Hawick run in 12 tries as cup bid gets off to a flying start
Hawick PSA made an impressive start to their National Youth League under-18 Cup campaign by defeating Allan Glen’s 78-7 on the Borders town’s 3G pitch in the preliminary round.
Hawick PSA ran in 12 tries, including a hat-trick from centre Andrew Mitchell and a brace each from hooker Calum Renwick and fullback Mully Bannerman. The remainder of the Hawick tries came from centre Aaron Redpath, prop Ryan Toogood, replacement centre Ben Storrie, prop Tom Hope and goalkicker Bailey Donaldson, who landed nine conversions
If this was a somewhat easy first-round match for Hawick PSA, the quarter final next Saturday against title-holders and Shogun Conference winners Stirling County will be an entirely different test.
Also through the preliminary round are Highland who beat Whitecraigs 31-13 on the 4G pitch at Lochwinnoch. They will face Mackie Academy FP in the last eight.
“Considering the six-week lay-off, we’ve had this was not too bad a performance from Highland,” said head coach John Carson.
The other quarter-finals are Dunfermline v Ayr and Gala Wanderers against the winners of the rescheduled preliminary-round tie between Ellon and Boroughmuir, called off last Saturday because of a frozen pitch.
Frozen pitches will not be a problem for Merchiston and Dollar this weekend. The two schools will play each other in an all-day event on the Oriam indoor pitch at Heriot-watt in what could be a trend-setting initiative for schools rugby.
Back in action this weekend will be Stewart’s-melville College, who travel south to play Royal Grammar School Newcastle, and George Heriot’s School, who have a fixture against Royal High.
Meanwhile, Stirling County and Ayr have arranged matches with independent schools this term in a move that will delight those who have been calling for more games between club and school. Ayr face George Watson’s College and Merchiston. Stirling County will also play Merchiston, with their fixture list for the second half of the season also including matches against St Aloysius College, Stewart’s-melville College and Robert Gordon’s College.