MICHAEL LINESS scored three tries from 15 carries and was at the centre of a dominant forward performance for Heriot’s at Ayr, which earns him selection for this week’s Dream Team at hooker. Jack Stanley edges ahead of another Heriot’s man in Struan Cessford at tight-head prop; while Hawick’s Shawn Muir retains his place at loose-head after another giant performance in the Borderers’ win over Glasgow Hawks.
Sometimes you just need a big brute of a second-row, who will thunder around the park throwing their weight into rucks and mauls, stepping on people’s toes and generally making a nuisance of himself, and that’s exactly what Adam Sinclair did for Heriot’s against Ayr on Saturday. He is joined in the engine-room by Angus Runciman, who put in a typically hard-working shift for Melrose in their fairly emphatic victory over Edinburgh Accies.
As always, Jack McLean was into everything at open-side flanker for Heriot’s; while at blind-side, David Lowrie‘s battling performance in the Balgray mud was a key factor in Hawick’s first win on the road in the league since January 2017. Michael Fedo‘s formidable work-rate for Watsonians means he is consistently in the mix for selection to the Dream Team, and this week he edges it ahead of the excellent Bruce McNeil of Hawick.
Murdo MacAndrew of Melrose is at scrum-half after another typically polished display, and he showed great awareness to capitalise when a ball squirted out the side of a ruck close to the Accies line when scoring his sixth try of the campaign.
Stuart Edwards of Heriot’s and Gregor Hunter of Currie Chieftains made strong cases for selection at stand-off, but Lee Armstrong pulled the strings masterfully for Hawick in treacherous conditions which edges him into the number ten jersey.
DJ Innes was unlucky to miss out to Jack Steele for team-of-the-week in round 12, but maintained his high standards when up against Steele this weekend to earn the inside centre slot after another powerful performance with the ball in hand. Robbie Nelson of Chieftains and Craig Jackson of Melrose are particularly unfortunate to miss
He partners up in the middle of the park with Joe Reynolds of Currie Chieftains, who was first name down on the team-sheet this week after a masterful performance against Stirling County. The New Zealander scored three tries, created two more and was praised by Chieftains head coach Ben Cairns afterwards as probably the most talented player he has coached.
On a tough day for wingers, Bruce Colvine‘s experience as a scrum-half and Sevens exponent served him well on the right wing for Melrose, while Matt Hooks of Currie Chieftains is on the opposite side of the park.
Craig Gossman was ambitious and intelligent from full-back for Boroughmuir, which gets him selected just ahead of Melrose’s Fraser Thomson, who exhibited that Rolls-Royce style acceleration for his team’s opening score, but played only 47 minutes.
Premiership Match Reports:
Watsonians v Boroughmuir: Visitors pay price for defensive lapse
Currie Chieftains v Stirling County: Reynolds hat-trick the highlight of commanding home win
Edinburgh Accies v Melrose: Champions canter to convincing win
Ayr v Heriot’s: It’s pain in the rain for well-beaten hosts
Glasgow Hawks v Hawick: More gloom for Gillies as McNeil leads the way for visitors
15. Craig Gossman (Boroughmuir)
14. Bruce Colvine (Melrose)
13. Joe Reynolds (Currie Chieftains)
12. DJ Innes (Watsonians)
11. Matt Hooks (Currie Chieftains)
10. Lee Armstrong (Hawick)
9. Murdo MacAndrew (Melrose)
1. Shawn Muir (Hawick)
2. Michael Liness (Heriot’s)
3. Jack Stanley (Watsonians)
4. Angus Runciman (Melrose)
5. Adam Sinclair (Heriot’s)
6. David Lowrie (Hawick)
7. Jack McLean (Heriot’s)
8. Michael Fedo (Watsonians)
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