Duns RFC

Duns RFC

[[File:Two Bears either side of a rugby ball|frameless]]
Club information
Full name	Duns Rugby Football Club
Colours	Red and Black
Founded	1878
Website	None
Current details
Ground(s)	Castle Park
Competition	East Regional League Division One and BT Border Shield.

Duns Rugby Football Club are a rugby union side based in Duns in the Borders, Scotland.

They are known as 'The Dingers' from the town motto "Duns Dings A" (Duns Beats All).

For the 2015–16 season they will play in East Regional League Division One. It is unclear if they will return to the Border League(the oldest established rugby union league in the world) having lost their place in 2007–08. They will also enter the BT Border Shield and its various offshoots, along with various local Rugby Sevens tournaments. Duns are the only Border League side not to have their own Sevens tournament.

Recent seasons have seen a decline in the fortunes of a club who were only a few years ago almost promoted to the Premiership, and appeared in the final of the BT Scotland National Bowl at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh. 2014–15 the club finished seventh in the league with five league victory.

The club attracts a small home support of between 25 and 50, and usually takes a handful of supporters to away league games.

They recently replaced their traditional strip of red and black horizontal hoops, with a more modern black shoulder and sides merging into light red chest. The club logo is currently under review. The club does not operate a regular 2nd XV (a few fixtures were played in 2014–15) or Women's XV, but does have a number of youth teams.

Membership of Governing Body

Duns are a full member club of the Scottish Rugby Union and are in the SRU's East region, section 1 (Scottish Borders).

Home Venue

They play at Castle Park, located at Berwickshire's old High School,

There are two grass pitches both with floodlights, their new club house ( currently under construction 2015) is also located here. The club trains on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

The club works in close co-operation with Duns Minis and Colts, who organise rugby at primary school and early secondary school level and are officially associated with the club, and the Berwickshire High School, which has squads for various age groups and play friendly matches.

Youth Rugby

Duns RFC operates various teams at youth level, within the Borders region.

The future

The club is currently experiencing a poor run of form, which reflects a recent downturn in the standard of players available. Working from a small pool of talent to begin with, the club has in the past year or so struggled to attract enough adult players - less local men want to play rugby, the best talent is attracted to larger Border clubs, and poor results discourage players from wanting to turn out for the club. Changes in coaching staff and two recent relegations have also damaged the club's appeal. Of course, poor results encourage players to leave the club, which in turn causes a weaker team to be fielded, and poor results continue. The financial difficulties of playing 11 away league matches plus cup matches a season, generally against clubs based in the Central Belt and the north-east, and the (admittedly shorter) journeys in the Border League, also places a strain on the club, which attracts only a few dozen fans to home games, and charge only a minimal admittance fee. Fundraising, sponsorship and local community donations sustain the club (although from next season, a small amount of money from league sponsors Scottish Hydro Electric may be provided).

On the positive side, the young players being forced into regular first team action are gaining valuable experience. However, Duns lie 14 points adrift of Kilmarnock (who have four games in hand, which could gain then up to 20 points) who are the only team they can now match. The most Duns can manage, by winning all their remaining games with bonuses, is 15 points, and so relegation if now really only a matter of time. Failure to win their next league match without a bonus point, or Kilmarnock winning a game, would officially relegate Duns to National League 3.

In the longer term, the survival of the club will be dependent on a strong youth set-up, and the ability to keep players who progress to adult level; best use of those adult players the club does possess; and a continuing policy of financial security. However, being relegated will most likely discourage players who feel they are of a higher standard - particularly if Duns struggle in National Division 3. That said, facing easier opposition may mean more wins and attract players back. Duns beat Helensburgh of National 3 in the National Cup, and therefore should be seen as at least a middling National 3 side if not promotion contenders. They face Newton Stewart, currently (17 February) second-top in National 3, at home in the first round of the National Shield, and this may give an insight into where Duns can hope to perform next season if the squad remains similar.

Other possible measures, such as a merger with Eyemouth White Horses RFC (also struggling to attract players) and Earlston RFC to form 'Berwickshire Rugby' may have to be considered if the player pool continues to shrink unsustainably. Additionally, Duns' right to compete in the Border League may also be questioned further, through a combination of failure to play matches and joining/dropping below sides like Hawick YM, Earlston, Eyemouth etc. in the leagues. Hawick YM are currently only outside the promotion places in National 3 on points difference, with four games still to play, and so may bypass Duns, possibly leading calls for Duns to be replaced by Hawick YM in the Border League for next season.

See also

for latest Border League results and standings

for latest National League Division 2 results and standings

for their SRU portal (not regularly updated)

for their Colts final Lochcarron of Scotland East Under 18 Cup Section 1 results and standings

for their S2 final Borders S2 Championship Pool One results and standings