IN CONTROL
Melrose were crowned BT Premiership champions after a hard-earned but well-crafted victory in the play-off final that keeps them on track for the league and cup double.
Ayr came close to doing what they did last year when they snatched the title at the same ground but Melrose, finishing top of the table for the second season running, had learned from that experience and had a game plan ready to prevent it happening again.
So the Borderers edged ahead in the second half and from that point on contained and frustrated the west coast team, with stand-off Jason Baggott and inside centre Craig Jackson pumping the ball into the corner at every opportunity.
It was ugly rugby most of the time, a brutal encounter on a heavy pitch with a greasy ball, but there was a logic to Melrose’s approach that meant, by the end, the narrow gap on the scoreboard was hardly a fair reflection of the final outcome.
Melrose coach Rob Chrystie, pictured, said: “We learned a lot from last year on how to manage a game against Ayr. We’ve been quietly going about our business behind closed doors in relation to our scrum because clearly that is where Ayr get a lot of purchase in terms of penalties and squeezing into the corner. So we knew that was going to be a crucial part of the game and we’ve got a pretty
“In the first half we had tworeallygoodcounterattacks and probably should have scored. Once we got into the lead we managed the game well”
ROB CHRYSTIE dominant front-row as well in Nick Beavon, Russell Anderson and Grant Shiells. We’re a