Bonus boost for High

Dundee High’s bonus-point victory at Inverleith against Stewarts Melville puts them seventh in BT National 1 going into the three-week Autumn Tests break in league club rugby, writes Steve Scott.

The 24-17 score was not as close as it looks, with a fairly inexperienced High team fielding a new half-back combination in Fraser McKay and Henry Sampson and Dundee Eagles product Cameron Mathieson, 18.

Head coach Colin Sangster was able to welcome back No 8 George Arnott after a long injury absence to counter the loss last week of Kevin Franco.

Two tries from Isao Matacagi, one converted by McKay, gave High an early advantage as the homesters suffered from two yellow cards.

Two further strikes from hooker Darrel Russell and full-back Blair Cochrane gave High a 24-3 advantage before the hour, two late tries from Stewarts Melville giving the scoreline a better look and a losing bonus.

Kirkcaldy returned from Peebles with a losing bonus after going down 26-21. Greg Wallace picked up a couple of tries, Steven Mitchell nicked one, and Craig Letham converted all three to take Kirkcaldy into the BT National 2 league break, with a cup tie at Musselburgh to look forward to.

They are still ninth in the table but well clear of the relegation zone.

That is more than can be said for Perthshire who, although the best off of the three clubs in the drop zone of BT National 3 in 10th, are still 10 points adrift of Dalziel after going down 43-7 to Dumfries at Park Farm.

Blair Cochrane made his mark.