Scottish Rugby announce return of competitive club rugby; Biggar RFC desperate to get promoted this time after null and void agony

This week’s confirmation from Scottish Rugby that a competitive 2021-22 league season will start in September is music to the ears of all at Biggar Rugby Club.
By Craig Goldthorp
Published 8th Jun 2021, 10:00 BST
Richard Bassett scores for Biggar en route to their league triumph in the 2019-20 season (Pic by Nigel Pacey)Richard Bassett scores for Biggar en route to their league triumph in the 2019-20 season (Pic by Nigel Pacey)
Richard Bassett scores for Biggar en route to their league triumph in the 2019-20 season (Pic by Nigel Pacey)

Pre-coronavirus, Biggar ‘won’ Tennent’s National Division 1 in 2019-20 but were then devastated to miss out on that title as it was declared null and void due to the season being unfinished. After a long dispute with Scottish Rugby Biggar subsequently lost an appeal against that outcome.

“News of the return of a competitive league certainly puts fire in our lads’ bellies for next season,” Biggar RFC secretary Mike Booth told the Carluke and Lanark Gazette. "The players will be pleased to hear this news. We aim to go back and win National 1 again.

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"Who knows where we’ll go to? Who knows who’s been able to keep up their fitness and so on.”

With a successful vaccine rollout in the UK slowly seeing day to day living returning to some sense of normality, Biggar 1st XV players have now resumed full contact training under Level 2 Covid restrictions.

The resumption of competitive rugby was confirmed after 63 per cent of the 252 clubs voted for this as opposed to an alternative option of a regional league structure with no promotion or relegation.

New regulations mean that, providing at least 65% of all league fixtures have been fulfilled, promotion and relegation within the leagues will be applied.

If the total number of all completed league fixtures is less than 65% the season will be concluded and there will be no promotion or relegation.

Related topics:Scottish RugbyBiggarRugby

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