A party of 25 left the Haugh at 9.30am on Thursday, with two others travelling separately, president Kenny Douglas in charge.

After their arrival on Thursday (the luggage arrived later) those who had stayed at the Blooms Hotel two years ago took the first time tourists off to Dublin and the local hot spots.

Friday started bright but rain soon moved in as the party arrived at the Railway Union grounds in Sandy Mount to be greeted by host, ex-Teri Drew Hermiston.  Realising Irish hospitality may have left the Trades Barbarians lacking in motivation he informed them that his team’s colours would be Linden Blue. Due to Hawick’s title challenge not having been completed on time there had been several late call-offs from the squad and the eventual players who stripped were: B Hill, K Rayner, K Graham, R Lauder, B McGinn, G Douglas, C Turnbull, D Oliver. R McCleod, B Gilchrist, R Stewart, S Domingo and A Gibson (caotain).

Trades tourists J Graham and R Culton decided that they would look better in Linden Blue than Sky Blue and took their places in the home side’s squad. After 20 minutes this looked like a good decision as following an early Keith Rayner try the Baa-Baas found themselves 17-5 down. However, tries from Keith Graham, Barry Hill and David Oliver, from his favourite distance of one metre, all converted by Bazza gave them a half-time lead of 26-22. A 70-metre blindside break by David Lauder saw him going in under the posts for Barry Hill to add the extras, and this was quickly followed by a second for Keith Rayner. This should have been a second for Davie Oliver but having intercepted on halfway and seeing no-one between him and the goal line, he decided to fake cramp in both legs and give “Chip Pan” the glory.

Following both these tries the home side replied with tried of their own and it took two more in three minutes by Craig Rodgerson to put the visitors on easy street.  At least this is what skipper Gibson thought as he decided to do his Peter Brown impression with a conversion from in front of the posts. Unfortunately he forgot to tell Johnny Graham who took the greatest pleasure in blocking the kick and his wicked grin became even bigger a couple of minutes from the end when he went over for a try. A last try for the homesters saw the final score of Marsh Mercer XV 44, Hawick Trades Barbarians 50.

Saturday saw the party at the mercy of Rod Stewart and the “entertainment” committee, and I think it’s unlikely the people of O’Connell Street, who saw the party doing the Highland Fling from the top of an open-top tour bus to Stevie Domingo’s bagpipe playing, will forget it.

On Sunday, following a long lie-in, the tourists bade farewell to their home for the weekend and set off on the trip home. The tour party would like to express their appreciation of the hard work and organising undertaken before it left Hawick by Andrew Gibson and David Oliver.

Hawick Trades RFC Dublin 2001
 

• Tour Manager	K Douglas
• Asisstant Manager	D Oliver
• Tour committee	A Gibson, S Irvine, W Blaikie

Itinerary

Thursday 5th April
Duty men – A Gibson, D Oliver

• Depart Common Haugh 9.30am (SHARP)
• Flight EI 255 @ 12.45pm Edinburgh-Dublin
• Arrive Blooms Hotel approx 4.00 pm
• EVENING FREE

Friday 6th April
Duty men – W Blaikie, R McDonald, S Irvine, I Reid

• Free morning
• Meet lunch time prior to game @ 12.30pm Blooms Hotel
• Game
• EVENING FREE

Saturday 7th April
Duty men – Entertainments committee, R Stewart, D Lauder,
D McAdam, D Murphy

• Meet reception after breakfast 10.00am for mystery tour
• After lunch muster to watch Scotland match at venue to be arranged
• EVENING FREE

Sunday 8th April
Duty men – K Douglas, J Graham, S Domingo

• Long lie
• Pick up for airport @ 1.30pm
• Flight EI 228 @ 3.35pm Dublin / Glasgow
• Arrive Hawick approx 8.00 pm

MUSTS ON TOUR

• MONEY (PUNTS)
• ID
• TICKETS
• TRAINING
• PLAYING GEAR
• NO 1 DRESS: KILT, TRADES SHIRT AND TIE

RETURN ALL RAFFLE TICKETS AND MONEY BY 1ST MARCH