Youngsters right back into action with Youth League Cup semi-finals

Young rugby players are getting little chance to rest over the festive period as they prepare for this weekend’s quarter finals of the Scottish Youth League Cups at under-18 and under-16 levels.

At U18 level, Ayr will be favourites against GHA, as will Hawick against Perthshire and Boroughmuir against Granite City. The more difficult call will be in the game at Bridgehaugh where title holders Stirling County take on Melrose Wasps.

Melrose, who expect to have Scotland U18 squad members Christian Townsend and Jake Fairlie back in the side after their training weekend at Largs, warmed up with a Borders semi-junior league match against Tynedale at The Greenyards on Saturday.

The young Melrose side had a comfortable 38-10 win over their Northumberland visitors. The Borderers’ clever handling produced tries for centres Cammie Meager and Roly Brett, scrum half Ross Lile (2), replacement Jamie Lile and full-back Kieran Clark, who also kicked four conversions.

In the U16 quarter-finals, predictions of the outcomes are trickier. Stirling County are away to last season’s beaten finalists Cartha QP, Boroughmuir have home advantage against Mackie Academy FP, and Currie are likewise not required to travel for their game at Malleny Park against Perthshire.

The closest game should be at Volunteer Park in Hawick, where the Greens face a Biggar side who showed their strength in the preliminary round by dismissing Melrose Wasps.

The downside of this flurry of matches is that eight of the sixteen teams involved are unlikely to have much rugby involvement for the remainder of the season.

There are rumours, however, that clubs are being proactive in putting forward plans to counter this post New Year dearth of activity.

What is envisaged is a league to be set up for the Januarymarch period which would bring together the best performing clubs from the existing conferences. That would most likely draw in both Hawick and Melrose, who play in what is becoming a rather sorry-looking Borders semi-junior league, that no longer provides appropriate competition throughout the season.

Part of the problem is that some smaller clubs are unable to field teams, a situation that, worryingly, is replicated elsewhere in Scotland and which poses questions about the health of youth rugby.