Super Series Sprint: round six team-of-the-week

Grant Hughes on his way to the line for Heriot's versus Stirling Wolves. Image: Malcolm Mackenzie

TEENAGER Jack Brown scored the first of what is sure to be many tries at this level or above as 14-man Watsonians lost away to Ayrshire Bulls on Friday night, but misses out on selection this week to opposite number Elias Caven, whose cut inside and electrifying finish for a 60-metre score killed off the contest at Millbrae.

Another terrific try from Mason Cullen of Boroughmuir Bears means he retains the No 14 jersey, while Finn Douglas scored a fine poachers try for Southern Knights and is named on the left wing.

It is no coincidence that Bobby Beattie‘s return from injury for Ayrshire Bulls has coincided with an uptick in their attacking potency behind the scrum, and he was both a try-scorer (twice) and try-creator against Watsonians on Friday night, but he misses out at outside-centre on this occasion to Grant Hughes, who scored an important opportunist try in a man-of-the-match performance for Heriot’s against Wolves on Saturday afternoon. The match-up between this pair on Friday night should be a cracker.

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Kerr Yule hit a great line for Bulls’ opening try and the 17-year-old has demonstrated that he has the temperament and physicality to not only survive at this level but flourish, which is what the league is all about, so he is selected at inside-centre ahead of Marcus Holden, who showed great vision in the middle of the park for Wolves, but loses credit for his involvement isn Hughes’ breakaway try.

Jason Baggott led the resistance, which included a long-range interception try, as Watsonians managed to stay in the game against the Bulls until the hour mark following the moronic red-carding of Bobby Bratton for a head-butt just before the 10th minute. So, he is selected at stand-off, with the increasingly impressive Boroughmuir Bears youngster Brodie Young, who scored a fine try and was man-of-the-match performance against Knights, his half-back partner.

With two tries and the official man-of-the-match gong tucked in his back pocket, Grant Stewart of Bulls was a stick-on selection at hooker, and his props are Jack Dobie of Southern Knights at loose-head (with an honourable mention going to Bulls replacement William Farquhar for his two try-creating interceptions against Watsonians, and try-scorer Euan McLaren for the third consecutive week at tight-head.

Hamish Ferguson of Stirling Wolves and Ronan Seydak of Heriot’s have been too consistently strong performers in this series and they get the nod in the second-row this week, with Josh King of Boroughmuir Bears and Charlie Jupp of Heriot’s unlucky to miss out.

Scotland Under-20s co-captain Liam McConnell made his mark on his first appearance in this Sprint series with a busy afternoon for Boroughmuir Bearss playing in place of missing skipper Craig Keddie, which included some excellent line-out work. Archie Smeaton made a big impact as an early replacement for Bulls so is at openside, and Callum Anderson of Heriot’s completes the back-row, picked just ahead ofBenedict Grant from Wolves.

15. Elias Caven (Ayrshire Bulls)

14. Mason Cullen (Boroughmuir Bears)

13. Grant Hughes (Heriot’s)

12. Kerr Yule (Ayrshire Bulls)

11. Finn Douglas (Southern Knights)

10. Jason Baggott (Watsonians)

9. Brodie Young (Boroughmuir Bears)

1. Jack Dobie (Southern Knights)

2. Grant Stewart (Ayrshire Bulls)

3. Euan McLaren (Heriot’s)

4. Hamish Ferguson (Stirling Wolves)

5. Ronan Seydak (Heriot’s)

6. Liam McConnell (Boroughmuir Bears)

7. Archie Smeaton (Ayrshire Bulls)

8. Callum Anderson (Heriot’s)