- A fourth consecutive bonus point win for Melrose against Edinburgh Accies at the Greenyards – with the driving maul and all-encompassing offensive defence featuring conspicuously in their repertoire – and laying a solid foundation for the constant threat of Fraser Thomson, Craig Jackson and rest of their talented chorus line. Having sailed through the ‘phoney war’ they know that there will be live bullets flying at Millbrae this Saturday.
- Like Melrose, Ayr maintained their bonus ‘full house’ and were pretty much untouchable in the first half at Goldenacre – but, without doing very much wrong, they let Heriot’s back into it after the break – and in the process they gave themselves a timely reminder ahead of Melrose’s much anticipated visit to Millbrae that good teams will capitalise on the slightest drop-off in intensity.
- Heriot’s were without several of their big guns up front – and perhaps more significantly Rob Kay’s defensive drive in the middle of the park, especially in the first half when they seemed helpless against wave upon wave of Ayr attack. The youngster is likely to be out for a couple more weeks with a knee injury suffered at training on Thursday night, but Ruaridh Leishman, Callum Marshall and maybe even Jason Hill are in the frame to bolster the pack for next weekend’s trip to Bridgehaugh, and teenage winger Jack Blain will also return.
- Currie Chieftain’s set piece let them down badly against Stirling at Bridgehaugh – and they paid the price. It could be their Achilles heal.
- Alan Hansen famously said that ‘you can’t win anything with kids’ – but Stirling County did so on Saturday, when (with eight 19-year-olds on board), a powerful scrum and youthful exuberance earned them a tight but thoroughly merited victory over play-off rivals, Currie Chieftains. Heriots this week will be a more physical challenge for the youngsters.
- A decent crowd at Meggetland, and Boroughmuir blew four of five clear try-scoring opportunities in a ‘fabulous rugby match’ against Watsonians. At two converted tries apiece, three Lee Millar penalties swung it Watsonians’ way – with Darcy Graham’s intuitive running alone well worth the entry fee.
- A mature performance with solid defence and clinical finishing got Watsonians the result they badly needed at Meggetland. ‘What a difference a week makes,’ said a much relieved Steve Lawrie.
- Glasgow Hawks have maybe, as Fin Gillies suggests, ‘got the monkey off their backs’ – but they were lucky to escape from Mansfield with a win, which owed much to Liam Brims immaculate goal kicking and Grant Stewart’s blockbusting play. It ultimately came down to Hawick’s poor discipline in the final fifteen minutes.
- Another slow start from Edinburgh Accies, who were trailing Melrose 33-0 wth seven minutes of the second half played – but then fought back to match Melrose point for point from there on in. This season was, for them, always going to be about getting up to speed with the bigger, better, more experienced players that the Premiership was going to throw at them – and by and large they are making progress in that direction.
- A point behind with twelve minutes to go, Hawick picked up two pretty harsh yellow cards and the game against Hawks simply ran away from them. It was not, however, all bad news – they scrummed very well and gave as good as they got around the park. 17-year-old Andrew Mitchell had an outstanding game in the centre, Kyle Brunton will grow into the fly-half berth and Daniel Suddon looks as though he is going to be a player.
Tennent’s Premiership: dominant first half allows Ayr to topple Heriot’s
Tennent’s Premiership: County down Chieftains to prove play-off credentials
Tennent’s Premiership: pack power decisive as Melrose despatch Accies
Tennent’s Premiership: Hawks profit from extra men in finale at Hawick
Tennent’s Premiership: Watsonians back to winning ways with clinical conquest of Boroughmuir
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