Friday 28 July: Southern Knights v FOSROC Future XV

With one-point separating the final score, the Southern Knights and debutant team FOSROC Future XV made it a first Championship outing to remember.

The first points were put on the board by the FOSROC Future XV when wing Amena Caqusau put his foot on the gas and sprinted up the field, adding the new teams first try. The extras were made by Isaac Coates.

The Southern Knights responded quickly with a heavy driving maul which ploughed Luke Thompson over the whitewash.

A looping pass out to Aidan Cross on the wing allowed him to creatively dot the ball down in the corner, bringing the hosts up another five points.

The Knights kept their momentum going and another pass out to wing was caught by full back Donald Crawford who was down in the other corner.

Luke Thompson added another try to his roster when he made a quick pick and go to barrel past the Futures’ defence and over the line. Callum Grieve’s kick was good from wide.

The FOSROC Future XV’s second try came just before half time in the form of the powerful front row Callum Smyth who squeezed past the Knights defence to dot down.

HALF TIME: Southern Knights 22-12 FOSROC Future XV

Some excellent running efforts from the FOSROC Future XV brought them from one end of the pitch to the other and allowed Freddy Douglas to push past all defence and touch down right under the posts. A successful boot from Isaac Coates brought the visitors up to two points behind.

The Knights responded quickly after the ball was played out of a scrum close to the try line and passed to full back Donald Crawford who dived over the line. Extras were made by Callum Grieve.

The Futures kept the heat up high as a series of controlled phases allowed Jake Spurway to sneak through the Knights defence and dot down just right of the posts. Isaac Coates’ kick was good, bringing the debutant team to within one point of their hosts.

Another try for the FOSROC Future XV came in quick succession for Tom Smith as he made a nifty break away from a ruck to crash over the line. Isaac Coates made the conversion.

After another period of pick and goes and some strong Knights defence, the Futures managed to push their way past and get Ollie Duncan over the whitewash.

The next score came for the Knights when there was looping pass out to Garry Young who managed to squeeze into the corner. A successful kick from Callum Grieve brought the hosts within two points of the leaders.

A penalty conceded by the Futures just outside the 22 let the Knights take a try at the posts. A successful boot from Callum Grieve brought the hosts one point ahead with only a few minutes left on the clock.

On a nail-biting finish, the Southern Knights conceded a penalty just inside their own 22, allowing the FOSROC Future XV to have their go at the posts. The kick was unfortunately missed, meaning the hosts got their first win of the Championship.

FULL TIME: Southern Knights 39 – 38 FOSROC Future XV

Referee: Jonny Perriam

FOSROC Player of the Match: Luke Thompson (Southern Knights)

TRIES:

Southern Knights: Luke Thompson (2), Aidan Cross, Donald Crawford (2), Garry Young

FOSROC Future XV: Amena Caqusau, Callum Smyth, Freddy Douglas, Jake Spurway, Tom Smith, Ollie Duncan

CONVERSIONS:

Southern Knights: Callum Grieve (3)

FOSROC Future XV: Isaac Coates (4)

PENALTIES:

Southern Knights: Callum Grieve

Friday 28 July: Boroughmuir Bears v Heriot’s Rugby

Heriot’s took a convincing 51-12 win back across Edinburgh to start their 2023 FOSROC Super Series Championship in style.

Bruce Houston gave Heriot’s the lead in the 6^th minute, converting a penalty awarded in front of the posts 10 metres out.

And Heriot’s grabbed the first try in the 19^th minute. Lineout mauls were a real strength of theirs in the Sprint, and that continued into the Championship as Iain Wilson profited at the back of a drive.

Houston had a try of his own to add to his penalty in the 26^th minute. Strong carries from the forwards brought the visitors within inches before Houston screamed for the ball on the blind side and finished off in the left corner.

A third try came just three minutes later. Starting in their own half, Heriot’s broke through Wilson, who found George Barber inside him, who in turn found an excellent offload as he was felled to Charlie Jupp, who sprinted over on the left.

The Bears hit back in the 34^th minute. A penalty near the sticks was tapped and the forwards wrestled for inches, with Jack Fisher the man to work his way over the line.

HALF TIME: Boroughmuir Bears 7 – 22 Heriot’s Rugby

Heriot’s earned themselves a bonus point in the 42^nd minute. Overpowering the Bears in the scrum, the ball suddenly wriggled loose and debutant Sinjin Broad was on hand to gather and dive into the right corner.

In the 47^th minute the Goldenacre outfit were in again. After initially making yards down the right, the ball was shipped right across the pitch to Lewis Wells, who finished in the left corner.

A counter-attack finished in the blink of an eye gave Heriot’s a sixth. With the Bears seemingly in control at a ruck, the ball popped out and Matt Davidson was lightning quick to react, sprinting in from 40 metres.

Davidson doubled up in the 70^th minute, running an inside line on the left side and slotting between the Bears’ centres to score.

Heriot’s were in again five minutes from time, as a cheeky grubber kick from Ross Jones five metres out was gathered by the full back himself and dotted down.

The Bears grabbed a consolation in the 79^th minute, Josh King wrestling his way over after a tap and go penalty, but it was Heriot’s night in Edinburgh as they started their Championship with a win.

FULL TIME: Boroughmuir Bears 12 – 51 Heriot’s Rugby

Referee: Ian Kenny

FOSROC Player of the Match: Charlie Jupp (Heriot’s Rugby)

TRIES:

Boroughmuir Bears: Jack Fisher, Josh King

Heriot’s: Iain Wilson, Bruce Houston, Charlie Jupp, Sinjin Broad, Lewis Wells, Matt Davidson (2), Ross Jones

CONVERSIONS:

Boroughmuir Bears: Gavin Lockhart

Heriot’s: Bruce Houston (4)

PENALTIES:

Heriot’s: Bruce Houston

Saturday 29 July: Ayrshire Bulls v Watsonians

Jason Baggot kicked off the match at Millbrae under driech conditions and as a result, with a ball that was like a bar of soap.

Within 12 minutes and no score on the board, Watsonians Neil Irvine-Hess was shown a yellow for collapsing the scrum and was sent to spend 10 minutes in the sin bin.

A penalty conceded by the Bulls in their 22 let Watsonians’ Jason Baggott have a go at the post. His successful boot was what did it to finally add the first points on the scoreboard in the opening 27 minutes.

Another yellow was shown to the Watsonians side for illegally collapsing the maul and this time it was loosehead prop Donald Voas who was sent off.

HALF TIME: Ayrshire Bulls 0 – 3 Watsonians

The Bulls managed to put some points on the board a couple minutes into the second half when a penalty conceded by Watsonians allowed Brad Rodrick-Evans to try for the sticks. His kick was successful, bringing the hosts level with their visitors.

The first try of the game finally came in the 26^th minute when a nifty kick from Lewis Berg to the corner let Kody McGovern catch just short of touch and dive over the line.

On the 77^th minutes a penalty in the scrum let Watsonians’ Jason Baggott take another go at the sticks, bringing the visitors up another three points and finalising the score for the evening.

FULL TIME: Ayrshire Bulls 3 – 11 Watsonians

Referee: Sam Grove-White

FOSROC Player of the Match: Neil Irvine-Hess (Watsonians)

TRIES:

Watsonians: Kody McGovern

PENALTIES:

Ayrshire Bulls:  Brad Rodrick-Evans

Watsonians: Jason Baggott (2)