MELROSE forwards Kieran Cooney and John Dalziel will both be available for today's Scottish Hydro Electric National Cup quarter-final against Hawick at Mansfield Park despite being hit with bans by the Scottish Rugby Union this week.
Prop Cooney w
as given a six-week suspension (up to an including 10 May) at a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday after he was found guilty of deliberately stamping on the head of Boroughmuir winger Rory Couper, during Melrose's 16-0 win over the Meggetland side in the sixth round of the cup at the Greenyards last month.
Veteran former Gala and Borders flanker Dalziel was found guilty of reckless use of the boot on the same Boroughmuir player and was suspended for three weeks up to and including 19 April.
However, Melrose director of rugby Mike Dalgetty confirmed last night that the club has lodged an appeal on behalf of both players and they will be available for today's Borders derby clash at Mansfield Park.
On current form it would be an away banker but Melrose – who beat champions Boroughmuir 22-15 in the league last weekend, while the Greens were being thumped 55-6 by Watsonians in Edinburgh – will know that Hawick at home in a one-off cup tie is a dangerous proposition.
If Hawick do pull off a shock today it will be without the guidance of head coach Jim Hay, who will be on holiday in Tenerife. "This family holiday was booked back in October," explained Hay. "I'm gutted to be missing what is a massive game for the club.
"There is no doubt that Melrose will come as favourites, they have been beating everyone recently. But we know Mansfield Park is the last place they would want to come to try and secure a result. We beat them here earlier in the season and lost by only seven points at the Greenyards."
Off the pitch, Hawick will be hoping for a big crowd and club president Terence Froud explained: "This half of the season has been financially disastrous for the club and I'm sure we're not alone. This will be only our second home game since the middle of January and that's really not enough to keep clubs like us going.
"On Saturday, we split the gate money with Melrose so both clubs can benefit. Hopefully it will be a bumper crowd."
Elsewhere, it's a big day for Haddington on what has been billed 'Super Saturday' at Neilsen Park. They host fellow Premier Two side Jed-Forest in the cup quarter-finals at 1pm and that is followed at 3pm by the club's annual sevens tournament.
The East Lothian side defeated the Blues 39-17 in the league a couple of weeks ago and will start as favourites to reach the last four.
Biggar will try and lift themselves from the crushing disappointment of narrowly losing out on promotion back to the top division last weekend and turn their attentions to the cup. They have an extremely tough assignment, however, with a trip to Myreside to face Watsonians.
The re-arranged sixth-round fixture between Ayr and Currie will decide who faces Heriot's in the last eight.
The Shield, Bowl and Plate competitions also reach the quarter-final stage today, with the pick of the former being Royal High Corstorphine of National League Division 1 hosting Premier Three outfit Irvine at Barnton.
There is also a tasty-looking Ayrshire derby at Beith, where National League Division 1 title chasers Garnock host Kilmarnock from one division below.
In the Bowl, the highest-ranked survivors Preston Lodge and Dalziel of National League Division 1, will both be confident of reaching the semi-finals as they host Loch Lomond and Strathendrick respectively.
The pick of the Plate last eight is the all-student clash between St Andrews University and Aberdeen University.
The full article contains 656 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
