BT Premiership: Team-of the-week (Saturday 3rd February)

Boroughmuir's Aubrey Mncube gets the nod at blindside flanker. Image: ©Fotosport/David Gibson

BOROUGHMUIR get five representatives this time in team-of-the-week on the back of their emphatic win over Stirling County, which gives them a huge boost in the battle to avoid a relegation play-off showdown at the end of the season against the second top team in National One.

Mike Brown was exceptional on the wing for the Edinburgh side while Chris Laidlaw pulled the strings at stand-off. In the pack, brothers Jamie and Robert Ure along with Aubrey Mncube get the nod.

There are four Watsonians players in the side after their one-sided victory over Hawick. Craig Borthwick led from the front, Nick Fraser impressed at loose-head prop, and centres Mike Allen and DJ Innes once again populate the midfield – meaning the ever-reliable Craig Jackson of Melrose misses out on this occasion.

Melrose do, however, get three players in the team.

Winger Austin Lockington showed how much of a handful he can be despite the conditions at Fullarton Park being suited to a narrower game-plan than we are used to seeing from the league leaders.

Murdo McAndrew marshalled the game superbly at scrum-half to sneak selection ahead of Charlie Shiel of Currie Chieftains, while an honourable mention must go to James Couper of Hawks, who stepped up in a crisis and did a pretty impressive job at nine considering he had never played in that position before.

Russell Anderson gets the number two jersey after touching down twice for the Borderers, albeit as the beneficiary of the work of the whole pack at the end of a couple of powerful line-out drives.

Andrew McWilliam was a rock for Currie Chieftains at tight-head prop in their win over Glasgow Hawks, and full-back Ben Robbins provided Robbie Nelson with some invaluable assistance at first receiver after starting stand-off Jamie Forbes went off in that match.

Callum Kerr has been a revelation in a struggling Glasgow Hawks team in recent months and got through a power of work before and after switching to number eight following the early withdrawal of Jack Steele through injury on Saturday.

15. Ben Robbins (Currie Chieftains)

14. Mike Brown (Boroughmuir)

13. Mike Allen (Watsonians)

12. DJ Innes (Watsonians)

11. Austin Lockington (Melrose)

10. Chris Laidlaw (Boroughmuir)

9. Murdo McAndrew (Melrose)

1. Nick Fraser (Watsonians)

2. Russell Anderson (Melrose)

3. Andrew McWilliam (Currie Chieftains)

4. Jamie Ure (Boroughmuir)

5. Craig Borthwick (Watsonians)