Dundee overcome by Biggar as club rugby reboots after Covid

After nearly 18 months of inaction Scottish club rugby finally got restarted on Saturday but it wasn’t the greatest of returns for many Midlands sides.

Having suffered several injuries in their final warm-up win over Stewart’s Melville, Dundee Rugby travelled to Biggar’s Hartree Mill missing captain Sam Cardosi. Finlay Ormiston moved back from second row to No 8 as skipper while the promising Malachy Keough made his league debut in his place at lock.

However, Dundee were always second best to a typically physical and well-drilled home side who ran away with the game in the second half to a 47-3 victory.

Kirkcaldy in Division Two needed a try with the last play of the game to be the only Midlands National league club to win on their return.

Leading 17-6 at halftime, two sin-bins for the Blues in the second half saw Peebles rally to lead 23-25 with time running out.

But Conar Littlejohn’s score deep into added time ensured the Blues returned to league rugby on a winning note.

In Division Three Strathmore’s match with Berwick fell victim to Covid-19 infections – 19 games across the leagues were postponed for Covid or other reasons.

Perthshire went down 28-7 to Murrayfield Wanderers in the shadow of the national stadium.

Howe of Fife and Hillhead-Jordanhill shared 80 points in the Duffus Park sunshine but the visitors always had the upper hand and came out on top 48-32. Howe did come away with a try bonus point to get off the mark.

In the Caledonia leagues, a hat-trick of tries from centre Dave Lovelock sealed Dunfermline’s comfortable 35-14 win in their first Fife derby with Glenrothes. Blairgowrie went down 24-12 to title favourites Orkney in their morning kick-off.

In Midlands Two there were strong starts for Madras, 29-17 winners over Kinross, and for Carnoustie, who went to Kirkcaldy and recorded a handsome 35-13 victory over the Blues IIs.

Newcomers Tay Hawks – the new Harris IIs team – played their first match in Midlands Four at Hillfoots and won 36-17. Stobswell also had a big win on their travels, scoring the half century against Howe Crusaders.