Cammie Murray, the man who evaded Jonah Lomu, enjoys return to fold at Melrose

THE lure of the Scottish club game may have been lost at times in recent years, but irrespective of the quality of some games and the size of the crowds, there are some players who just cannot stay away.

One is Cammie Murray, the Scotland internationalist of 26 caps who famously side-stepped Jonah Lomu to score for Scotland against New Zealand at the World Cup in 1999 while sporting that equally unforgettable orange Test jersey of that era.

Now, apparently, when in his role as a PE teacher at Berwickshire High School, he hands out detention to a youngster, it is blow-ups of Lomu handing him off that tend to appear on walls.

However, even that humour Murray admits he has missed in rugby and is part of why he has returned to the game with Melrose, the club nearest to his home.

"You do miss it and I don't think you fully realise how much until you have been away for a while," he said. "Obviously, your focus turns to your family and career when you retire as a professional rugby player, and I've not played rugby for about four years.

"If it was an individual sport I don't imagine you'd miss it as much, but when you've been involved in a team sport for 15 years or whatever, it is just the camaraderie as much as anything that you miss.

"It's been great giving the young kids at Melrose some stick and getting plenty back."

Murray's love of the game hasn't dimmed and a taste of competitive action last season has seen him make a full-blown return. "I had a run-out in the sevens last season, played in an over-35s match at Haddington a few weeks ago and then played for Melrose 2nds and I've loved being back involved," he explained.

"There are a few injuries at Melrose at the moment and last week I was supposed to be on the bench for the 1sts, but Fraser Thomson pulled out before the game with Heriot's and I started, and it was good to be involved.

"But I am feeling it this week. I actually was feeling very fit in the summer and then had a knee problem, so missed the pre-season, but we've got great new facilities at the school and I've been working my way back.

"I just need a few games under my belt now I think."

Murray forms a new midfield partnership for Melrose with Jamie Murray, no relation, who comes back from a hand injury he suffered at Hawick, and coach Craig Chalmers is glad of their presence, with Ben Allen, Ewan Ford and Craig Jackson all injured. This afternoon they face a Glasgow Hawks team that returned to winning ways over Ayr last weekend, while Melrose lost a nail-biter at Heriot's.

League leaders Boroughmuir travel to Currie this afternoon for the first in a series of tough challenges, Dundee HSFP welcome Heriot's to Mayfield with both sides having edged tight wins last weekend and Stirling County are back at Bridgehaugh looking to bounce back from a poor display at Boroughmuir against a buoyant West side.