- Melrose reasserted their championship credentials (three bonus point wins out of three) in some style at Myreside with Craig Jackson and Fraser Thomson again setting the pace – and James Head and Angus Runciman getting through a power of work in the boiler room. Their offensive defence choked the game out of Watsonians – and they scrambled effectively whenever (rarely) danger threatened. “I’m really pleased with that performance,” said Robert Chrystie – so it must have been good!
- Eleven tries (and three bonus point wins out of three) for Heriot’s as they ripped Edinburgh Accies to shreds at Raeburn Place – with six from man-of-the-match Craig Robertson. They can mix it up when they want to – and they reckon that they are ready for the big one against Ayr this week.
- After a sluggish start, Ayr stuck their second notch on the Bill McLaren Shield with a powerful, totally dominant second half display against Stirling – running up 26 unanswered points after the break – with Kyle Rowe creating havoc all over the park. Three bonus point wins out of three — and all roads lead to Goldenacre on Saturday.
- Boroughmuir were hardly convincing in what was (for the spectators) a thoroughly enjoyable game against Glasgow Hawks at Balgray. Their ball retention was poor and they struggled at times with their focus – but they found a way to win, though they left it very late – and they were assisted in no small degree by what appeared to be a pretty marginal call from the referee.
- Seven-all at half time, Currie Chieftains struggled for control against Hawick but ended up comfortable winners – though slightly flattered by the 42-7 scoreline – which owed much to five-try Ben Robbins’ clinical finishing.
- Stirling flew out of the traps at Millbrae but just could not match Ayr’s physicality in the second half, particularly after Remy Chies went off injured. Disappointing but not disastrous – with the big score maybe not accurately reflecting the contribution they had made to what was a very compelling game – and a great advert for club rugby.
- Stevie Lawrie was not a happy bunny after a strangely muted display by the Watsonians back-line left their forwards striving forlornly to contain an ebullient Melrose pack. It was pretty grim – though an encouraging debut off the bench at scrum-half by young Paul Cunningham did slightly lighten the mood of the Myreside faithful.
- After their difficult afternoon at the Greenyards last week, Glasgow Hawks put a huge shift in against Boroughmuir – but no luck and a quetionable refereeing decision in injury time consigned them to their third defeat. They showed enough, however, to suggest that they might break their duck at Mansfield this week.
- A reality check for Edinburgh Accies against Heriots – but assistant coach Mark Appleson is right – they cannot let one bad score define their season. They are, however, at the Greenyards on Saturday, and would be well advised to ensure that Derek O’Riordan’s bouncy castle is fully inflated beforehand.
- Going down 42-7 to Currie Chieftains, Hawick played “much better than last week’ according to George Graham – and in fairness they held it to 7-all at the break – and the final score was skewed Currie’s way by the 14 points snatched in the last three minutes. But they have conceded over 50 points on average in their opening three games and they badly need to re-establish their credibility by digging out a result at home to Hawks this week.