Berwick rugby ready for big kick off in National League 2

After a successful season in National League 3, where they finished runners-up, Berwick have been promoted to National League 2 for only the second time in their history.

It is a big step up in class for the Scremerston side, but team manager Owen Weatherhead in confident the players will rise to the challenge.

“There are some good teams in National 2,” he said, “but I am sure the players will be up to the task.

“It is a long time since we had a team playing at this level, and we want to do ourselves justice.

“We are not going into this thinking we are just there to make up the numbers. We want to compete and I am sure the coaching staff will have the whole squad prepared.”

On Saturday, Berwick completed their pre-season build-up when they played Biggar at Scremerston, going down to a 47-21 defeat.

Teams competing in National 2 for the 2022-23 season are:

Berwick, Boroughmuir, Cartha Queen’s Park, Dumfries Saints, Falkirk, Glasgow Accies, Hamilton Bulls, Kirkcaldy, Lasswade, Newton Stewart, Peebles and Preston Lodge.

First home game is against Glasgow Accies, on Saturday, September 10, and the season will run through to March with the final game of the season at home to Newton Stewart on Saturday, March 25.

Berwick’s full list of league fixtures is:

Sat Sept 3 v Hamilton Bulls (a); Sat Sept 10 v Glasgow Accies (h); Sat Sept 17 v Boroughmuir (a); Sat Sept 24 v Falkirk (h);

Sat Oct 1 v Lasswade (a); Sat Oct 8 v Peebles (h); Sat Oct 15 v Cartha Queens Park (a); Sat Oct 22 v Kirkcaldy (h);

Sat Nov 12 v Dumfries Saints (a); Sat Nov 26 v Preston Lodge (h);

Sat Dec 3 v Newton Stewart (a); Sat Dec 10 v Hamilton Bulls (h); Sat Dec 17 v Glasgow Accies (a);

Sat Jan 7 v Boroughmuir (h); Sat Jan 14 v Falkirk (a); Sat Jan 21 v Lasswade (h); Sat Jan 28 v Peebles (a);

Sat Feb 18 v Cartha Queens Park (h); Sat F3b 25 v Kirkcaldy (a);

Sat Mar 4 v Dumfries Saints (h); Sat Mar 11 v Preston Lodge (a); Sat Mar 25 v Newton Stewart (h).