As clubs look ahead to an exciting championship run-in, a re-draft of the professional players has been held to allow for the revised league structure in the second half of the season.

The league has split into RBS Premier A, B & C and all of the professional players who were originally drafted to Glasgow Hawks, Heriots, Edinburgh Accies and Hawick (23 players in total) have been re drafted to the eight clubs remaining in RBS Premier A.

Peter Wright, RBS Premier 1 representative on the Scottish Rugby Council, said: “With the structural changes to the league now in place, the draft gives those sides at the top of club rugby an opportunity to drive up standards even further.

Glasgow Warriors' Scott Wight played for his home club Melrose when Gala and Melrose went head-to-head during the closing weekend of RBS Premier 1

“We have a situation now where David Lemi, for example - a World Cup winger - will be able to give guidance and support to Ayr and play for them should that scenario arise.  It’s a great opportunity for them to learn from him and for him to learn about Scottish rugby.

“The clubs do acknowledge not all the professionals in the draft will turn out for the RBS Premier A sides, but  we want to get the clubs and the pro players working together. It’s important the players have that connection to the clubs and at the same time the clubs embrace the professional game.”

Pro-Player re-draft:

Boroughmuir:  Lewis Niven, Sean Cox, Henry Pyrgos

Aberdeen Grammar: Andrew Kelly, Duncan Weir, Dave McCall

Ayr: David Lemi, Colin Shaw, John Barclay

Stirling County: Alan McDonald, Struan Dewar, Geoff Cross

Currie: John Houston, Stuart McInally, Greig Laidlaw

Dundee HSFP: Rob Dewey, Ross Rennie, Richie Gray

Gala: Jim Thompson, Andrew Turnbull, Mike Blair

Melrose: Kyle Traynor, Lee Jones

These players are added to the original draft by the RBS Premier 1 sides of five players each.

Premier A will kick-off on Saturday 14 January 2012.