"CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S MESSAGE"
"Welcome to Poynder Park, home of Kelso RFC, and the venue for our second home match in the Celtic League."
"I would also like to extend a warm welcome to Newport - the Black and Ambers - who have recruited very impressively during the close season. With three South African test players in their ranks, including former Springbok skipper Gary Teichmann, there is no doubting the quality of squad Newport have at their disposal."
"We are very keen to secure our first home win of the season but we will have to work hard to overcome a Newport side which lost to league leaders Pontypridd in a hard-fought contest at Rodney Parade last Saturday."
"The newly-formed Celtic League has thrown up a number of surprise results already and I have no doubt there will be more to come. I am sure for example, that Dunvant, who ran the Reivers very close last week, will win quite a few matches this season and surprise some of the so-called bigger fish. It is shaping up to being a very demanding competition and just what our professional players need in preparation for the European Cup and, for a number, involvement with Scotland or Scotland A later in the season."
"I would like to thank Murray International Metals - our sponsor for a second season. We are very grateful to them and I am sure the Reivers will offer a very good run for their money, Thanks also are due to Canterbury of New Zealand - our kit supplier - and to J Gilbert and Son who supply us with rugby balls."
"Thank you to Richie Gray, Scottish Borders Development Officer, who arranged for today's curtain-raiser between Roxburghshire Raiders and Selkirkshire Blues in the U15 Pathways match. I am sure we have witnessed some of the stars of the future in action and we are delighted to give these boys an opportunity to play at a senior venue such as Poynder Park."
"Nick Oswald"
"Chief Executive,"
"Edinburgh Reivers."
"COACH'S COLUMN"
"Three weeks into the Celtic League and we are sitting in second place behind pacesetters Pontypridd."
"However, it would be true to say that neither myself nor the players are happy with this position. We played reasonably well against Caerphilly to win 51-22, played poorly in losing 8-15 to Glasgow Caledonians in a dour encounter at Netherdale, and won playing below our best away to Dunvant (29-22) last weekend."
"The last week was a tough one and we played three games in eight days against the Reds, Scotland and Dunvant. The match against Scotland at Inverleith we felt, prior to the game, was one we could do without. However as it transpired, it gave the Reivers an opportunity to show what they can do against quality opposition. I think we gave Scotland a good run for their money and restored some pride and self-confidence to the squad."
"Many reasons can be given for under-performing and we certainly did not have our problems to seek last week. However, despite playing three matches in rapid succession and having to travel 500 miles to play our third match it was still disappointing to make hard work of the Dunvant match. We had built a good lead and I believe were one score away from finishing our opponents off in the first half."
"But we let them in for a score just before half time and at 24-5 up facing a stiff wind in the second half we suddenly found that we had our work cut out. Full credit to Dunvant for making us work so hard but after playing fairly well in patches during the first half we should not have let the game go down to the wire."
"A week is a long time in the world of sport, as someone nearly once said, and Newport this evening represent a real step up for the Reivers and we are looking forward to pitting our wits against a side which has been bolstered by a number of new recruits. I am sure we will rise to the occasion and this evening's encounter promises to be a tense and hard fought affair. We are keen to record a first home victory in the Celtic League and after starting so well in beating Cardiff, Newport will be desperate to avoid making it a hat trick of losses."
"Ian Rankin"
"Head Coach,"
"Edinburgh Reivers."