WE might squabble even more than that lot down in the Borders, and our little local differences make Gala and Hawick seem like bosom buddies - ABA (Anyone But Ayr) is the sub-text to inter-club rivalry in God's County.
But, Saturday was a guid day for the Burns Country, with Ayr completing their league and cup double and Marr winning the RBS Shield. However, THE big result of the day wasn't posted at Murrayfield, but at Kilmacolm, where Cumnock beat Birkmyre to wrap-up the West Division IV league title.
Unbeaten with 15 wins from their 156 games so far, Cumnock have two ambitions left for Saturday's final game of the season, at home to Cowal: the first is to win the game and complete a perfect league season, the second is to score the 48 points they need to average 50 points per game.
If I can round-up enough bodyguards, I just might take-in this game (I've got one or two little local difficulties with fatwas against me in Scumnock).
Of course, Cumnock ought never to have been in that division. That said,. they got out of it in style and hopefully it is now a case of onwards and upwards for a club which has in the likes of el Presidente Jim Morrison and Head Coach Stevie Miller, some great guys.
MEANWHILE, two other of the good guys from the Front Five Club, Ayr Director of Rugby Jock Craig and Marr Captain Stephen Adair's day big Tony, are doubtless still celebrating Saturday's success.
Jock has been a tower of strength around Millbrae these past 50 years. Guys like Auchlin are the backbone of Scottish rugby, whilst there are few as funny or as outgoing in the game as Tony.
Enjoy the days guys.
PERHAPS Craig Chalmers deserved to leave Murrayfield as a winner, but, he didn't. The wee man has long been a gift to journalists, he wears his heart on his sleeve, he occasionally puts his foot in his mouth, but, he cares - deeply - about rugby and about Melrose.
OK, he's maybe his own worst enemy, apparently at the head of a long list of these in the Borders, but, in NOT bringing him inside the Murrayfield professional tent lang syne, I feel various SRU managements have boobed.
I wish him well in Oxfordshire.
Now, surely after guiding Ayr to a league and cup double, Ayr Coach Kenny Murray deserves his shot at the big time. Or will the SRU, whose guiding principle after all is to support and encourage Scottish rugby and Scottish rugby talent, again look for some foreigner as the new Edinburgh coach? Probably aye.
GOOD luck too to another departing weel-kent face, as John Barclay prepares to exchange Glasgow for Llanelli. Well, he'd better be ready for culture shock, the Sospans make your average citizen of Hawick look like a cultured old Etonian.
After nearly a decade at Glasgow, John will be nane the waur o a chinge o air and will, I feel, do well in South Wales.
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