After inflicting a first defeat in 18 months on Premiership champions Hawick last week, Marr’s morale will be high for this afternoon’s trip to Glasgow Hawks. The home side themselves had a big win last time out, defeating Selkirk 45-19, but their coach Andy Hill expects his team will need to be at their best today if they are to see off their opponents from Troon.

“For Marr to break Hawick’s unbeaten run is an unbelievable feat,” he said. “Marr fought for everything last week and turned the game into a real scrap by applying pressure right from the start. As a squad we will need to match their hunger and desire if we wish to win.”

Currie Chieftains and Edinburgh Accies are the only clubs to have won both of their opening games, with the Chieftains top of the table on points differential. They are strong favourites to keep up their winning run when they visit Musselburgh, but Accies’ trip across the capital to Heriot’s Blues is a tougher game to call.

At the other end of the table, Selkirk and Jed-Forest, the only teams to have lost both of their opening games, meet at Philiphaugh. And at Mansfield Park, Hawick will be desperate to return to winning ways against Kelso, who have drawn their two matches to date.

“After last week we are keen to put a few wrongs right,” Hawick coach Matty Douglas said. “We were frustrated by the manner of our performance at Marr and have worked extremely hard at training this week.”   

The Super Series Championship is on its mid-season break this weekend. It returns on Friday when Watsonians are at home to Ayrshire Bulls, while the following day Heriot’s host Boroughmuir and the Future XV visit the Southern Knights. The SRU confirmed yesterday that this year’s final on 18 November will be held at Edinburgh Rugby’s Hive Stadium.