West coast derby highlight as Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership returns

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 01: Ayr's Blair Macpherson (L) and Glasgow Hawk's Paul Cairncross with the Arnold Clark Men's Premiership Trophy during an Arnold Clark Men's Premiership Shoot at the Glasgow Hutchinsons' Aloysians RFC Clubrooms, on August 01, 2025, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

After last season’s campaign in which Ayr took the trophy back to the west coast, following a 41-12 win over Watsonians in the final, a reduced 10-team Premiership begins imminently.

As part of a wider restructure of the leagues, the Premiership goes from 12 to 10 teams this season, along with all four National Leagues.

BBC ALBA will again deliver live and free-to-air coverage of the top domestic rugby competitions in Scotland, with 12 league matches across the men’s and women’s premierships televised throughout the season. 

Scottish Rugby’s YouTube channel will pick up a further two Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership league matches in the first half of the season. 

The live action gets underway next weekend, as Heriot’s Rugby, who finished second in last season’s regular campaign, host reigning champions Ayr. 

The confirmed televised men’s Premiership fixtures are as follows: 

• Heriots v Ayr – Saturday 30 August, kick off 4.45pm
• GHA v Glasgow Hawks – Saturday 20 September, kick off 5.15pm
• Hawick v Currie Chieftains – Friday 10 October, kick off 7.35pm
• Watsonians v Selkirk – Friday 28 November, kick off 7.35pm
• Melrose v Selkirk – Friday 16 January 2026, kick off 7.35pm
• Currie Chieftains v Kelso – Friday 6 February 2026, kick off 7.35pm
• Play-off 1 – Friday 27 February 2026, kick off 7.35pm
• Play-off 2 – Saturday 28 February 2026, kick off 4.45pm
• Final – Saturday 21 March 2026, kick off 4.10pm 

This weekend, the fixtures get underway with champions Ayr hosting Glasgow Hawks at Millbrae, with the away side looking to build on a bottom-half finish last season. 

Currie Chieftains, who made the top four last season but lost to Ayr in the semi-final, host Selkirk, who narrowly missed out on the playoffs in 2024/25. 

Newly promoted GHA travel to the Borders to face Hawick, who finished just inside the bottom half last season.

Heriot’s, who lost to Watsonians in the semi-final having finished second in the table, travel to Melrose.

And runners-up Watsonians host Kelso, who avoided relegation by six points, finishing one spot above the bottom three of Musselburgh, Edinburgh Academical and Marr, all drop down to this season’s National League 1.

All five fixtures this weekend take place on Saturday and kick off at 3pm.