'I don't care what anybody says, this is a level up from club rugby anywhere in Scotland'
Southern Knights Head Coach Alan Tait looks ahead to kick-off of new Super Sprint Series
Last updated 5th Apr 2023
Southern Knights Head Coach Alan Tait says he's excited to see how his side perform when the new Super Sprint Series kicks-off this weekend.
He's recruited NINETEEN new faces - from all over the Borders, and beyond - to his 34-man squad ahead of their season opener away to Watsonians on Saturday.
The former Kelso, Scotland and Lions star, who scored 18 tries in 27 caps for his country before going on to assume coaching positions with the Border Reivers and Newcastle Falcons, took charge of the Greenyards side for the first time in last weekend's friendly game with Stirling Wolves, which ended 19-all.
Tait told Greatest Hits Radio: "I want to get local lads involved. It has been tough... we've had our disagreements with the clubs, as no-one wants to lose players; but I've got to thank them for backing us. I've got players from Kelso, Jed, Selkirk, Hawick, Gala, Melrose - everyone's chipped in.
"I said to the coaches of the other clubs I went to see, I don't want to take away all their players. You look at the Hawick team, who've been fantastic this year - I've watched them a few times; and they've got four or five players who could get into the Knights team no bother.
"But there's only one - Connor Sutherland. And what a player he is, he's tough as nails and he's only going to improve.
"All the clubs have let a couple of players come and hopefully we can improve them, that's our job now."
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Tait is supported by former Edinburgh Rugby and Scotland second row Lewis Carmichael as well as Scott Wight, a former Scotland 7s captain, who made 28 appearances for Glasgow Warriors.
Both Carmichael and Wight, who were products of Melrose Rugby prior to their professional careers, will lead the forwards and backs respectively.
And, while their opening fixture at Myreside (Saturday, April 8th - kick-off 3pm) clashes with this weekend's Melrose Sevens, they're hoping the rugby community will turn out in numbers to support them.
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"This is a different level," Tait said. "I don't care what anybody says, this is a level up from club rugby anywhere in Scotland - the intensity is pretty ferocious at times, and the lads have to put their bodies on the line."
But he added: "Hopefully members from other teams can come along and watch guys they used to play alongside, and see how they're getting on at the next level."
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