With just one day to go until the start of the new-look, 12-team Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership there is still talk about which players will be playing for who and what impact Super6/Series players will have on the league.
With the first matchday squads now out we have a bit of a clearer picture, but it really will not be until Saturday evening when we see the first results come in that we will get a feel for how things are going to go.
With the part-time professional Super Series competition now defunct, Scottish Rugby has expanded what was a 10-team club top flight to 12 and given the first ‘club’ XVs of Super Series franchises Southern Knights (Melrose) and Watsonians places at the top table.
As a result, there are now teams from Heriot’s, last year’s National One champions Ayr, Melrose and Watsonians who have recent Super6/Series links.
The competition is likely to be strengthened as a result with these teams, Hawick, reigning champions Currie Chieftains, Marr, Kelso, Edinburgh Accies, Musselburgh, Selkirk and Glasgow Hawks battling it out over 22 regular season games between now and March.
They are all aiming to get into the top four and the title play-offs whilst avoiding the bottom three relegation spots.
Here are 12 talking points ahead of the Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership campaign for 2024-25…
A team full of Super6/Series experience could see Ayr float to the top
Although Ayr are technically coming into the league as the National One winners from last term, they have managed to keep/bring in a lot of the Ayrshire Bulls Super Series players.
Players like James Malcolm, Ed Bloodworth, Lewis McNamara, captain Blair Macpherson, Bobby Beattie and Jamie Shedden will lead the way in this regard and if they can get motoring early on they could be hard to stop, especially with the strength-in-depth they have.
Chieftains will not give the silverware away easily
Having lost the previous two Premiership finals, Currie Chieftains finally got their hands on the trophy at the end of last season when they saw off Hawick in the final down in the Borders.
They know there are some big teams coming into the league, but they are the holders and have a proud tradition at this level. It will be fascinating to see them go up against Super Series-influenced teams like Ayr and they do that in week one tomorrow at 4.10pm live on BBC ALBA. Watch out for the back-row of Rhys Davies, Sam Cardosi and Ed Hasdell.
Kent is one to watch for Edinburgh Accies
Edinburgh Accies will have been frustrated to finish seventh last year having been in the play-offs the two previous seasons, but they did reach the Scottish Cup final to show what they can do on their day.
They have managed to keep the majority of their squad from last year and in centre Robbie Kent they have a classy performer who is key to everything that they do in attack. Forwards Struan Whittaker and Kieran Slingsby carry well too.
Ashe and Walker linking up to help the forwards at Hawks
Glasgow Hawks issue has often been that they have helped young talents through and then they have been picked up higher in the chain and it has sometimes made consistent selection difficult.
They were eighth last year, but in Andy Hill they have a very passionate coach and he has brought in former Scotland cap Adam Ashe to work with current internationalist Murphy Walker, who was already at the club, to help with the forwards. It will be interesting to see how the pack goes under their guidance.
Fascinating to see what Chunk brings to Hawick
Allan ‘Chunk’ Jacobsen is one of the most well-recognised faces on the Scottish rugby scene and it is great to see the former Edinburgh Rugby and Scotland prop involved in the club game with Hawick.
His coaching experience to date is limited, but there is no doubt that his scrummaging expertise are right up there and if he can help his pal and fellow ex-internationalist Scott Macleod get the Hawick set piece purring then maybe they will be able to keep up with the ‘big guns’.
Heriot’s could well be right up there
During the Super6/Series period Heriot’s were the only club with a franchise who managed to get their ‘club’ first XV back into the top flight until Ayr did it a few months ago.
When you put some of those first team players together with a strong core of Super Series-remainers then you have a strong squad who are coached by the experienced Bob McKillop.
If this team clicks, could the golden days be heading back to Goldenacre?
Harry could carry well for Kelso
Kelso surprised many, but not themselves, by earning a play-off spot last season following their promotion and they will be out to gibe a few sides a bloody nose this time around.
In front of large crowds at Poynder Park they will certainly be tough to beat and the support there should take instantly to number eight Harry Borthwick who used to play there in the youths and was excellent for the Southern Knights in the Super6/Series when not injured. He will carry ball all day long.
How will Marr get on post-Conor Bickerstaff?
When Marr came up through the regional leagues and up to this level Conor Bickerstaff was one of their main drivers and one of their main sources of tries.
He has now retired and their attack will need another focal point, but there is plenty of experience in that backline including Conor’s brother Scott and Colin Sturgeon.
At the start of this season Sturgeon has moved out from 10 to 12 so it is a big chance for Calum Inglis at fly-half.
Watch out for the Weirs and a Townsend at Melrose
Melrose and their Super6/Series franchise never seemed to quite be on the same page and, ahead of this new era at The Greenyards, they seem to be the team who has kept the least of their most recent part-time professional cohort.
Still, that will give chances to local youngsters, something that Melrose have always prided themselves on.
The wider squad this year included Doddie Weir’s sons Angus and Ben and Gregor Townsend’s son Luke who has returned from Heriot’s.
Musselburgh always punch above their weight
Two seasons ago Musselburgh completed a ‘great escape’ to stay in the top flight while last year they pushed on and nearly made the play-offs.
They are a community club based in East Lothian who perhaps do not have the resources of some other clubs in this division, but they have a great club spirit and a desire to play for the jersey.
When you add to that some quality players and an attacking style then no team will get away from Stoneyhill with an easy win in the coming months.
It could be tough for Selkirk, but they have a shrewd head coach
Selkirk finished ninth last term and in many peoples’ eyes they may be one of the favourites for one of the bottom three relegation spots.
They have been able to bring in a few new faces and have an experienced, local spine to their team though and they certainly won’t be easy to beat.
And in Gordon Henderson they have an experienced head coach at the helm who has coached at many different levels and certainly doesn’t mind rolling his sleeves up and is up for the fight.
Coetzer could light up the top flight
South African-born full-back Dom Coetzer became known in Super6/Series in recent years for his slaloming runs and eye for a gap from the back.
He is still at Watsonians as they enter this new Premiership era and if his team-mates can get him enough ball he could be up there in the try scoring stakes.
Up front, the physicality of Luis Ball and Kwagga van Niekirk could help set them apart from opponents in some matches.
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