Match Report: Boroughmuir Bears v Stirling County 

The opening match of the new FOSROC Super6 was won by in dramatic fashion by Stirling County who clawed back an 11-point deficit to defeat their Boroughmuir Bear hosts.

Over 1,500 fans at Meggetland enjoyed a highly eventful game which saw six tries, two yellow cards and a highly competitive match to kick-off the new tournament.

It had looked like Boroughmuir’s defence would be the difference after they took an early lead and repelled multiple County attacks in both halves.

But it was Stirling who built their score in the second half and eventually took the lead on 75mins with a short-range try from Ollie Bartlett to set up a tense finish and hold on for the victory, underpinned by fly-half Josh Henderson’s 100% kicking rate on the night.

The opening exchanges were untidy which could be expected and it was Stirling County who took the lead with a Josh Henderson penalty on 5 minutes.

Boroughmuir build a solid platform off their lineout and scored on 11mins through hooker George Shannon. Kyle McGhie converted for 7-3.

The story of the half though was the Bears’ defence which withstood a yellow card and six successive penalties in their own 22 without conceding a point as Stirling opted for the scrum and continued to draw a blank.

Twice the home side countered and broke out in the opening 40 through winger Jordan Edmunds and full back Glen Faulds.

Edmunds made up for his 10 minutes in the bin for an earlier high tackle with a beautifully taken chip and collect down the left wing, which he then ran in unopposed on the half hour, McGhie converted.

Stirling to their credit responded almost immediately with a short-range drive finished by hooker Reyner Kennedy, converted by Josh Henderson, to take the score to 14-10.

The visitors pressed again but the Bears intercepted just inside their own half and flying full-back Glen Faulds raced in. Kyle McGhie, the Boroughmuir scrum-half completed his third conversion from out wide.

Half time: Boroughmuir Bears 21-10 Stirling County

Both sides settled into the game in the second half and it became a tighter match with neither side able to completely dominate.

Stirling added three points on the hour for the Bears encroaching offside through Josh Henderson to close the gap to 21-13.

Try-scorer Faulds slotted a penalty for Boroughmuir shortly after to extend the host’s lead out to 24-13, but from then on it was the visitors who closed out the game more effectively.

Stirling won a penalty at the resulting restart and began to camp out on the Bears line, again their defence held firm until scrum-half Caleb Korteweg touched down in the far corner, Henderson converted, and a grandstand finish was on the cards at 24-20 with seven minutes remaining.

Stirling kicked a penalty into the opposing 22 and from a series of drives and attacking phases finally broke through under the posts through back row Ollie Bartlett to take the lead at the death. Henderson converted for a three-point lead 24-27.

Boroughmuir enjoyed possession as the clock ticked down and Stirling number 8 Adam Ashe was yellow carded for not retreating as the Bears took a quick tap pen through scrum half replacement Tom Wilson.

Despite multiple phases the Stirling defence held firm and when Bears’ kicked through into the County 22 it was swiftly collected and kicked dead to give the visitors a hard-earned win.

Full time Boroughmuir Bears 24 – Stirling County 27

FOSROC Player of the Match – Scott McGinley, Boroughmuir Bears

Referee David Sutherland

Boroughmuir Bears: 1. AP McWilliam, 2. George Shannon, 3. Dan Winning, 4. David Medjebeur, 5. Callum Atkinson, 6. Gregor Brown, 7. Scott McGinley, 8. Craig Keddie, 9. Kyle McGhie, 10. Chris Laidlaw (capt), 11. Jordan Edmunds, 12. Greg Cannie, 13. Elia Zampolli, 14. Cammy Gray, 15. Glen Faulds

Replacements: 16. Toby Francombe, 17. Charlie Capps, 18. Martin McGinley, 19. Bruce Flockhart, 20. Martin Cimprich, 21. Tom Wilson, 22. Gavin Parker, 23. Will Inglis

Stirling County: Murphy Walker, 2. Reyner Kennedy, 3. Adam Nicol, 4. James Pow, 5. Cameron Henderson, 6. Oliver Bartlett, 7. Dean Taylor-Menzies, 8. Adam Ashe, 9. Caleb Korteweg, 10. Josh Henderson, 11. Logan Trotter, 12. Grant Hughes, 13. Landon Hayes, 14. Ewan MacGarvie, 15. Brandon Thomson

Replacements: 16. Bryce Robertson, 17. William Dineen, 18. Charlie Brown, 19. Ross Bundy, 20. Connor Gordon, 21. Andrew Goudie, 22. Andrew McLean, 23. Bruce Sortie

Match report: Southern Knights v Watsonians

An expectant and healthy crowd cheered Southern Knights onto the pitch for their inaugural FOSROC Super6 match at The Greenyards, with Watsonians Rugby the visitors.

Knights enjoyed plenty of early possession, showing a willingness to keep the ball alive in the tackle and offloading at every opportunity.

Sonians struggled to impose themselves in the opening exchanges as both teams knocked the ball on before any consistency could be found. Morgan Inness made the first notable puncture of either defence, cutting a bruising line deep into the Knights 22 only to be halted by some excellent defence.

Still Watsonians struggled in the set piece and in the loose, losing a line-out when well placed, which allowed Southern Knights the chance to clear their lines. Soon after, Watsonians were called offside 10 metres from their own line, giving Struan Hutchison the chance to kick the first points of the game, where he duly obliged.

The visitors could not get a foothold in the match and were punished again for being offside on their 22, from which Struan Hutchison doubled Southern Knights’ lead.

With five minutes of the first half remaining, Knights eschewed the chance of another three points from 30 metres out but missed their kick to touch to the chagrin of the home support.

Winger Joe Jenkins could well have scored the first try of the match after darting onto a sumptuous Hutchison grubber but the ball wouldn’t behave for him.

Lewis Berg received ten minutes in the bin for a high tackle. From the resulting penalty kick to touch, Southern Knights were done by the frustration of a squint throw, which signalled the end of the first half.

Half time: Southern Knights 6-0 Watsonians

The second period burst into life when Michael Mvelase-Julyan scampered down the left wing, but he was bundled into a late touch with the line in sight.

Watsonians’ Jamie Hodgson was shown a yellow card for persistent team misdemeanours and although Knights couldn’t get over the line from the opportunity that followed – twice being held up when set to maul over the line – they were rewarded when that man Mvelase-Julyan brilliantly caught a Murdo McAndrew inside pass to crash over for the first try of the game. The conversion by Hutchison made it a 13-point game with 25 minutes left on the clock.

Watsonians’ first score was worth the wait. With the knowledge of a penalty advantage, Lee Millar dinked a ball just over the line and Joe Reynolds touched down to put the visitors firmly back in contention, especially after Millar’s conversion.

The Edinburgh side had their tails up and nearly scored after another Millar kick soon after. The game was turned on its head when Berg burrowed over moments later, converting to give Watsonians the lead with ten minutes left to play.

Hutchison lined up from 30 metres out after Watsonians were penalised for going in at the side, but his effort drifted wide. Southern Knights knocked again at their opponent’s door but continued stellar defence, which garnered a penalty for not releasing, kept them at bay and led the visitors to a great victory.

Full time: Southern Knights 13-14 Watsonians

FOSROC Player of the Match– Morgan Inness

Referee- Ian Kenny

Southern Knights: 1. Grant Shiells, 2. Russell Anderson, 3. Ewan Mcquillan, 4. Angus Runciman, 5. Dalton Redpath, 6. Neil Irvine-Hess, 7. Dylan Taylor, 8. Iain Moody, 9. Murdo McAndrew, 10. Struan Hutchison, 11. Michael Mvelase-Julyan, 12. Thomas Galbraith, 13. Patrick Anderson, 14. Joseph Jenkins, 15. Fraser Thomson.

Replacements: 16. Fraser Renwick, 17. Conor Young, 18. Shaunn Gunn, 19. Ruaridh Knott, 20. Rory Darge, 21. Bruce Colvine, 22. Gavin Wood, 23. Ciaran Whyte.

Watsonians Rugby: 1. Finn Hobbis, 2. Campbell Wilson, 3. Jack Stanley, 4. Brian Leitch, 5. Jamie Hodgson, 6. Michael Badenhorst, 7. Connor Boyle, 8. Morgan Inness. 9. Roan Frostwick, 10. Lee Millar, 11. Angus Guthrie, 12. Joe Reynolds, 12. Lewis Berg, 14. Andrew Chalmers, 15. Jamie Forbes.

Replacements: 16. Cal Davies, 17. Harrison Courtney, 18. Nathan Borel, 19. Finlay Simpson, 20. James Miller, 21. Murray Scott, 22. Ewan Fox, 23. Lomond MacPherson

Match Report: Ayrshire Bulls v Heriot’s Rugby

The third game in the opening weekend of the FOSROC Super6 saw a third win for an away team.

Before the game got underway there was a poignant minutes silence for Remembrance Sunday with 1,341 supporters in attendance.

It was a high-tempo start by both teams as each defence was tested. The scoring was opened on the five-minute mark when Ayrshire Bulls were awarded a penalty on Heriot’s 22m line, which the experienced Fraser Climo neatly converted.

The visitors were unlucky not to have a cross field kick by Stuart Edwards come to anything as it was gathered by the Bulls defence in the dead ball area.

The Edinburgh side soon rectified their earlier attempt and used the man advantage whilst Bulls Graham Geldenhuys served time in the sin bin for a high-tackle.

The opening try came as the Heriot’s pack worked their way towards the whitewash and after a couple of phases allowed centre Iain Wilson to crash over, followed by a straight forward conversion by Ross Jones.

The encounter was still being played at a high-pace as the Bulls responded quickly with an intercepted try from the half-way line by outside centre Tyler Beary. The score was converted by Fraser Climo.

Fullback Ross Jones then slotted a straightforward penalty to put more points on the board for the visitors.

On the thirty minute mark Heriot’s marched forward with a rolling maul from a lineout on the ten meter line, sending twelve men in paid off as they out muscled the Bulls for lock Ronan Seydak to dot down.

Ayrshire worked their way down to play in the Heriot’s half for one of the first times in the match, Heriots gave away a penalty on the 22 meter line in front of the posts for not releasing which was a straightforward kick for Climo.

Just before half time Heriot’s lock Adam Sinclar was shown yellow for high tackle.

​Half-Time Ayrshire Bulls 13-15 Heriots Rugby

With the second half underway, Heriots were first to get points on the board when referee Keith Allen awarded a penalty try from a rolling maul from a lineout.

Ayrshire knocked on the door, but again the visitors showed great defence and physicality to snub out any attack the Bulls could muster.

Heriot’s sent on a strong bench to continue the strong defensive effort and ensure there was to be no more scoring to continue the trend of three visiting victories in the opening FOSROC Super6 weekend.

In the last five minutes of the game Cameron Hutchison of Heriot’s made an excellent break up the middle of the park and offloaded to Rory McMichael who was high tackled by David Armstrong.

Ross Jones added three more points from the resulting penalty to seal proceedings and take the points back to Edinburgh.

Attendance: 1,341

MOTM: Cameron Hutchison – Heriots

Ayrshire Bulls: 1. Gordon Reid, 2. Sam Kitchen, 3. Nicolas Griffiths, 4. Marshall Sykes. 5. George Bordill, 6. Peter McCallum, 7. Graham Geldenhuys, 8. Blair MacPherson, 9. Harry Warr, 10. Frazier Climo, 11. Craig Gossman, 12. Danny McCluskey, 13. Tyler Beary, 14. Robbie Nairn, 15. Matt Davidson.

Replacements: 16. Lewis Anderson, 17. Michael Scott, 18. Ruairidh Sayce, 19. Lars Morrice, 20. Gavin Wilson, 21. David Armstrong, 22. Ross Thompson, 23. Ollie Smith.

Heriot’s Rugby: 1. Andrew Nimmo, 2. Michael Liness, 3. Struan Cessford, 4. Ronan Seydak, 5. Adam Sinclair, 6. Iain Wilson, 7. Jack McClean, 8. Jason Hill, 9. Andrew Simmers, 10. Stewart Edwards, 11. James Couper, 12. Cameron Hutchison, 13. Robert Kay, 14. Rory McMichael, 15. Ross Jones

Replacements: 16. Ali Johnstone, 17. Chris Keen, 18. Dan Gamble, 19. Charlie Jupp, 20. Rhuaridh Leishman, 21. Jack Mann, 22. Alex Ball, 23. Jack Blain.

Full time: Ayrshire Bulls 13-25 Heriots Rugby