The Scotsman

Hardie awaits Hawick outing after completing three-month ban

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John Hardie will try again to restart his career this afternoon with an outing for Hawick after last week’s match was postponed.

The 29-year-old Edinburgh Rugby and Scotland backrow has been free from his three-month suspension for eight days, and with Edinburgh’s next match on 9 February he will want to put in a good showing for the Greens against Boroughmui­r.

It is not just a big day for Hardie, but for the two clubs. A win for eighth-placed Hawick would pull them further away from the bottom two spots, but a Muir victory would reel the Borders club back into the battle. Edinburgh have also released Darcy Graham to Hawick for the clash and he starts at full-back. Tom Gracie comes in at tighthead prop for the visitors to Mansfield Park, with Matt Walker in the backrow as Dan Marek is with the Scotland under-20s.

Marr are bottom and running out of time to stay up. As they host leaders Melrose, Mackenzie Pearce starts in the back-row with toby buchanan at full-back. mel rose’ s talisman Fraser Thomson returns at full-back while teenage talent Rory Darge is on the bench.

Ayr travel to Goldenacre to take on a Heriot’s side who have slipped out of the top four, with Scott Lyle at 10 for the visitors, and Frazier Climo moving to centre. Elliot Millar-mills, released by Edin- burgh, is at loosehead prop for Heriot’s. Struan Dewar returns on the bench.

Third-placed Currie Chieftains go to Stirling County with fit-again cocaptain Fergus Scott at hooker, while County have Cyprus internatio­nal Stef Yarrow in the second-row.

Watsonians will look to keep up their play-off push against Glasgow Hawks.

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