Rugby clubs unite to remember Duncan Sim

The Madras squad teamed up with players from the university for the memorial match. (Stock image, uni players not pictured)

Duncan, who grew up in Duns, left to study in St Andrews before going missing in 2018.

A three month search for the 19-year-old ended in sadness when his body was found at the town’s West Sands.

His passing devastated those around him, including his team mates.

Duncan came through the youth rugby grades at Duns, before playing for the combined Duns/Berwick Colts side for two seasons.

He played a couple of senior matches at Duns before heading off to study in St Andrews, where he played rugby for the University as well as Madras.

The idea for a fixture in Duncan’s memory was kicked around and a gap was found in the busy fixture schedules of all four clubs for the game to be staged at the weekend.

The Duns players were joined by Duncan’s bother Iain, currently playing at the Melrose-based Southern Knights Super-6 team, as well as a dozen Berwick players.

Madras were joined by members of the local university rugby side.

It was appropriate for the occasion when Iain Sim showed a clean pair of heels to score the game’s opening try.

Scoring continued and, at the break, the Duns/Berwick side lead St Andrews Uni/Madras by 21-0.

The visitors came much more into the game after the break, and were rewarded with two tries, the first wide on the right and the second wide on the left, although neither was converted.

At this stage conditions began to deteriorate.

The sizeable crowd had almost all headed to the warmth of the clubrooms, but the match continued long enough for a final Duns Berwick try to be scored.

Fittingly, it again came from Iain Sim - his third of the day.

The referee then spoke to both captains, and the sensible decision was made to call a halt to the match 10 minutes early with the score at 26-10 to the combined Duns/Berwick side.

Once everyone had warmed up in the clubrooms, Duncan Sim’s father, Gordon, presented the Duncan Sim Memorial Trophy to Duns captain Cammy Hill.

The trophy was commissioned by the Melrose family.

Additional reporting by Derek Simpson.