Time of uncertainty as new-look Premiership season gets under way
THE Premiership season that kicks off today looks unlike anything we have seen in the top division before. Out go Ayr, Boroughmuir, Heriot’s, Melrose, Stirling County and Watsonians, who will all take part in the new Super 6 season as well as having their so-called club sides competing in National One.
In come Aberdeen Grammar, GHA, Jed-Forest, Marr, Musselburgh and Selkirk to join the four teams left over from last season’s top flight – Currie, Edinburgh Accies, Glasgow Hawks and Hawick.
Inevitably, this turnover in teams has created considerable uncertainty, and it could take months for the division to settle down into any sort of predictable pattern. Today’s fixture schedule, for example, could very easily produce five away wins, but is almost as likely to produce five home wins. When was the last time we were able to say that about a full round of Premiership matches?
Hawick got their competitive season off to an excellent start with a win in the cup against Melrose last week, and they field an unchanged side for this afternoon’s visit to Musselburgh. Despite that apparent vote of confidence in his players, head coach George Graham has demanded improvements.
“I am looking for a massive reaction from last week,” the former Scotland prop said. “Our discipline was terrible and that will improve this week.”
Musselburgh also enjoyed a win in the cup, beating Glasgow Hawks, and their coach, Graeme Paterson, is looking forward to seeing how his side settle at this level.
“We know the pressure they will look to put on us up front, so we have to be ready for that battle,” he said. “But if we can get parity in the possession stakes then I think we will give ourselves a good chance of getting a result. This is an exciting season for us and we are looking forward to enjoying the experience and making sure we grab this opportunity to establish the club at the top level of club rugby.”
After that loss to Musselburgh, Hawks visit Selkirk with a team which includes 10 players who will be making their Premiership debut – a sign of how much some of the game’s leading lights have had to recruit over the summer.
“Selkirk play an expansive game, like ourselves, which should allow for an exciting game of rugby and it will be a great way to open the league campaign,” head coach Andy Hill said.
GHA are at home to Currie Chieftains, who were the best of the non-Super 6 sides in last season’s Premiership. Both teams won in the cup last week, but GHA put in a more consistent performance and could be slight favourites today.
Aberdeen Grammar are at home to an Edinburgh Accies side who have lost more than a full team from last season, while their captain, Jamie Sole, is unavailable today. Grammar have lost fewer players and have been able to recruit from within, and look like they are in good shape to start the season strongly.
Jed have several key forwards missing for the home game against Marr, although the return of flanker Donald Grieve provides some much-needed experience. Marr beat Aberdeen last week, but their coach, Craig Redpath, expects a better performance in defence will be required if they are to have a victorious start in the league.
The new-look National Leagues also get under way today, with much of the interest in National One focusing on how those club teams of the Super 6 competitors will fare. Highland’s win over Watsonians in the cup last week showed the big boys will not have it all their own way.
The Inverness team get their league programme under way with a visit to Cartha Queen’s Park, whose pre-season programme has been boosted by sessions with guest coaches such as Glasgow Warriors’ Kenny Murray and Petrus du Plessis.