- A difficult wind at Fullarton, but Marr comfortably retained their unbeaten home record against Edinburgh Accies, due in no small measure to the critical edge they enjoyed at scrum time, with hooker Curran McMillan putting in a big shift both there and around the park. Craig Redpath reckons that they “are getting there slowly but surely” but, with a trip to Mansfield next week, he must have been relieved to see Colin Sturgeon back into harness, off the bench, early in the second half, well though Calum Inglis has deputised.
- Another strong performance on the road from Currie Chieftains when they picked up a winning bonus point against Jed at Riverside to keep themselves very much in championship contention. Their lively mobile pack, with Gregor Nelson and Rhys Davies outstanding, dictated terms, producing no end of quick quality ball and Gregor Hunter pulled all the right strings. Musselburgh next up at Malleny.
- Hawick were always winning against Musselburgh at Stoneyhill despite a tendency of their forwards to over-cook the goose instead of capitalising on the clear advantage they enjoyed behind the scrum. Their line-out was good but their scrum was untidy at times and their re-starts were poor. Andrew Mitchell appeared none the worse for his bench warming sabbatical at Melrose and Jae Linton was very impressive at No 8. Shawn Muir’s return from injury gives a timely boost to their title aspirations with Marr the opposition at Mansfield next week.
Former Under-20 cap Nathan McBeth signs for Glasgow
Premiership: Marr stay top with bonus-point win over Edinburgh Accies
Premiership: Hawick rain on Musselburgh’s birthday parade
- Glasgow Hawks were 33-0 up by half time against Selkirk at Balgray and then downed tools, losing the second half 26-7. Good stuff in the first half with Brendan McGroarty and Lewis McNamara showing up well, but nothing after the break, playing up the slope into the breeze, except two partially concurrent yellow cards. A bonus point win — but disappointing. They will need much more coherent purpose to their efforts to have any realistic hope of wresting the Bill McLaren Shield away from Accies at Raeburn Place next week.
- An under-strength Edinburgh Accies were always up against it against Marr at Fullarton and maybe did not use the strong second half wind to their full advantage. Scrum-half Ben Afshar, and centres Neil Armstrong and Robbie Kent hung in there in difficult conditions — and hats off to Ed Stuart who stepped up to the plate at tight head prop at 38, five years after his last 1st XV game. As a former coach remarked ‘Maybe his heart is as big as his mouth after all’. The Bill McLaren Shield is back on the line next week against Hawks at Raeburn Place.
- Musselburgh were unfortunate to run into an on-form Hawick side as they celebrated their centenary in front of a big crowd at Stoneyhill. They could maybe have shown a bit more ambition when in possession but they were stuffy up front and got stuck in to pick up a try-bonus, and stay well in the game until the final quarter. Gregor Tait took his try well and Michael Maltman, William Flemming and Colin Arthur gave them real physicality up front — though Maltman had to leave the field injured in scoring his second try and Flemming picked up a needless yellow card. A tough trip to Balerno next week.
- A much better show from Jed-Forest against Chieftains at Riverside after their disappointing performance at Mansfield last week, and they were perhaps unlucky not to pick up a bonus point. Gregor Young was always dangerous and their fresh young half-backs Aiden Bambrick and Ross Nichol looked promising. A critical away game with GHA next week.
- Not having been on their bast form for the past couple of weeks, having their game up in Aberdeen called off because of Covid perhaps gave Trevor Carmichael the chance to reset the GHA dial before entertaining Jed at Braidholm next week.
- Selkirk were, according to our reporter, “unable to put one foot in front of the other without falling on their face” in the first half against Hawks at Balgray and went into the break 33-0 down. They did however show enough character in the second half to get the show back on the road, salvage a bonus point and restore their credibility before their crunch trip up to Aberdeen next week, for which they anticipate having maybe four of their absentees back.
- A covid scare is the last thing Aberdeen Grammar need and there must be added concern as to how the proposed Super6 draft is going to equitably address their outlier circumstance.