McKane stars retain top spot

Rugby Club’s men’s first XV returned to winning ways and retained top spot with victory at Aberdeenshire on Saturday.

Gavin Emerson’s side, who lost out by a single point to closest challengers Ellon in their previous outing, ran in six tries to secure a 38-15 success, their second over their opponents this season.

Despite losing scrum half Hamish Wood early in the game to a dislocated shoulder, the McKane Park outfit started well and, after leading 14-5 at the break, secured a fifth bonus-point victory of the campaign.

“We thought they were going to be tough at home,” Emerson said.

“Their team sheet was very different, especially the backs, to when they came to us at the start of the season and, the previous week, they beat Grangemouth at home as well, so they had their tails up.

“We didn’t concede first, which we had done in the previous games, but we were very unlucky. Hamish, our scrum half, went off after three minutes with a dislocated shoulder, so we lost him from the start.

“Thankfully, we had young Ethan (Morgan) as scrum half on the bench. We don’t normally travel with two scrum halves, but we did this weekend, and we were quite fortunate to have done that.

“Ethan had a stormer, got man of the match, and allowed us to continue our phase plays, which was something we were really trying to achieve.

“We scored six tries, and they were brilliant. Most of them were team tries, from good support lines, and just then good passing throughout.”

A good weekend for Dunfermline also saw the second XV win 27-14 against Aberfeldy in Midlands Region League, Division Three, and the women’s side defeat Livingston 14-0 in Midlands / East Region League, Division One.

Also in Division Three, Rosyth Sharks suffered two yellow cards in the first half, and a red in the second, in a 34-26 loss at Perthshire seconds.

Head coach, Mark Love, said: “At halftime, the game was there. I think it was 19-14 at half-time, so we were within touching distances, but, generally, it was just a bit disappointing, certainly with the work we’ve been doing.”

This Saturday, Dunfermline go to Grangemouth Stags (1.30pm) in the National Shield, with Sharks hosting Harris Academy (midday) in the Caledonia Midlands Bowl.