Premiership Dream Team – for season 2019-20

GRANT MOLLISON of GHA was the stand-out selection at full-back having made The Offside Line’s Dream Team on four separate occasions, with the twice selected Fraser Sayers of Currie Chieftains the only player in that position to have made the team more than once.

The right wing spot goes to Callum Young of Jed-Forest after he made the Dream Team three times, scoring nine tries in the process, despite missing a fair bit of the campaign whilst on Scotland 7s duty.

The left wing was not so clear cut, with Logan Gordon-Woolley of Hawick, Jackson Baillie of GHA, Doug Russell of Aberdeen Grammar, Gregor Tait of Musselburgh and Max Priestly of Glasgow Hawks all making the Dream Team on two occasions each. It came down to a shoot-out between Gordon-Woolley and Priestly on the basis that they had scored six tries each, with Priestly just edging it on the basis of his one man-of-the-match award in his team’s vital home win over Edinburgh Accies on 16th November. It is a cut-throat business, and the unfortunate Gordon-Woolley has to make do with a slot on the bench.

With five selections in the Dream Team and four man-of-the-match awards (more than any other player in the league), plus finishing the season as the Premiership’s top try-scorer on 13, Andrew Mitchell of Hawick was among the first name on the team-sheet at outside centre.  And his partner in the middle of the park, Conor Bickerstaff was not far behind having made the Dream Team four times, as well as picking up three man-of-the-match awards and 12 tries. Honourable mentions to Wiann Griebenow of Hawick, Rory Watt of Musselburgh and Charlie Lonegran of GHA who made the team three times each wearing either the No 12 or No 13 jersey.

Stand-off was a tough call. Gregor Hunter of Currie Chieftains, Colin Sturgeon of Marr and Freddie Roddick of Musselburgh all made the team on three occasions. Sturgeon and Hunter were man-of-the-match twice each. In the end, the Marr player edged it for his threat with ball in hand when scoring six ties, and for kicking 122 points which was more than any other player in the league apart from Tom Aplin of Aberdeen Grammar.

Danny Owenson of Musselburgh was a stick-on at scrum-half having made five Dream Teams, and he also picked three man-of-the-match awards, as well as kicking 108 points. Gregor Christie of Currie Chieftains edging out Jack Preston of Marr made the team three times each, but Christie also picked up two-man-of-the-match awards so it on the bench.

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Shawn Muir missed a big chunk of the early part season with an knee injury but the inspirational Hawick skipper made up for last time when he was fit again, picking up five Dream Team selections as he led the Borderers in a barnstorming end to the campaign which saw them pick up ten wins on the bounce.  It is a great shame that Hawick’s eagerly anticipated clash against top of the table Marr didn’t happen. Lyall Archer of Glasgow Hawks, with two Dream Team selections, covers loose-head from the bench.

Fergus Scott of Currie Chieftains leads the side from hooker after picking up six Dream Team selections, with Matty Carryer of Hawick (two Dream Team appearances) on the bench.

Colin Arthur of Musselburgh picked up three Dream Team selections so is at tight-head. On the basis that a Dream Team has to be about entertainment, and that there are few sights in rugby more uplifting as a try-scoring tight-head, Craig Bachurzewski-Greer of Hawick gets the replacement slot for his six touch-downs.

Mike Vernel of Currie Chieftains was arguably the most consistent high-performer in the league with six Dream Team selections so gets one of the engine-room berths. Robin Cessford of Aberdeen Grammar and Fraser Grant of Marr were selected four times each, and picked up one man-of-the-match and two yellow-cards each over the course of the season, so it was hard to separate them. But Cessford edges it on the back of his five tries against the three scored by Grant, who is named on the bench.

Mackenzie Pearce of Marr, with five Dream Team selections, is at blindside flanker. It was a tie between Jamie Sole of Edinburgh Accies and Wallace Nelson of Currie Chieftains at open-side flanker, with four Dream Team selections and two man-of-the-match awards each. Another tough call but the nod goes to five try Sole ahead of four try Nelson.

Benedict Grant of Marr is at No 8 having made five Dream Teams, picking up two man-of-the-match awards and a five tries along the way.

15. Grant Mollison (GHA)

14. Callum Young (Jed-Forest)

13. Andrew Mitchell (Hawick)

12. Conor Bickerstaff (Marr)

11. Max Priestly (Glasgow Hawks)

10. Colin Sturgeon (Marr)

9. Danny Owenson (Musselburgh)

1. Shawn Muir (Hawick)

2. Fergus Scott (Currie Chieftains)

3. Colin Arthur (Musselburgh)

4. Mike Vernel (Currie Chieftains)

5. Robin Cessford (Aberdeen Grammar)

6. Mackenzie Pearce (Marr)

7. Jamie Sole (Edinburgh Accies)

8.Benedict Grant (Marr)

THE BENCH:

16. Matty Carryer (Hawick)

17. Lyall Acher (Glasgow Hawks)

18. Craig Bachurzewski-Greer (Hawick)

19. Fraser Grant (Marr)

20. Wallace Nelson (Currie Chieftains)

21. Gregor Christie (Currie Chieftains)

22. Gregor Hunter (Currie Chieftains)

23. Logan Gordon-Woolley (Hawick)

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