PLENTY of competition for the No 15 jersey this week. Kirk Ford’s kicking from the tee and from hand, particularly into the driving wind during the second half of Hawick’s comprehensive win over Currie Chieftains, was of the highest order, on top of a tidy all round game. Ben Appleson was equally influential for Edinburgh Accies in their home win over Glasgow Hawks. But Callum Young gets the nod for his man-of-the-match performance, featuring several scything runs, as Jed-Forest blew away GHA in the second half at Riverside Park.
Mason Cullen scored his 10th try of the season and was another constant threat for Jed, so edges out Lewis Ferguson, who scored a fine try for Hawick, on the right wing. Rory Steele started on the left wing for Heriot’s Blues but switched to stand-off after Rory Carmichael’s red-carding to play a crucial role in helping to shepherd his side to a vital win over Musselburgh at Stoneyhill.
Two-try Gregor Young joins brother Callum in this week’s Dream Team at outside-centre, partnering Hawick’s Ethan Reilly, who has really sharpened Hawick’s back play since his arrival from Australia at the end of October through his astute attacking play, his effective organising and his uncompromising approach to defence. That means the Bickerstaff brothers of Marr, who scored a try each and worked hard to keep their team on the front foot against Selkirk, are unlucky to miss out, as is Neil Armstrong of Edinburgh Accies
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Jamie Loomes gets the nod at stand-off this week after another accomplished kicking display guided Edinburgh Accies to victory over Glasgow Hawks at Raeburn, and he is joined at half-back by Heriot’s Blues veteran Graham Wilson, who arrived late at Stoneyhill because he was dealing with an injury sustained by one of his players in a schools game he was coaching on Saturday morning then jumped off the bench to steady the ship after his team were reduced to 14-men against Musselburgh just after the half hour mark.
Into the pack, the wily old warhorse Gordon Reid did whatever needed to be done in order to dominate the scrums and was at the heart of Marr’s dominant forward performance against play-off rivals Selkirk so gets the nod at loose-head, Fraser Renwick set the tone for Hawick against Currie Chieftains so edges out Marr’s Scott Clelland at hooker, and try-scorer Clem Lacour showed up well in both the tight and loose for Edinburgh Accies to get the nod at tight-head.
Jed’s Garry Young partners Richard Thompson of Edinburgh Accies – who squeezes into the team ahead of Hawks’ Max Crumlish – in the engine-room.
Connor Sutherland and Calum Renwick formed a formidable tag-team on the flanks for Hawick so line-up together with Archie Smeaton – the Glasgow academy player who was a big carrier for Marr on Saturday – at No 8 in a dynamic back-row unit.
15. Callum Young (Jed-Forest)
14. Mason Cullen (Jed-Forest)
13. Gregor Young (Jed-Forest)
12. Ethan Reilly (Hawick)
11. Rory Steele (Heriot’s Blues)
10. Jamie Loomes (Edinburgh Accies)
9. Graham Wilson (Heriot’s Blues)
1. Gordon Reid (Marr)
2. Fraser Renwick (Hawick)
3. Clem Lacour (Edinburgh Accies)
4. Garry Young (Jed-Forest)
5. Richard Thompson (Edinburgh Accies)
6. Connor Sutherland (Hawick)
7. Calum Renwick (Hawick)
8. Archie Smeaton (Marr)
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Was the compiler of the dream team this week part of the Young clan by any chance? Three of them. Imagine if Lewis had been playing he would have been in as well:-)
Garry young no relation to Callum and Gregor