FOSROC Super6 Sprint Series Guide to the Game | Play-off 3

FOSROC Super6 Sprint Series Guide to the Game | Play-off 3

The FOSROC Super6 Sprint Series comes to a conclusion this weekend with the final round of play-off fixtures.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE SPRINT SERIES COMPETITION SPLIT 

FRIDAY 10 June: Watsonians Rugby v Stirling County

The Sprint Series title race will be decided on Friday night as Watsonians host Stirling County at Meggetland (kick off 7.45pm). Just one point for Watsonians, who have won all six of their games so far, will be enough for them to secure the title, whilst Stirling need a bonus point win and to deny Watsonians any points to become champions.

How to Watch
You can watch live on FreeSports from 7:30pm, Freeview HD channel 64, Sky HD channel 422, Virgin HD 553, TalkTalk 64, BT Vision channel 64 and on the online FreeSports Player. Outside of the UK and Ireland you can watch on the Scottish Rugby website.

Commentary on the evening is from Stuart McFarlane and Christ Paterson, hosted by Dougie Vipond.

Be there
You can be at Meggetland, tickets available to buy ahead of time: https://www.citizenticket.co.uk/events/watsonian-f…

Match Officials
Ref – Hollie Davidson
AR1 – Ruaridh Campbell
AR2 – Bob Nevins

What the Coaches said:

Fergus Pringle (Watsonians Rugby): “Harry Paterson replaces Dom Coetzer at fullback. Matt Currie replaces Lewis Berg at 13, Lewis Berg moves to the bench.

“Lee Millar moves to 10, Joe Reynolds starts at 12 and Jason Baggott moves to the bench. Murray Scott returns to the bench in place of Brodie Young.

“In the forwards, Connor Boyle starts at 7, with Seb Cecil returning to 6 in place of Iain Moody who is out with injury. Kwagga Van Niekerk starts at 5.

“Kieran Watt comes onto the bench. In the front row, Harrison Courtney starts his first sprint game at loosehead with Sam Grahamslaw playing from the bench, while Angus Williams starts at tighthead with Bobby Bratton moving to the bench.

“We’re really looking forward to the challenge of taking on Stirling on Friday night in the final game of the Sprint Series.

“Stirling have played some great rugby in the competition and their last minute win against Ayr showed their never-say-die attitude.

“For us as a group, this competition has been about trying to get better each game collectively and individually, and putting in the work to do that.

“Playoff games are about producing your best on the big occasion, and our squad will turn up determined to do that.”

Ben Cairns (Stirling County): “With nine players involved in the Scotland U20 programme and a different pro release there’s a bit of a reshuffle this week.

“The backline sees Stevie Hamilton come in for Ratu Tagive and DJ Innes return from injury to replace Ben Salmon.

“In the pack, John McKenna starts at loosehead for the unavailable Lewis Skinner and George Breese starts at tighthead for the confirmed Scotland tourist Murphy Walker.

“On the bench, Cameron MacMillan, Hamish Ferguson and Mikey Gray return to the match day squad.

“Finally, Joe Halliday and Gary Strain provide emergency cover at Hooker and Prop. We are very grateful to both the players and their clubs, Stirling Wolves and Glasgow Hawks, for accommodating this request.

“Whilst we know Watsonians will go into the match as favourites, for both the win and the FOSROC Sprint Series title, we have given ourselves a chance and go into the match with the belief that we can beat the odds.

“Opportunities to win a top flight title do not always come around that often and the boys cannot wait to get out there and give it a proper crack.

“Watsonians are the form team in the league and deserve to be in the position they are in. With a great spine of leaders through their side, a good kicking game and a reliable set piece they are a very tough nut to crack.

“Our matches tend to go down to the wire, in the last four meetings the biggest win margin has been three points and the aggregate score is 99-99.

“We will obviously need a slightly bigger win margin this time around but with so much on the line it is set up to be a great spectacle for Super6 rugby.”

TEAM SELECTIONS 

SATURDAY 11 JUNE: Heriot’s Rugby v Boroughmuir Bears

The battle for fourth place will be played out on Saturday afternoon as Heriot’s Rugby host Boroughmuir Bears at the Bears home ground of Meggetland due to Goldenacre’s unavailability.

How to Watch
You can watch this one on the Scottish Rugby website, BBC Sport Scotland and BBC iPlayer, commentary is from Paul Mitchel and Bruce Millar.

Match Officials
Ref – Ian Kenny
AR1 – Ruairidh Campbell
AR2 – Grant Stephen

What the Coaches said:
Fin Gillies (Heriot’s): “A host of changes to the squad this week after a disappointing result against Southern Knights last week. We welcome Danny Dineen from the Heriots Blue Men to Cover for Cammy Fenton who is unavailable for selection. The backline has had a reshuffle with Charlie Savala moving to inside centre, Cammy Hutchinson moves outside of him. Nyle Godsmark moves to the wing, Bruce Houston returns to his more familiar role at stand-off and the evergreen Ross Jones comes back in at Full-back. In the pack Keith Melbourne makes his first start in Super6 and Euan McLaren starts at tighthead prop with Dan Gamble dropping to the bench.

“This is our final opportunity of the season to prove to ourselves that we are a far better team than what we have been producing on the pitch of recent weeks. We have trained like a team with a point to prove and everyone at Heriots Rugby Club wants to end this season with a bang. The Bears are a team flying high with confidence after three excellent victories and we cannot wait for the challenge at Meggetland on Saturday.”

Graham Sheil (Boroughmuir Bears): “Jerry Blyth-Lafferty retains his spot as the starting hooker this week after impressing in his first start for the Bears in our last outing. Callum Smith again starts at Loose Head side and Martin McGinley on the right hand side of the scrum.

“Ewan Stewart comes into the side at second row to partner Jack Fisher. Scott McGinley again captains the Bears from openside and joining him in the back row are Trystan Andrews at number 8 and Josh King returns to the blind side.

“Adam Scott returns to the starting XV and will line up alongside Joe Jenkins and Tom Brown in the back three. A new centre pairing of Ronan Kerr and Connor Allan both make their first starts for the Bears this season. Harry Mercer starts again at 10 with Ruairidh Swan coming back into the starting XV at scrum-half.

“Finn Duraj (Loretto School) remains with the Bears squad as ‘emergency cover’ and will get another taste of Super6 rugby to help his development before he graduates properly into senior rugby. Brandon Sweet and Marcus Goodwin will cover either side of the scrum.

“Liam Habib (‘emergency cover’ from Boroughmuir RFC) will be the third player from the successful U18 squad at Boroughmuir to make his senior rugby and Super6 debut having graduated from junior rugby this summer. Mzwandile Mncube completes the forward cover on the bench to add impact from the bench this week.

“With a more traditional five three split, Murray Johnstone covers scrum-half and both Calum Anderson and Cameron Hogg (both ‘emergency cover’ from Boroughmuir RFC) join the squad and both in line to make their Super6 debuts for Boroughmuir Bears.

“With a weekend off, last week, we play our final game of the competition this weekend and although it is an away fixture, we find ourselves playing at Meggetland. It has been a tough and challenging competition for the Bears and keeping players available and fit is becoming quite an art form at this level of competition. The Bears continue to work hard to make improvements and the group have impressed this week in focus and purpose to get the most out of their training week to take into the game versus Heriot’s.

“Last time we played Heriot’s, we competed very well for large parts of the game, but ultimately fell away which was disappointing for the group. We know Heriots possess threats throughout the team with a very experienced and strong forward pack along with a backline that possess professional experience, physicality, pace and power, so it is going to be a tough afternoon for the Bears and will test their steel.

“As has been the case since the conception of Super6, the Bears thrive on the challenges and opportunity to play quality opposition which allows the group to develop and keep striving towards the improvements that we desire.”

TEAM SELECTIONS

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