WATSONIANS could easily have had seven or eight players in the side this week after their excellent victory away to Ayr on Saturday, but ended up with just four in the shape of full-back Andrew Chalmers, hooker Ross Graham and the outstanding back-row duo of Euan Dods and Rory Drummond. Outside centre Rory Hutton, who ghosted through three tackles to score an excellent try, plus props Nick Fraser and Kyle Whyte are particularly unlucky to be overlooked.
Blindside flanker was once again one of the most keenly contested positions with Dan Marek of Boroughmuir, Michael Maltman of Heriot’s, Guy Graham of Hawick and Neil Irvine-Hess of Melrose all making strong cases for selection – but Drummond’s influence at Millbrae meant it was virtually impossible to leave him out.
Similarly, Stirling County numbers eight Ruaridh Leishman was almost certainly the best player on the park at Bridgehaugh, but Dods simply had to be selected.
Robbie Mulveena edges in ahead of Hutton after helping Heriot’s to an important victory away from home over second in the table Currie Chieftains, while his team-mate Callum Marshall is selected alongside Glasgow Hawks’ ever-reliable Andy Kirkland in the second-row.
Gary Munro is on the right wing after scoring two tries for the second week running, with Logan Trotter of Stirling County missing out; while on the opposite wing, Kerr Gossman’s well taken scores edge him ahead of Boroughmuir’s Jordan Edmunds, who perhaps pays the price for his team’s collective of failing to once again close out the win.
Kaleem Barreto is at scrum-half, just in front of Murdo McAndrew of Melrose and Paddy Boyer of Glasgow Hawks; while Jason Baggott plays stand-off for a commanding first half performance.
15. Andrew Chalmers (Watsonians)
14. Gary Munro (Hawick)
13. Robbie Mulveena (Heriot’s)
12. Robbie Nelson (Currie Chieftains)
11. Kerr Gossman (Stirling County)
10. Jason Baggott (Melrose)
9. Kaleem Barreto (Marr)
1. Grant Shiels (Melrose)
2. Ross Graham (Watsonians)
3. Nicky Little (Hawick)
4. Callum Marshall (Heriot’s)
5. Andrew Kirkland (Glasgow Hawks)
6. Rory Drummond (Watsonians)
7. Callum Kerr (Glasgow Hawks)
8. Euan Dods (Watsonians)