Selkirk 0 - 25 Hawick: Hawick leave Selkirk feeling small

But what this game highlighted was the growing chasm between the haves and have-nots in Scottish club rugby. It was a dour battle of two struggling Borders sides, teams who have turned against spending hard-earned money on foreign players and to investment in local produce. It is commendable and is the future, but it comes at a cost.

Selkirk supporters have backed their local team through thick and thin and enjoyed three seasons back in the top flight, but they don't quite know what to expect now post-split. Selkirk captain Fraser Harkness cut a frustrated figure at the final whistle. "This year has been a really steep learning curve for us," he said, "but we didn't compete today. We were second to every breakdown, second to every ball and that's just not like us, but maybe last week (at Hawks] knocked the wind out of us.

"We felt embarrassed to say the least after last week but to come back here and get another 'nil' is just ... I don't know. It hurts.

"But I wouldn't say we're not good enough for this level. You come down on a Tuesday and Thursday and the confidence is there. They are a good group of boys who all want to play for each other. But we lack real physical presence. In the first division this year the physical presence of the teams we've come up against has been unbelievable, and we're just clinging to what we've got."

It is no surprise to see the likes of Melrose, Ayr, Glasgow Hawks, Heriot's and Currie at the top. They argue they do not pay any full-time salaries, but they have brought players in from abroad or drawn on students who have time on their hands during the week to spend in the gym on top of the handful of nights they work on skills and team training.

Harkness believes that three big players would have put Selkirk in the top eight, as they have proven they have the skill and wit to cause mayhem off a decent attacking platform.They have lost Lee Jones and Alex Dunbar to pro rugby - ironically, the big powerful centre is drafted to Hawick, so played against them on Saturday - have not filled the sizeable gap left by South African Eddie Gauche and still have a month to wait until first-choice fly-half Gavin Craig returns from injury.

There is undoubted talent being produced at clubs like Selkirk, which is vital to the future of Scottish rugby, the likes of the Godsmark twins, Ryan and Nyle, Calum Marshall, Andrew Renwick, Calum Johnstone and Rory Banks, a promising fly-half who will undoubtedly learn from a try-scoring chance he squandered on Saturday, but they are not big, strong nor streetwise enough yet, and are having to plough furrows themselves.

"You look at Ryan Godsmark who started at seven for us and as a rugby player has huge potential," said Harkness, "but he is the size of a 16-year-old laddie. The boy's tiny, yet he's in the gym four nights a week, is strong and he makes every tackle and steals ball.

"This is what we've got. We can't bring anyone in because we have no money. But we've been in these ruts before and I know how it can turn around with a win."

Hawick have been better this season, their biggest loss being by just 10 points, which underlines their competitiveness. But their coach Derek Armstrong admitted his players had also discovered they require more gym-time to compete at a higher level. Still, in a Borders context, they were significantly stronger across the park than Selkirk, physically and in terms of experience, with former pros Bruce McNeil and Rory Hutton key orchestrators and a core of home-grown talent that bit older and tougher as a result of relegation and promotion campaigns.

When they enjoyed some error-free minutes, which was rare, Hawick scored good tries through Greg Anderson and Hutton before half-time and Danny Landels and Steven Anderson in the second half, but while their Premier One status is secure for another season, they too will face stiffer challenges before this one is out.

Scorers: Hawick - Tries: G Anderson, Hutton, Landels, S Anderson; Pens: Hogg. Cons: Hogg.

Selkirk: F Harkness; N Godsmark, S Hendrie, R Armstrong, C Beattie; R Banks, M McVie; G Patterson, M Martin, R Taylor, C Marshall, S Willett, N Darling, R Godsmark, A Renwick. Subs used: M Rutherford for Banks 40mins, M Weller for Taylor 50, S Forrest for Martin 50, Banks for Armstrong 52, C Johnstone for Godsmark 62, C Patton for Darling 68.

Hawick: G Hogg; G Anderson, G Johnstone, A Dunbar, S Anderson; R Hutton, B Campbell; S Linton, L Gibson, L Niven, C Charters, M Robertson, D Lowrie, D Landels, B McNeil (capt). Subs used: M Landels for Gibson 40mins, C Robertson for Hutton 70, N Mactaggart for Lowrie 49, R Sutherland for Landels 70.