The South (Side) May Rise Again

WHEN GHA edged-out Ayr in a three x 30 minute periods pre-season game, I was impressed by some of their rugby. The hand of James Eddie is very-much in evidence as he makes his way in coaching, and I resolved to keep an eye on the Braidholm Bunch as the season unfolded.

James Eddie - his fingerprints are all over GHA's good start

OK, these are still early days, but, GHA – the unlikeliest amalgamation ever – prior to Dennis Skinner voting with the Tories – are today sitting atop National League 1, following bonus-point wins in their two opening league fixtures – a local derby with Cartha-Queen's Park, and, on Saturday, a thumping 83-19 home win over Stewart's-Melville. That gives them a points difference advantage over similarly unbeaten, bonus-point collecting Selkirk and Edinburgh Academical, with Gala a further point away in fourth.

GHA travel to Riverside to face Jed-Forest on Saturday, and a win there will mark them down, even this early, as genuine contenders.

But, the interesting story from Braidholm slipped somewhat beneath the radar this past week. This was the appointment of Fergus Wallace to the new role of Business Development Manager. Fergus needs no introduction to Scottish rugby, and in particular Glasgow rugby. He did a lot of good work in business development for Warriors and with his network of connections, not to mention the Hutchie and OA old boys network in the Glasgow business community – this could be a great move for the club.

Fergus Wallace - an interesting recruit by GHA

It also indicates, as some of us have been thinking, that perhaps Braidholm, rather than Old Anniesland, might be the place to look to, for the possible home of the Glasgow Super Six club. For all their on-field success, Hawks has always been seen as perhaps the unfortunate outcome of a drunken fumble between youthful and somewhat irresponsible members of those two feuding neighbours, either side of the Anniesland hedge.

Some, even committed Hawks men, have said to me, the reactionary decision to allow GA and GHK to climb out of the District Leagues into the Nationals has, if not entirely killed-off, then undermined the Hawks project. There are suggestions that Hawks may not even try for the Glasgow Super Six franchise, in which case, GHA are the next-best-placed club to go for it.

They own their ground, they already have a good infrastructure, and they certainly have real rugby men within their organisation who know where the bodies are buried. Keep your eyes on Braidholm over the next couple of seasons is my advice.

IN NATIONAL League 2, newly-promoted Dumfries Saints have taken to their new status like ducks to water, following-up their excellent opening day win at Whitecraigs, with a first home win, in which they put 50 points on Preston Lodge, to leave themselves top of the table, with ten points from two bonus-point wins. Also on ten are Kirkcaldy, who, after opening with a win in the Fife Derby against Howe, travelled to Peebles and won again.

NATIONAL LEAGUE 3 is headed by Gordonians, who have scored more than 60 points in each of their first two matches, to take a points difference lead over newly-promoted Newton Stewart, Murrayfield Wanderers, Glasgow Accies and Highland, all of whom have also started with back-to-back bonus-point victories. Newton face a test of their stamina this weekend, with their trip to Orkney, probably the longest haul in the league calendar.

IN THE District Leagues, Alloa are the pace-setters in the vast Caledonia regional leagues, after bonus-point wins in each of their first two fixtures. In Edinburgh, Hwick Harlequins and Forrester are also riding high on the back of bonus-point wins, while in the West, there is a three-way tie at the top with Allan Glen's heading Kilmarnock and Carrick on points difference. It is good to see grand old clubs like Glens and Kilmarnock hopefully on the way back after a few fallow years. And, keep an eye on East Region Two, where Barnton, the new club to emerge from that acrimonious divorce between Royal High and Corstorphine are demonstrating typically Royal High attacking flair in racing to the top of their league. How long, one wonders, before the name Royal High is back on clubs' fixture lists?

HILLHEAD-JORDANHILL'S star may have waned somewhat over the past couple of seasons, but, there are a lot of bright youngsters at Hughenden these days, and hope springs eternal. However, while the male side may be lacking some of the quality of past players, on the female side, all is sweetness and light, as the Hughenden girls top the Women's Premier League. They have topped the century of points in each of their last two matches, to lead the table from Stirling County and Stewartry – one of the teams to concede 100 points-plus to the Hills girls.

Steve Begley (top) - the life and soul of many a party

I NEVER MET Steven Begley, who tragically died over the weekend, while competing in a triathlon in Singapore. When he was causing mayhem around Anniesland and assorted destinations, I was up to my eyes in covering St Mirren and other football clubs. So, I never got to meet a larger-than-life character. From the tributes posted on the excellent Hawks Legends page on facebook – well, it gives Hugh Barrow an excuse to get up in the morning – Steve was apparently an old-fashioned tight five player. An enforcer, no quarter asked or given guy on the park, but, the life and soul of the party off the field.

Rugby used to have a few of these guys in every club, but, now we have boring athletes, non-drinking, fitness fanatics at the upper levels, and a culture of disapproval for time-honoured rugby bad behaviour further down the food chain. We need characters like Steve Begley to keep rugby's feet on the ground.

His legend will surely grow as the years pass.