Kelso coach Bruce Rutherford still hopes to be at Pennypit Park in Prestonpans for his side's Tennent's Velvet Premiership play-off against Heriot's FP, despite suffering a heart scare in midweek.

As his squad trained, Rutherford spent Thursday night in Borders General Hospital, but tests have indicated that there was no major problem.

It has been an exceptionally difficult week for the club, and Rutherford's assistant coach Bob Hogarth has been left to hold things together in his absence, but he expects Rutherford to make his presence felt today.

''Hopefully he will do as he's told by the doctors,'' said Hogarth. ''But I would think he'll take a bit of holding back.''

Rutherford's relieved wife Joyce echoed that yesterday when she said she plans to accompany him to Prestonpans today, all being well.

''He has been suffering from some kind of virus for a while and I think all the pressures just suddenly got on top of him,'' she explained.

''Although he was feeling pretty lousy for a week and a half, he did not do anything about it because he had so much on his plate, both rugby-wise and in his job with the Borders Regional Council.

''There was the build-up to last weekend's Tennents Cup final against Glasgow Hawks, and he was having to devote more energy than usual to the council because a new head of his department had just started.

''He didn't collapse or anything like that, but he was feeling very uncomfortable and had pains in his chest. Thankfully the hospital aren't too worried about him, but they will give him the full range of tests.''

Kelso could hardly have endured a more difficult week since their cup final defeat by Glasgow Hawks last Saturday, as they prepared for an even more important, if less obviously glamorous fixture.

The loss of their captain and driving force, Adam Roxburgh, was, numerically at least, evened up by the fact that Hugh Gilmour was unavailable for Heriot's FP because he, too, is in Scotland's tour party. However, another bombshell was dropped by the man set to take over the captaincy from Roxburgh when Iain Fairley withdrew. He had initially indicated that, having been left to make his own decision, he would play, but subsequently changed his mind.

Officials are determined not to let any ill feeling develop, however.

''I feel for Iain,'' said club president Ronnie Fleming. ''He's a young lad and this is a huge opportunity. Furthermore, although he never mentioned it, you have to consider the financial angle. If he was injured and couldn't go, he stood to lose out badly.''