Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership final preview: Ayr RFC v Currie Chieftains

Ayr will head into tomorrow’s encounter confidently, aiming to complete their perfect season after picking up 18 bonus points from 18 fixtures: a level of consistency they’ll look to carry into the final.

Speaking ahead of the final, Ayr head coach Grant Anderson said: “We are hugely looking forward to Saturday, it’s a great occasion for the club and the community. It gives the boys a chance to cement what we’ve been working towards and great for Blair [Macpherson] to finish the league campaign with a trophy, which he deserves.

“It’ll be interesting, we bring out the best in Currie which adds to the challenge. We need to focus on doing things well and ultimately executing under pressure. The players deserve this opportunity.”

Currie, who are three-time Premiership winners, will be keen to bring the silverware back east. After two defeats to Ayr this season, they’ll be motivated to rise to the challenge and test the hosts once again.

Currie Chieftains head coach Mark Cairns added: “Ayr are overwhelming favourites, they’ve been unbeaten and claimed the five points from every encounter, so we’re under no illusion it’s going to be a really tough game. I think we need to go into the encounter with confidence and challenge them.

“The guys have worked really hard and got the reward they deserve, I think we deserve second place but because it’s play-offs anything can happen in the last game.”

The final kicks off at 4:10pm with live coverage on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer.

Team sheets:

Ayr: Jamie Drummond, Alexander McGuire, Rhodri Tanner, Edward Bloodworth, Rory Jackson, Ryan Sweeney, Tim Brown, Blair Macpherson, Fergus Johnston, Robert Beattie, Jack Craig, Robbie Orr, Jamie Shedden, Adam McGowan, Chistopher Hyde.

Replacements: Jamie McAughtrie, Caleb Rae, Calvin Henderson, Cameron Reece, Oscar Baird, Lewis McNamara, Scott Watson.

Currie Chieftains: Christopher Anderson, Ryan Stewart, Gregor Scougall, Courtney West, Alasdair Bain, Rhys Davies, Sam Cardosi, Edward Hasdell, Gregor Christie, Alexander Harley, Matthew Bradshaw, Scott Robeson, DJ Innes, Ryan Daley, Fraser Sayers.

Replacements: Ewan McCallum, Nic Thompson, Andrew Hoggarth, Ross Morrison, Archie Fletcher, Hamish Chisholm, Euan Crombie.