Match Report: Boroughmuir Bears v Heriot’s Rugby

Boroughmuir Bears claimed their first FOSROC Super6 victory on Friday evening (22 November] as they opened the third round of the tournament under Friday night lights, welcoming fellow Edinburgh side, Heriot’s Rugby, to Meggetland.

The home side took to the field with intent and soon had the first points on the board. Within two minutes Chris Laidlaw chipped over the top, with the ball finding winger Cammy Gray who finished off the move, scrum half Kyle McGhie converted.

Heriot’s hit back on the ten-minute mark. A short ball from the lineout allowed their pack to march forward with number eight Jason Hill crashing over the whitewash, outside centre Ross Jones added the extra two points.

The tries continued to flow, and five minutes later the Goldenacre side created an almost identical score. A penalty kick that found touch saw captain Iain Wilson take the ball cleanly in the air for Heriot’s, they mauled forward to allow hooker Michael Liness to get the ball down over the line, Jones again added the conversion.

Two minutes later it was the hosts who conjured up the opportunity to get points on the board. From a lineout on the five-meter line the home pack moved forward with conviction to allow hooker Johnny Matthews to score. The standard of kicking was excellent throughout the contest and, yet again, McGhie stroked over the conversion.

Just before the half hour Heriot’s scored from a slick set-piece move. It came from another lineout on the 22-meter line, the accurate Linees threw a well-timed ball for scrum half Dan Nutton to sneak into the space that had been created at the front of the lineout.

After evading the Bears pack, he weaved his way past the opposing winger and fullback to dot down. Jones again added the extra points.

Just before half time Heriot’s had an opportunity to extend their lead further but Jones’ penalty drifted wide of the posts.

In the last play of the half the home side were on the attack once again. Blindside flanker Bruce Flockhart found an inside pass, bursting over the gainline and up the park with second row Ewan Stewart in support to collect the ball and go in under the sticks. McGhie converted to give the Bears some impetus going into the break.

Half Time: Boroughmuir Bears 21-21 Heriots Rugby 

The visitors opened the second half scoring, Ross Jones taking advantage of a Bears infringement at the ruck with a penalty.

The hosts replied five minutes later with a successful penalty from McGhie, approximately 40 meters out, that brought the scores all square.

McGhie was able to use his boot to good effect once again to put the Bears ahead, after the visitors were penalised at the scrum, he was able to add another 3 points to their total.

With twenty minutes left, Heriot’s were on the attack and seized back the lead as Andrew Simmers made a break up the park, the ball was recycled quickly and found its way out to Scott Robeson who was able to run in from five meters out, Jones adding the conversion.

Heriot’s task was made harder as Ali Johnston was shown a yellow card and the visitors were reduced to 14-men with eight minutes remaining.

As the clock neared 80 minutes the drama was far from over. The Bears used their inside centre replacement Jack Steele as a battering ram to break through the Heriot’s defence and come within inches of the try line, shaking the posts in the process.

The Bears played through the phases before Steele himself was awarded the try that he initially set up crashing over from short range, McGhie was successful with the kick.

Heriot’s mounted one last gasp attack. A penalty was awarded on the halfway line and replacement scrum half Andrew Simmers opted to kick for touch and search for the win.

Heriot’s were unlucky to see the lineout come to nothing as they stretched the Bears defence across the park before referee Michael Todd brought it back for a penalty.

Heriot’s had faith in their forward pack and chose the lineout option which had worked so well earlier in the match,

They produced a valiant attempt to come away with all the spoils as Simmers opted to recycle the ball quickly from the ruck, but their efforts fell short when the ball was knocked on right in front of the posts, much to the relief of the home fans.

Heriot’s would depart Meggetland with a bonus point, but the night would belong to the Boroughmuir Bears as they sealed their first win of the tournament.

Full Time: Boroughmuir Bears 34-31 Heriots Rugby 

FOSROC Super6 Player of the Match: Callum Atkinson (Boroughmuir Bears)

Referee: Michael Todd

Boroughmuir Bears: 1. Charlie Capps, 2. Johnny Matthews, 18. Martin McGinley, 4. Ewan Stewart, 5. Callum Atkinson, 6. Bruce Flockhart, 7. Scott McGinley, 8. Tom Drennan, 9. Kyle McGhie, 10. Chris Laidlaw ©, 11. Glen Faulds, 12. Greg Cannie, 13. Archie Russell, 14. Cammy Gray, 15. Martin Cimprich

Replacements: 16. George Shannon, 17. AP McWilliam, 3. Dan Winning, 19. Will Inglis, no number. Jack Steele, 21. Tom Wilson, 22. Elia Zampolli, 23. Gregor Brown

Heriots Rugby: 1. Josh Scott, 2. Michael Liness, 3. Struan Cessford, 4. Callum Marshall, 5. Adam Sinclair, 6. Iain Wilson©, 7. Jack McClean, 8. Jason Hill, 9. Dan Nutton, 10. Ben Chalmers, 11. James Couper, 12. Scott King, 13. Ross Jones, 14. Jack Blain, 15. Robbie Chalmers

Replacements: 16. Ali Johnstone, 17. Andrew Nimmo, 18. Dan Gamble, 19. Ronan Seydak, 20. Charlie Jupp, 21. Andrew Simmers, 22. Scott Robeson, 23. James Spencer

Match Report: Southern Knights Vs Ayrshire Bulls 

Peter Murchie’s Ayrshire Bulls came away from the Greenyards with all five points after making the trip through to the Borders to face the Southern Knights in the second FOSROC Super6 game of the weekend.

The visitors had an opportunity to open the scoring after four minutes when FOSROC Academy Stage three player Ross Thomson had a shot at goal, but was unlucky to see it bounce off the posts. He was able to rectify his last attempt ten minutes later when the Knights were penalised for an offside offence, allowing him to slot it between the uprights.

The Southern Knights were able to respond when they were awarded a penalty in front of the posts, inside centre Jason Baggott stepped up and popped it over.

For the next quarter of the match the two sides were tied at one penalty apiece. With four minutes to go until half time the hosts openside flanker Ruaridh Knott was show a yellow card for side entry.

Ayrshire Bulls were able to capitalise on the man advantage twice before the break. They recorded the first try of the match when hooker Sam Kitchen was able to get over the try line from the back of a rolling maul, Thomson adding the extras.

Playmaker Thomson was able to add to his kicking tally with a try of his own. From a lineout the ball was spurted out to the backs, he was able to find the pass from his teammates, fend off Knights Patrick Anderson, and go in under the posts, putting his boot to good use and converting is own score.

​Half Time: Southern Knights 3 – 17 Ayrshire Bulls 

From the back of a rolling maul Knights captain Russell Anderson was able to get the hosts off to a promising second half when he scored their first try of the game, Baggott neatly converting from out wide.

The Bulls were able to respond a few moments later. The hosts replacement prop Ewan Mcquillian was shown a yellow card by referee Ross Mabon when he kicked the ball away. It was the Ayrshire hooker Sam Kitchen who as able to claim his second try of the match as he dived over the whitewash in the stand side corner.

The visitors recorded their fourth try, which would earn them the bonus point, just as the Southern Knights were trying desperately to get out their danger zone. From a scrum the Knights passed the ball out to their back line, as they kicked to clear centre Stafford McDowell charged it down, he was able to gather it and run in under the posts, Thomson made no mistake with the conversation.

With only ten minutes to go there were opportunities for the hosts to score with a man advantage when Bulls Lars Morrice was shown a yellow card for coming into the side of the ruck. Moments later both Gordon Reid (Ayrshire Bulls) and Fraser Renwick (Southern Knights) were also shown yellow cards for ungentlemanly like conduct.

With the Bulls down to 13- men and the Knights with 14 there were moments when it looked like the hosts could gather another score. Replacement scrum half Struan Hutchinson made a good break up the park when he spotted a gap in the Bulls defence around the ruck, but he was brought down before anything could come to fruition.

Full Time: Southern Knights 10 – 29 Ayrshire Bulls 

FOSROC Player of the Match: Ross Thomson (Ayrshire Bulls)

Referee: Ross Mabon

Southern Knight: 1. Shaun Gunn, 2. Russell Anderson ©, 3. Conor Young, 4. Angus Runciman, 5. Dalton Redpath, 6. Neil Irvine-Hess, 7. Ruaridh Knott, 8. Iain Moody, 9. Bruce Colvine , 10. Thomas Galbraith, 11. Joseph Jenkins, 12. Jason Baggott, 13. Patrick Anderson, 14. Gavin Wood, 15. Ciaran Whyte

Replacements: 16. Fraser Renwick, 17. Ewan Mcquillan, 18. Grant Shiells, 19. James Head, 20. Dylan Taylor, 21. Struan Hutchison, 22. Iain Sim, 23. Nathan Sweeney

Ayrshire Bulls: 1. Gordon Reid. 2. Sam Kitchen, 3. Nicolas Griffiths, 4. Fraser Hastie, 5. Lars Morrice, 6. George Bordill, 7. Graham Geldenhuys, 8. Peter McCallum (C), 9. David Armstrong, 10. Ross Thompson, 11. Craig Gossman, blank number. Stafford McDowall, 13. Tyler Beary, 16. Robbie Nairn, 15. Ollie Smith

Replacements: 25. Lewis Anderson, 17. Michael Scott, 18. Ruairidh Sayce, 19. Marshall Sykes, 20. Blair Macpherson, 21. Harry Warr, 22. Frazier Climo, 23. Matt Davidson

Match Report: Watsonians Rugby Vs Stirling County 

Watsonians remain the only side undefeated in the FOSROC Super6 after they clawed their way back to win the third game of the weekend when they hosted Stirling County on Sunday afternoon.

The visitors opened the scoring on the second minute. Stirling opted to kick to touch from a penalty, they took lineout cleanly in the air and their pack moved the maul forward which allowed number eight Adam Ashe to get the ball down over the line.

Minutes later Stirling stretched ahead as fly half Brandon Thomson threw a dummy pass on the halfway line, stepped the home defence and broke up the middle of the park. He was supported by his inside centre Landon Hayes who was able to pass out to his centre partner Robbie Kent to get over the try line with Thomson adding the extra two points.

At the start of the next quarter County were reduced to 14 men as second row James Pow was shown a yellow card. Watsonians were able to capitalise on this from a lineout as the forward pack got their maul moving, it was hooker Cal Davies who was able to secure the try.

Moments later it looked like the visitors would be able to score again. Back up to full strength they found themselves with a two on one overlap on the stand side. With great defence by the hosts County winger Logan Trotter had no option but to try and kick ahead, in the process Watsonians fullback Jamie Forbes was judged to have interfered with the play by changing is lane of running and was shown a yellow card.

Just before half time Stirling County were able to get further ahead as Brandon Thomson slotted a penalty in front of the posts as the hosts were penalised for standing up in the scrum.

Half Time: Watsonians Rugby 5-15 Stirling County 

Stirling mounted an attack with a set-piece move from the back of a scrum. Ewan MacGarvie came off his wing to receive the ball from Thomson, he found fullback Josh Henderson who was able to burst through the home sides defensive back line and pass it onto Trotter however referee Ruairidh Campbell pulled him up as the pass between MacGarvie and Henderson was forward.

In the end it took seventeen minutes for the first score of the second half to be recorded. Stirling County had a man advantage during a scrum five as Watsonians Michael Badenhorst was serving ten minutes in the sin bin for an offside offence. Adam Ashe was able to control the ball at the back of the scrum which he then picked up and dived over the line.

With twenty minutes left of the game Watsonians had to find something from somewhere. Angus Guthrie came off his wing to run a brilliant line to split the Stirling defence and run in a try, Lee Millar adding the extras.

After a long stoppage in play for a Watsonians injury Cal Davies secured his second try of the game from another rolling maul off the back of a lineout. The hosts now trailing only 17 points to 22 heading into the final ten minutes.

Still looking for that winning try Watsonians upped the intensity. Centre Joe Renyolds made a break up the park, scrum half Roan Frostwick recycled the ball quick to pass it out to replacement winger Kody McGovern, who had been on the pitch a less than a minute. He gathered the ball in his first touch of the game, cut back inside and run in an important try, Millar again adding the extras to giving the hosts the lead for the first time in the match.

When Stirling County were penalised for a high tackle Millar was able to secure the hosts win when he opted to kick a penalty in front of the posts for an extra three points.

In the dying minutes it was Watsonians hooker Cal Davies who received a pop pass from Roan Frostwick and found space down the outside to secure another try for good measure, recording a hat-trick for himself in the process.

Lee Millar slotted the conversion from out wide to secure the victory for the hosts and cement themselves at the top of the FOSROC Super6 after round three.

FOSROC Player of the Match: Lee Millar (Watsonians Rugby)

Referee: Ruairidh Campbell

Watsonians Rugby: 1. Harrison Courtney, 2. Cal Davies, 3. Nathan Borel, 4. Brian Leitch, 5. Jamie Hodgson, 6. Mesu Kunavula, 7. Connor Boyle, 8. Morgan Inness, 9. Murray Scott, 10. Lee Millar (C), 11. Angus Guthrie, 12. Joe Reynolds, 13. Lewis Berg, 14. Lomond Macpherson, 15. Jamie Forbes

Replacements: 16. Campbell Wilson, 17. Finn Hobbis, 18. Jonny Gibson, 19. Finlay Simpson, 20. Michael Badenhorst, 21. Roan Frostwick, 22. Andrew Chalmers, 23. Kody McGovern

Stirling County: 1. Charlie Brown, 2. Reyner Kennedy (C), 3. Adam Nicol, 4. James Pow, 5. Ollie Bartlett, 6. Dean Taylor-Menzies, 7. Connor Gordon, 8. Adam Ashe, 9. Caleb Korteweg, 10. Brandon Thomson, 11. Logan Trotter, 12. Landon Hayes. 13. Robbie Kent, 14. Ewan MacGarvie, 15. Josh Henderson.

Replacements: 16. Aaron Thomson, 17. Adam Wood, 18. Murphy Walker, 19. George Arnott, 20. Ross Bundy, 21. Andrew Goudie, 22. Mark New, 23. Andrew McLean

Full Time: Watsonians Rugby 34-22 Stirling County