Friday 10 January 2020 

MATCH REPORT: Boroughmuir Bears v Southern Knights

The first game of the new year in the FOSROC Super6 was the rearranged fixture from the fourth round between Boroughmuir Bears and Southern Knights.

On a bitterly cold and blustery winters evening it was the visitors who earned five very important league points and earn their first win of the tournament.

With both teams struggling to adjust to the weather conditions the opening score of the game did not come until just after the twentieth minute.

Knights scrum half Struan Hutchinson kicked ahead, the ball was fumbled by the visitors near the try line before Knights centre Gavin Wood was able to gather it and cross the try line.

On the half hour mark, Bears Cammy Gray attempted to clear the ball out the hosts 22 but it flew straight into the hands of Knights number eight James Head. They kept their composure and recycled the ball well to allow Ewan Mcquillian to crash over to extend their lead, Jason Baggott adding the extra two points.

Moments before the half time whistle the hosts got their first score of the game. From a lineout winger Jordan Edmunds joined the back of the maul, his extra power enabled the Bears to get over the whitewash to score with captain Chris Laidlaw adding the conversion.

HALF-TIME: Boroughmuir Bears 7-12 Southern Knights

Scoring was opened in the second half by the Knights as they continued to show they had adapted to the weather conditions better than their opponents.

It was hooker, and FOSROC Player of the Match, Russell Anderson who was able to get the ball down over the try line from the back of a maul after a lineout.

Bears hit back almost immediately through a try from second row Ewan Stewart to bring the score to within seven points.

With twenty minutes left to play the Knights worked their way back up the pitch, after long periods attacking the Bears line it was prop Ewan Mcquillian who was able to get over the whitewash to secure their fourth try of the game, Gavin Wood adding the extra two points.

Not to be out done by their forward pack the Southern Knights backs were able to claim a score on the final whistle when the ball was scooped up by, passed about like a hot potato before finding Welsh 7s player Joe Jenkins who was able to score on the outside.

FULL-TIME: Boroughmuir Bears 12-31 Southern Knights 

FOSROC Super6 Player of the Match: Russel Anderson (Southern Knights)

Boroughmuir Bears: 15. Glen Faulds; 14. Cammy Gray, 13. Archie Russell, 12. Greg Cannie, 11. Jordan Edmunds, 10. Chris Laidlaw CAPTAIN, 9. Tom Wilson; 1. George Thornton, 2. Johnny Matthews, 3. Dan Winning, 4. Ewan Stewart, 5. Callum Atkinson, 6. Aubrey Mncube, 7. Scott McGinley, 8. Craig Keddie.

Replacements: 16. George Shannon, 17. AP McWilliam, 18. Martin McGinley, 19. Tom Drennan, 20. Jale Vakaloloma, 21. Murray Johnstone, 22. Martin Cimprich, 23. Ronan Kerr.

Southern Knights: 15, Fraser Thomson CAPTAIN; 14. Ciaran Whyte, 13. Joseph Jenkins, 12. Gavin Wood, 11. Patrick Anderson, 10. Jason Baggott, 9. Struan Hutchison; 1. Grant Shiells, 2. Russell Anderson, 3. Ewan McQuillan, 4.Conor Young, 5. Angus Runciman, 6. Ruaridh Knott, 7. Dylan Taylor, 8. James Head

Replacements: 16. Fraser Renwick, 17. Calum Crookshank, 18. Shaun Gunn, 19. Dalton Redpath, 20. Finlay Scott, 21. Bruce Colvine, 22. Thomas Galbraith, 23. Michael Mvelase-Julyan.

Saturday 21 December 2019 

MATCH REPORT: Heriot’s Rugby v Stirling County 

Heriot’s ended 2019 with a hat-trick of FOSROC Super6 wins after a clinical display against Stirling County at Goldenacre.

The Edinburgh side punished any Stirling penalty with territory and eventually points as they turned around a half-time deficit and a yellow card to take the win.

Stirling County had decent amounts of territory and possession over the 80mins and both led at half-time and closed the gap to three points in the dying minutes, but couldn’t secure an elusive win.

Heriot’s built their win on a strong defence and sharper cutting edge in attack when it mattered, being well marshalled by the FOSROC Player of the Match, scrum-half Dan Nutton.

Winger James Spencer scored two of Heriot’s four tries, with fly-half Ross Jones adding three conversions and a penalty.

Stirling took a four-point lead into the break after capitalising with two scores when Heriot’s went down to 14 men mid-way through the half after prop Josh Scott was sin-binned.

County camped in Heriot’s 22 drawing multiple penalties, which they opted to scrummage, and eventually drew a penalty try from referee Finlay Brown and the yellow card.

Heriot’s responded immediately and got on the scoreboard through winger James Spencer who dotted down out wide from the restart.

Stirling made their next venture in the Heriot’s 22 pay off when they drove over through a rolling maul off a lineout, hooker Reyner Kennedy scoring.

Heriot’s struggled in the lineout in the first 40 minutes with County competing in the air and denying the home side any solid platform.

Heriot’s centre Cameron Hutchison caught the eye in the first half, consistently gaining ground and challenging the County defence.

Stirling had been stuttering in attack in recent weeks so a three-try performance saw improvement but they are yet to register a win on the road since the opening round of the competition when they beat the Boroughmuir Bears at Meggetland back in early November.

Stirling County will have an immediate opportunity to avenge today’s defeat when they welcome Heriot’s Rugby to Bridgehaugh for the next FOSROC Super6 round in January.

FULL-TIME: Heriot’s Rugby 29-19 Stirling County 

FOSROC Player of the Match: Dan Nutton (Heriot’s Rugby)

Heriot’s Rugby: 15. Robbie Chalmers; 14. Rory McMichael, 13. Robert Kay, 12. Cameron Hutchison, 11. James Spencer, 10. Ross Jones CAPTAIN, 9. Dan Nutton; 1. Josh Scott, 2. Ali Johnstone, 3. Murray McCallum, 4. Adam Sinclair, 5. Ronan Seydak, 6. Charlie Jupp, 7. Jack McClean, 8. Jason Hill

Replacements: 16. Chris Keen, 17. Andrew Nimmo, 18. Dan Gamble, 19. Scott Riddell, 20. Alex Ball, 21. Scott Robeson, 22. Jack Blain. 23. James Couper

Stirling County: 15. Bruce Sorbie, 14. Ewan MacGarvie, 13. Robbie Kent, 12. Landon Hayes, 11. Logan Trotter, 10. Andrew Goudie, 9. Sean Kennedy; 1. Charlie Brown, 2. Reyner Kennedy CAPTAIN, 3. Murphy Walker, 4. Ollie Bartlett, 5. Cameron Henderson, 6. George Arnott, 7. Connor Gordon, 8. Dean Taylor-Menzies.

Replacements: 16. Grant Stewart, 17. Adam Wood, 18. Fergus Bradbury, 19. James Pow, 20. Matt Smith, 21. Caleb Korteweg, 22. Euan Cunningham, 23. Glenn Bryce.

MATCH REPORT: Ayrshire Bulls v Watsonians

Ayrshire Bulls halted Watsonians unbeaten streak in the FOSROC Super6 when they scored three unanswered tries in the second half.

It was the visitors, and league leaders, Watsonians who opened the scoring when the experienced Lee Millar slotted a penalty in front of the posts to give the visitors an early lead.

There were hectic phases of play from both sides but when Bulls full back, and FOSROC Player of the Match, Ollie Smith stepped past his man to make a break it looked as though the hosts may have been onto a score, but it come to nothing.

With Watsonians attacking the try line Bulls the managed to kept them out for sustained periods, when the hosts were able to turn it over prop Gordon Reid provided great entertainment when he booted the ball out for good measure.

It was just before the half time whistle when Watsonians were able to record the first try of the match. The visitors kept their composure throughout numerous phases before back-row Mesu Kunavula crashed over from short range with Millar adding the extra two points.

HALF TIME: Ayrshire Bulls 0-10 Watsonians 

The hosts started the second half with great intent and less than two minutes in full-back Smith was able to capitalise on a Watsonians handling mistake on the five-meter line. He intercepted the ball and run the length of the park to score for the Bulls.

Ten minutes later Ayrshire Bulls went ahead for the first time in the game when referee Mike Adamson awarded them a penalty try as he judged the visitors to collapse a scrum on the try line.

The visitors hit back on the sixty-minute mark when Millar slotted a straightforward penalty in front of the posts, putting them ahead once again.

With ten minutes until the final whistle, and a scrum on the five-meter line, Bulls number eight Blair Macpherson controlled the ball at the back of the pack to pick it up and score their third try, Ross Thomson adding the extra two points.

It allowed the hosts to record their fourth win in a row and earn four point to sit them second in the FOSROC Super6 league table. Watsonians hold onto their top spot on points difference of 50 to Ayrshire Bulls 48.

FULL-TIME: Ayrshire Bulls 19-13 Watsonians

FOSROC Player of the Match: Ollie Smith (Ayrshire Bulls)

Ayrshire Bulls: 15. Ollie Smith; 14. Tom Lewis, 13. Danny McCluskey, 12. Tom Jordan. 11. Matt Davidson, 10. Ross Thompson, 9. David Armstrong; 1. Gordon Reid. 2. Sam Kitchen, 3. Nicolas Griffiths, 4. Marshall Sykes, 5. Lars Morrice, 6. George Bordill, 7. Graham Geldenhuys. 8. Blair Macpherson CAPTAIN

Replacements: 16. Alex McGuire, 17. Michael Scott, 18. Ruairidh Sayce, 19. Fraser Hastie, 20. Gavin Wilson, 21. Harry Warr, 22. Frazier Climo, 23. Robbie Nairn

Watsonians: 15. Jamie Forbes; 14. Lomond Macpherson, 13. Lewis Berg, 12. Andrew Chalmers, 11. Angus Guthrie, 10. Lee Millar CAPTAIN , 9. Ali Harris; 1. Harrison Courtney, 2. Campbell Wilson, 3. Nathan Borel, 4. Finlay Simpson, 5. Jamie Hodgson, 6. Michael Badenhorst, 7. Connor Boyle, 8. Mesu Kunavula

Replacements: 16. Cal Davies, 17. Finn Hobbis, 18. Jonny Gibson, 19. Kieran Watt, 20. Gregor Nelson, 21. Murray Scott, 22. Ewan Fox, 23. Ruaraidh Smith