IN recording congratulations to Kelso on their second successive
championship -- overall they played the most attractive rugby, though I
am still in favour of play-offs -- we should record the passing of a
great Hawick side. There are bound to be a lot of new faces at Mansfield
Park next season.
Last Saturday the players presented Alan Tomes, 48 times capped for
his country, a British Lion and a Greens stalwart since 1973, with a
picture of the ground he has driven to from his home in Gateshead about
twice a week during all these seasons. At 37, one of the finest servants
the club has ever had is not expected to return.
It is worth noting that, during the Tomes era, Hawick won the official
championship 10 times from 16 starts. And that, at 35, Alan himself was
still considered good enough to play in all four of Scotland's world cup
games.
Sadly, because of injury rather than advancing years, we have probably
seen the last of Alister Campbell as well. The broken leg he sustained
earlier this month will keep him in plaster for 15 weeks and comes on
top of a long battle with knee trouble.
''Sally'' Campbell, only 30, will be remembered as the man who made
his international debut against Ireland when Scotland won the Triple
Crown in 1984; two weeks later he was in the side that clinched the
Grand Slam. How long will it be before that record is broken?
Or, for that matter, the extraordinary scoring exploits of Colin Gass,
the fly-half who came from Gala eight years ago and has amassed over
2000 points since. Last night he played in the Border League match
against his former club in what is likely to be his swan-song.
''I am 35 now and my job as inspection manager for an electronics firm
in Selkirk takes me abroad a great deal,'' Colin told me. ''In the last
couple of seasons a groin injury has bothered me, and although I will
wait until the summer to make the final decision, it seems like the
right time to call it a day.''
Gass never played for Scotland, he had to turn down the chance to sit
on the replacements' bench against New Zealand in 1983, but he has done
just about everything else. Even during his time with Gala he notched up
over 1000 points.
Colin went on the Scottish tour to Canada and America, won two B caps
against France, and turned out for the South on a dozen occasions. He
has been the most accurate goal kicker in the Scottish game though he
was always much more than just a big boot, as centres as renowned as Jim
Renwick will tell you.
Safe hands, a copy-book passer, an unflappable temperament, and an eye
for an opening, usually for others, have all been part of his
repertoire.
A quiet man, Colin, nevertheless, has firm opinions on the game which,
in Scotland, he believes has improved enormously. ''I am all for leagues
and hope for the day when the first division is played on a
home-and-away basis.''
Hawick supporters will tell you that Gass is the man they will miss
most, though he has no illusions about being indispensible. ''Watch this
lad Scott Welsh, the son of Robbie -- he can kick with both feet and
will make a very fine fly-half,'' he advised.
The last of those who are unlikely to take the field again is the
newest of the Greens. Gerry McGuinness, the roly-poly prop, enlisted at
Mansfield only two years ago but, also 35, is finding that pressure of
work is cutting down his training opportunities.
His great service was to West of Scotland, where he was a regular
fixture for 14 seasons. Seven times capped for his country, he toured in
Japan, France, New Zealand, and Australia as well as captaining the B
side.
Gerry could play on either side of the scrum and was never less than a
lion-hearted competitor. He moved to Hawick, taking a job with the same
double glazing firm of which Colin Deans is an executive, and proved a
very useful acquisition for both the club and the South District.
''With my job and a young family I have not been in training as much
as I should have been and was left out for the last couple of games,''
said Gerry. ''I've had a grand career and there are no regrets about the
move, playing for Hawick was always an honour.''
Tomes, Campbell, McGuinness, Gass -- three internationalists and the
regular top scorer -- not many clubs could survive such a loss in one
season yet still emerge as challengers in the next. Yet who would bet
against the Greens doing just that?
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