Shire shape up well despite Stirling loss
Visitors prove too strong but positives are taken
PERTHSHIRE ....................................... 12 STIRLING COUNTY 2XV .................... 45
Perthshire Rugby Club’s preparations for the new season are picking up pace.
The Eagles are warming up for a September 7 league start and their latest friendly challenge was provided by a strong Stirling County 2XV.
It would prove to be a fast-paced 80 minutes at the North Inch and a matchup which tested Shire’s young squad to the maximum.
Last-minute injuries and illness affected the line-up and travel chaos in Perth truncated the warm-up. But the hosts still fielded an exciting team.
Shire started well and worked the phases without carving a hole in the visiting backline. On the turnover, Stirling were eager and clinical in attack to score two, quick incisive tries.
With key players missing the home lineout and scrum were below par and resulted in surrendering possession too easily in good, attacking positions.
As the half progressed, Shire got a feel for the game and started to pressure Stirling with the set-piece providing an attacking platform.
However, it was to no avail. Again County would take advantage and made their mark to score two further tries in the first half.
It would have been easy for Alan Clark’s men to fold when trailing by Shire put up a good fight against Stirling County
26 at the interval. But the tempo was upped after the break.
“Stirling brought up a strong outfit,” coach Clark told the Perthshire Advertiser. “I would say it was a mixture between their firsts and seconds.
“Ben Cairns, who is the Super Six coach down at Stirling this year, was looking at a few of their guys with a view to pulling them in.
“Our guys played really well and I was impressed with the general way we went about the game. We stuck to the task well.”
Shire were rewarded when a driven lineout maul made it all the way for
newcomer Paul MacLean to score his first try for the club.
County responded almost immediately and were afforded the opportunity to dot down for a soft score. Then it wasn’t long before a fortuitus bounce of the ball allowed space on the right wing to break out and score again.
Despite these lapses, captain Matt Rae challenged his team to up their game and sort the defensive weaknesses. This Perthshire team showed no sign of giving up and went back on the attack.
Excellent lines and offloads from the centres were on show with the positive impact of returning Murray Ormiston clear to see.
And the back three of Jay Pettie, Aidan Watson and Jonny Armitt were coming into the line and finding space to attack.
The pack were responding well and hard lines run by Ewen MacDonald and Blair Twaddell made gains.
And then, for a brief moment after a powerful run, Ali Nisbett broke through three tackles to find himself in the clear.
County tracked him down just outside the 22, the offload didn’t go to hand, but this demonstrated the effect of the hard work the squad have put in the gym through the off-season.
There was no let-up in the intensity of the match as the game entered its closing stages. County managed one more try but the final say went to Perthshire. After securing a lineout, a safely taken ball led to a driven maul.
The ball went out to the centre which drew in the defence allowing for the long pass out to Watson who darted over the line for a try. Armitt added the extras and the referee whistled for full-time.
Shire are back in action tonight with an away trip to take on Linlithgow, kickoff 7.30pm.
And then, on Saturday, Metropolis RFC, a touring team from Minneapolis, USA will play a mixed Perthshire side on the North Inch with a 6.30pm kickoff.