Boys’ U18 Open Competition Returns with Friday Night Match of the Week

Pictured: The participating teams during the Open Competition Boys Under-18 Media Day at Hive Stadium

The Open Competition is a key part of Scottish Rugby’s youth pathway, bringing leading school and club programmes together to test themselves against each other at a higher level and provide players with more opportunities to further develop.

This year, the competition has expanded, with Edinburgh Academy, Marr Rugby, GHA RFC and Glenalmond College joining the field for the first time.

The opening fixture sees George Watson’s College host Boroughmuir at Myreside, with the match selected as the first Scottish Rugby Match of the Week.

New for this season, one fixture across Scottish Rugby competitions, including the Arnold Clark Men’s and Women’s Premiership and the Boys’ U18 Open Competition, will receive additional coverage each week. More matches than ever before will be available to watch live on the Scottish Rugby YouTube channel during the 2026/27 season, with coverage spanning 25 Match of the Week fixtures, 13 Men’s and Women’s Premiership matches, nine youth matches and events, Inter-District and Club XV fixtures, as well as three Cup Finals events.

The Match of the Week will be streamed live on the Scottish Rugby YouTube channel and promoted across Scottish Rugby’s digital channels before, during and after the fixture. Coverage will go beyond the 80 minutes, bringing supporters closer to the teams and players, sharing the stories behind the fixtures and following the highs and lows as each competition unfolds throughout the season.

The broadcast programme begins with George Watson’s College U18 v Boroughmuir U18 on Friday 28 August at 6.30pm.

Ahead of Friday night’s Match of the Week clash, both teams have been putting in the work throughout pre-season as they prepare for the opening game.

George Watson’s College Head of Rugby, Ben Cairns, said: “We’re really looking forward to our first match in the new Open Competition format. The boys have worked incredibly hard throughout the summer with the coaching team, led by 1st XV Head Coach Mike Ker and there’s a real sense of excitement about getting the season underway.

“We’ve had a couple of warm-up matches, which have been really valuable, but there’s nothing quite like the real thing. To start the season with a Friday night at Myreside, live on the stream, is brilliant and we’re excited to see the boys put all their hard work into action.”

Boroughmuir U18 Head Coach Richard Lockhart is equally looking forward to the opening fixture, with the added exposure making it an exciting way to begin the competition.

He said: “We’ve had a great pre-season and are happy to be getting into the opening stages of the competition. We’ve got a big squad with a lot of competition for places, so now is the time for the boys to prove they should have the jersey.

“We’re really looking forward to Friday and being selected as the first Scottish Rugby Match of the Week makes it even more exciting for us all.”

The opening weekend continues on Saturday, with Pool B getting underway as Stirling County make the trip to Ayr, while Erskine Stewart Melville welcome new competition entrants Marr Rugby.

There is also plenty of intrigue in Pool A, as Edinburgh Academy host GHA in a meeting between two sides making their Open Competition debuts for the 2026/27 season. With both teams looking to make an early impression in the competition, Saturday’s clash promises to be an exciting contest and an important opportunity to get their campaigns off to a positive start.

The Open Competition will run from August through to December, with the 12 teams split across two pools as they battle to establish themselves in the early stages of the campaign.

With new faces joining the competition and familiar sides looking to establish themselves early, Saturday’s fixtures will add another layer to what is shaping up to be an intriguing opening weekend.

It all begins with that first Scottish Rugby Match of the Week, with George Watson’s College welcoming Boroughmuir to Myreside on Friday 28 August, with kick-off at 6:30pm, live on Scottish Rugby’s YouTube channel.