KEVIN UTTERSON Kevin Utterson has had an illustrious rugby career returning to Kelso Rugby Club this season to coach alongside Kelso`s other player / coach Bruce McNeil . Both know each other well from their own playing days and with their joint wealth of experience contribute to a great enthusiasm which cannot go unnoticed around all areas of this famous club . Kevin is well known for his impressive rugby career in his own right and although he decided to hang up his boots in 2012 , after playing his last game for Kelso , his playing career has taken him from his earlier days at South of Scotland under-18 team , to the Melrose sevens , the Borders Reivers where he captained the team and onto Edinburgh .

Whilst playing for the Reivers , he made his Scotland debut in November 2000 and was called into the full senior squad the following month after very strong and consistent performances for the Borders he was named in the full senior squad for the start of the 2003 Six Nations Championship , Kevin recently spoke to Rugby Club Magazine ,

” I`m delighted to be part of the coaching setup at Kelso with Bruce , we know each other very well from our playing days and feel we can offer the club a passionate approach to this season and guide the lads mentally into winning ways . Due to the covid layoff you could say this is really my first official season .

Kelso has a great history and I personally have a lot of connection with the club where from the age of 6-yearold I stated mini rugby before moving to the Quins and then onto senior rugby ; it was these early experiences that moulded me into the player I became . Initially I played No . 10 and moved into my more known position as 12 a bit later switching between these positions whilst at Edinburgh . I have 2 children a son Koby aged 10 and a girl Emmy aged 8 . Koby started at age 7 and is a very good rugby player

You can really feel a genuine buzz around the town these days which will be down in part to coming out of the pandemic ...

but also a very keen footballer too ; exactly as I was at that age and doing well at both to be fair . My wife Lisa and I are very proud of his achievements receiving the 2011s player of the year over the last two seasons for Kelso minis !

Our first 1V didn ’ t get the best of starts to the season but we have held our own in a very competitive league improving steadily and everyone has worked hard to identify what we need to improve on to progress . At the same time young players need space and time to hone their abilities and this has gone very well amongst our young and older heads alike .

There is a real freshness around the team and throughout the club . This has been in no small part down to a well-structured setup with our President Scott Forbes at the helm who relays his ideas and beliefs very clearly to everyone . Ex-players like Mike Minto have also been invaluable in their support and to me personally .

You can really feel a genuine buzz around the town these days which will be down in part to coming out of the pandemic , but I also feel that after many years of not reaching the hights we aspired to reach the drive and passion is helping put Kelso Rugby Club back towards the levels where it belongs !”

KEITH GREEN Keith Green is the Administrator of Kelso`s Harlequins Youth Team , a past player and captain during the 50`s he now looks after the clubs very important youth team who since 1969 have won 7 Borders Junior League titles and 3 Scottish cups in the 90`s , he recently told Rugby Club Magazine ,

” The Quin`s are competing really well this season currently 2nd in the table and hopefully we can make our way to the plate or cup final . Our junior league also comprises of 4 English clubs which is a little unusual , Tynedale , Carlisle and two more recent members in Morpeth and Alnwick . As an associate member of the SRU we don ’ t have full voting rights and are run separately from the main club but are very much a part of it . Having been around since our formation in

1932 our existence was born out of young lads who were unable to get a game in the first team and now the Quins fill a very important and vital roll between the cougars , youth and schools supplying our seniors . On average we have around 25 players and in a recent senior fixture 20 of the players had come through the Quin`s . One of our most famous player is of course Ross Ford the Scottish International .

During covid we have given special attention to individuals wellbeing , something I am qualified to deal with which I believe has been beneficial for our members . Kelso Rugby Club is built on traditional values and is really flourishing at the moment with over 500 members and counting . I would like to pass on my best wishes to everyone at the club for many more enjoyable times seasons to come !”

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