The annual alterations in the structure of Scottish club rugby are almost matched by the changing of the guard across the country which makes this season’s Scottish Hydro Premier leagues harder to predict than ever.
Dundee got great mileage out of Edinburgh pro Fraser McKenzie from their draft choices last year and this year have gone for nothing but Glasgow backs, but the choice of Peter Horne, the former Howe of Fife and Scotland under-20 full-back, could be a particularly good move.
It certainly gives Rankin plenty of options for stand-off, where Barry Jones filled in as stop-gap for most of the last year in Ferguson’s long absence, and last week in the final warm-up, an impressive 26-14 win at English National League Two side Kendal, Andy Dymock was in the play-makers’ role.
Stirling’s warm-up was just as impressive, two late tries conceded meaning they lost by only three points to National One side Wharfedale in Yorkshire.
County’s strength is as always based on their unmatched youth programme, with six of this year’s first XV squad in the SRU development squads, and a collection of young backs who could score plenty of tries as they did in Division Two last year.
Michael Doneghan, Danny Gilmour and Stuart Edwards all played for Scotland under-19s last year, while lock Grant Gilchrist has been earmarked as a prospective professional.
With second pick in the draft County took former Melrose centre James King, now on pro terms with Edinburgh, but should also see quite a bit of David Denton, the rangy back-rower who was a stand-out for Scotland under-20 last year.
Picking promoted teams from Division Two is also a tough ask, although like County and Hawick last year, Edinburgh Accies and Stewarts Melville will be fancied to make a swift return to the top flight.
Falkirk, with plenty of ex-professionals on their books, and Hillhead-Jordanhill, who won Division Three at a canter, will be interesting additions while Gala have ambition and resources aplenty and Aberdeen Grammar a decent bunch of young talent.
Getting into the top four in the first cycle is the important task, and Kirkcaldy will set their sights on that despite a series of early season injuries that have cut into player-coach Quinny Sanft’s plans.
The Blues kick off their season tomorrow against Peebles, who finished a place and three points behind their hosts last season.Full opening day fixtures (all kick-offs 3pm):Scottish Hydro Premier One: Glasgow Hawks v West, Heriot’s v Watsonians, Dundee HSFP v Stirling County, Melrose v Currie, Selkirk v Boroughmuir, Hawick v Ayr.Scottish Hydro Premier Two: Kirkcaldy v Peebles, Gala v Kelso, GHA v Jed-Forest, Biggar v Hillhead/Jordanhill, Aberdeen GR v Edinburgh Accies, Falkirk v Stewarts Melville FP.
The two top divisions are kicking off a week early tomorrow, with the first card featuring the Caledonia derby between Dundee HSFP and Stirling County at Mayfield, to enable the new structure to fit the schedule.
This year, after the top two 12-team divisions have all met each other by the end of October, they will split into three division of eight for the second half of the season to determine the title, B&I Cup, promotion and relegation issues.
The more traditional summer wanderings of personnel are the other major factor, but this Saturday’s meeting of the two top Midlands sides offers a contrast with Dundee experiencing a big turnover of bodies while County remain largely the same outfit that Eddie Pollock piloted back into the top flight at the first time of asking last season.
Add in the promise that the drafted professional players for each club will be available far more this year-no Gael Force in the British and Irish Cup-and last year’s form, which saw Currie and Ayr dominate before the West Lothian club deservedly took the title, can just about be tossed to the wind.
At Mayfield they had hoped a fourth place finish might find an extra place in the B&I Cup but to no avail, but that is clearly the aim of the club this year, even though they have lost a raft of key men.
Cameron Ferguson and Stefan Dreyer who both rarely featured due to injury last year anyway have gone to Heriot’s, the electric Aubrey Horton has gone while Lindsay “Satch” Graham and Ross Lemon have stepped down a couple of divisions to Morgan. Greig Ryan, the dynamic open-side, is out for the year with an achilles injury.
However, Ian Rankin has an astronomical mobile bill to show for his recruitment efforts which have brought in four age-group Scotland caps in Fraser Clark (Howe of Fife), Jamie Urquhart (Dollar Academy), Gavin Robertson (Melrose) and Andrew Redmayne (Kilmarnock).
Dundee have also used their overseas contacts wisely, two outstanding Mayfield favourites now departed helping bring new talent to the club.
Second row Andrew Linton partnered Neil McComb in the Ulster Ravens (the province’s development team) last year while hooker Simon Forrest is another recruit from the University of Otago, on the recommendation of Mike Kerr.
Also from New Zealand, this time from Taranaki in the North Island, comes stand-off/full-back Rick McKenna, who was good enough to get a trial last year for the “Baby Blacks,” New Zealand’s Under-20 team.
Connor Wade, a centre and age-grade cap for Canada, completes the international additions.