KIRK FORD was outstanding at full-back as champions Hawick provided an emphatic response to the previous weekend’s loss at Marr with a 61-7 dismantling of newly promoted Border rivals Kelso at Mansfield, delivering 31 of his team’s points through three tries and eight conversions. Greens skipper, Shawn Muir, described him as “one of the most underrated players in the Premiership in my view” so he gets some recognition here as a nailed-on selection for this week’s Premiership Dream Team ahead of Musselburgh’s elusive Rory Hindhaugh and the Selkirk’s Callum Anderson, whose kicking and running earned him man-of-the-match at the end of a high scoring contest against Jed-Forest.
Scott Bickerstaff took his try well and produced a couple of try-saving defensive moments as Marr claimed the spoils in a thriller against Glasgow Hawks at Balgray so he wears 14, while Finlay Wheelans‘ brace for Selkirk against Jed means he gets the No 11 jersey.
Andrew Mitchell was at his domineering best for Hawick to earn selection at outside-centre ahead of Selkirk’s Andrew Grant-Suttie and Hawks’ James Pinkerton, while it was a tight call between hard-running, try-scoring DJ Innes of Currie Chieftains and Conor Bickerstaff of Marr, who scored a fine solo try, with the former just edging it. An honourable mention also goes to Paul Christie, who topped a fine performance for Heriot’s Blues with a late match-winning try against Edinburgh Accies.
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Jamie Loomes scored a try and kicked well for Edinburgh Accies until his charged down drop-goal which swung the game in Heriot’s Blues’ favour which perhaps cost him his place in this week’s Dream Team, with the tidy Liam Brims of Glasgow Hawks sneaking in ahead of him.
The reason Musselburgh were in the game for 60 minutes against Premiership pace-setters Currie Chieftains was the threat he posed by scrum-half Fionn Call in terms of tempo, snipes, counter-attack and his kicking game, so he wears nine.
Gus Munro of Heriot’s Blues sneaks in at loose-head ahead of Kyle Shanahan of Glasgow Hawks the consistently excellent Shawn Muir of Hawick, Jamie Ferguson of Jed-Forest is preferred to two-try Duncan Hood and Paul Cairncross of Hawks at hooker and Ollie Blyth-Lafferty‘s work in both the tight and loose, which included a try, sees him selected ahead of Edinburgh Accies’ Scott Habib at tight-head.
Niall Doherty of Heriot’s Blues and try-scorer Cameron Bain of Edinburgh Accies link up in the second-row, ahead of Selkirk’s Andrew Cochrane, Marr’s David Andrew and the relentless Stephen Leckey of Glasgow Hawks.
Fraser Grant gets the nod at blindside after an industrious afternoon for Marr in their win at Glasgow Hawks, Sam Cardosi opened the scoring for Currie Chieftains and was relentless both sides of the ball so is at openside, and Jae Linton‘s all action showing for Hawick sees him selected ahead of Andrew McColm of Selkirk at No 8 and Blair Jardine of Marr.
15. Kirk Ford (Hawick)
14. Scott Bickerstaff (Marr)
13. Andrew Mitchell (Hawick)
12. DJ Innes (Currie Chieftains)
11. Finlay Wheelans (Selkirk)
10. Liam Brims (Glasgow Hawks)
9. Fionn Call (Musselburgh)
1. Gus Munro (Heriot’s Blues)
2. Jamie Ferguson (Jed-Forest)
3. Ollie Blyth-Lafferty (Currie Chieftains)
4. Niall Doherty (Heriot’s Blues)
5. Cameron Bain (Edinburgh Accies)
6. Fraser Grant (Marr)
7. Sam Cardosi (Currie Chieftains)
8. Jae Linton (Hawick)
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