Waverley Cup goes back to Melrose courtesy of seven-try victory

MELROSE GALA 43 18

Melrose regained the Waverley Cup when they inflicted an expected defeat on close neighbours Gala at a bitterly cold Greenyards yesterday.

The Boxing Day match simply confirmed that the Premiership leaders’ have plenty of strength in depth.

Fielding a starting side that contained several fringe players, Melrose were nevertheless able to impose their trademark counter-attacking game on their opponents to run in seven tries and, in the process, exposing a number of young guns to the demands of Borders rugby.

In the event stand-off Adam Hall, the two Klein brothers, Thomas and Matthew and second row Thomas Brown, all posted performances that suggests the future for Melrose might lie in home-grown talent.

For Gala it was, unfortunately, another defeat to add to recent reverses.

But considering some of the eviscerating defeats Melrose have inflicted on some of their Premiership opponents, Gala can feel reasonably satisfied that they were able to keep their opponents at bay for much of the game.

Gala, who showcased their two South Africa recruits, flanker Matthew Fraught and winger Carlisle Jordaan, trailed by just 12-6 at the break from two Gregor Hunter penalties to a try and conversion by Craig Jackson and a try by Grant Runciman for Melrose.

Then it was down to real tryscoring business for Melrose as centre Ross Mccann led the charge before Runciman with his second, converted by Jackson and hooker Richard Ferguson brought the score to 29-6.

Alan Emond’s try and Hunter’s conversion restored Gala confidencebutasecondtouchdown from Mccann and then a Lewis Mallin try, both converted by Jackson, completed the Melrose scoring.

Gala, however, were able to sign off with a late try from wing Simon Fairbairn, the final points of the game.

0 Grant Runciman: Try double.