after its sponsors, teams from all over the Scottish Borders compete every year from the competition.
The current holders of the league are Hawick RFC, who beat Selkirk RFC on May 8, 2007 to secure their 49th championship.
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 Hydro Electric League Championship and the Scottish Hydro Electric Cup and, although still prestigious, the Border League is now regarded by many of its members as more of a supplementary competition.
Contents |
[edit] Borders Solicitors Property Centre Border League, 2007-2008
[edit] Pool ADetails: [1] |
[edit] Pool BDetails: [2] |
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.
[edit] 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.
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