Melrose hoping hold over leaders continues as cup final spot beckons
TODAY marks the start of a two-part series between Ayr and Melrose at Millbrae which will determine a BT Cup finalist, followed by a BT Premiership play-off finalist next weekend.
Cup history favours Ayr, who have beaten the Borderers three times in finals.
Current bragging rights are with Melrose, however, who downed the men from Burns Country both home and away in the league.
Ayr coach Calum Forrester tweaks his side by starting D’arcy Rae at tighthead and the experienced Scott Sutherland returns to the second row. In the backs, Richard Dalgleish starts on the wing and Glasgow’s Junior Bulumakau is ready to be summoned from the bench after his stint on the international sevens circuit.
Opposite number John Dalziel, who opines that there can be no harder fixture than visiting the league leaders, calls on recent under-20 international experience in stand-off Tom Galbraith, lock Ally Miller and centre George Taylor, and moves Nial Godsmark to full back to cover for the injured Fraser Thomson. Sam Pecquer is at centre having bagged three tries across the league games. In today’s other semifinal, Heriot’s take on Glasgow Hawks in a game that Phil Smith, head coach of the former, promises will be “a war from start to finish”.
It’s all or nothing for Hawks’ season, whereas Heriot’s also limber up for next week’s play-off with Currie.
In the league, each side secured the points at home in narrow encounters.