Kelso coach Bruce Rutherford has admitted that, if he had to choose between winning the Tennent's Velvet Cup and the play-off against Heriot's FP, he would opt for the latter.

Speaking at Murrayfield yesterday at the launch of the specially designed strips that the finalists will wear tomorrow, Rutherford said: ''At the beginning of the season, we had two main objectives - retaining the ''king of sevens'' title and gaining promotion to first division of the Tennent's Premiership. Of course, we dreamed of getting to the cup final as well.''

Rutherford, who appropriately is in charge of the roads network at Borders technical services, has piloted his side to the verge of achieving all three ambitions, but he is only too aware that Kelso will go to Murrayfield as underdogs.

''Hawks will be the favourites. We have played them three times this season - once in the league trophy and twice in the Tennnet's Premiership - and on each occasion we have lost,'' said Rutherford. ''However, we can take heart from the performance of Shef-field Eagles in the rugby league cup final at Wembley last weekend. On the day it will be 15 against 15.''

The underdogs could attract the greater support. Rutherford reckons that at least half the population of Kelso will make it to Murrayfield tomorrow, and such has been the impact on junior rugby in the club that three buses have been booked to take Kelso's youth players to the capitol.

Unlike Hawick, who were urged to victory by the town's Saxhorn band, Kelso cannot call upon the services of local music makers. However, Rutherford has suggested that they would be ''borrowing'' the Selkirk Silver band, which will be in force at Murrayfield tomorrow to encourage the Soutars in their Tennnet's Plate final against Berwick.

In Kelso, it seems that shops have dedicated their window displays to the cause of their rugby team. Iain Fairley, the scrum-half turned centre who has become a key player in the Kelso back line, said: ''Everyone in the town is behind us.'' Fairley is one of three Border Reivers in the Kelso side and, like the club captain, Adam Roxburgh, is a former member of the successful Kelso Harlequins youth team.

Despite having played for Scottish Borders and Scotland A, Fairley has experienced how awe-inspiring Murrayfield can be only twice before in his career - first as a mini-rugby player in the old stadium and then in an Under-21 trial match when he played on the winning side.

Fairley's versatility has made him an obvious choice as stand-by for the Scotland tour to Australia and Fiji, but it is also his all-round improvement that has clearly impressed the tour management. ''There is no doubt that it is professionalism that has made the big difference,'' said Fairley.

''I have been able to improve my strength by working on weights and that in turn has improved my speed.''

Fairley reckons that his move to centre has given him another option. ''I still like playing at scrum half, but I reckon that shifting to midfield has been good for me. It gives me a different perspective on the game.''

Fairley's skills will count for little if Kelso cannot secure enough quality possession from the forward struggle. Kelso will go into the final knowing that they will be considerably outweighted by the heavier Hawks pack. However, forewarned is to be forearmed as Stewart Bennet the Kelso blindside flanker recognises. ''We've got a light pack, but we will be looking to take Hawks on up front.'' he said.

''It has been much the same whoever we've played this season. We knew that it would be difficult against Currie in the semi-final at Malleny Park.

''They tried to use their bigger forwards to batter us into submission, but our front five tackled out of their skins. Thereafter, we used our sevens skills to move the ball and in the end we won.

''I've never felt so emotional after a match as in the dressing room at Malleny Park.''

As it is for Kelso, so the cup final tomorrow will represent the third strand of Glasgow Hawks plans for this season. ''At the beginning of the season we had a business plan which was to win the second division and to attract a major sponsor,'' said Ian Russell, the director of rugby at Glasgow Hawks

''By Christmas we expanded our aspirations to include winning the Tennent's Velvet Cup.''

Glasgow Hawks will start as short-priced favourites tomorrow. ''It would be churlish to suggest that we are not the firm favourites,'' said Russell, albeit that one of his leading players sounded a note of caution based on a historic precedent.

Derek Stark, the Hawks and Scotland wing, who played for Melrose in the cup final last season against his previous club, Boroughmuir, recalled: ''Two years ago, Watsonians were the firm favourites to win against Hawick.''

Stark was looking remarkably fit yesterday despite co-hosting, along with fellow owners Gregor Townsend and Rowen Shepherd, the opening of the trio's sports cafe and bar in Edinburgh's Grassmarket on Wednesday evening.