Melrose cruise to glory double
FOUR tries from winger Ross McCann guided Melrose to an expected trophy double yesterday as they proved too strong for Stirling County in the BT Cup final at Murrayfield.
With a superior pack and setpiece, and pace and creativity across their back division, Premiership champions Melrose tightened their dominant grip on the club game by cruising to a 45-12 victory and back-to-back final wins.
The outfit’s success will be underlined on Tuesday when they are confirmed as one of the inaugural ‘Super Six’ clubs to launch a new level of franchised rugby in Scotland between the pro and amateur game in 2019-20.
The Borderers were in command with two tries from McCann inside the first 13 minutes.
The injury-enforced departure of Fijian internationalist Niko Matawalu — who was taken to hospital after suffering a nasty finger injury — turned Stirling’s steep climb into an Everest-like challenge.
Hope flickered briefly after a pushover try by County’s former Melrose prop Gary Holborn. But then McCann teed up Ian Moody for a third try.
After the break, Melrose stepped up a gear, resulting in touchdowns for Ruaridh Knott, McCann (2) and George Taylor.
A fine Craig Robertson try was of little consolation for County.
In the rest of Murrayfield’s ‘Silver Saturday’, Carrick won the BT Men’s Shield with a 39-19 defeat of Hawick Harlequins, while Ross Sutherland beat Wigtownshire 12-3 in the BT Men’s Bowl final.
Hillhead/Jordanhill celebrated the women’s league and cup double by demolishing Watsonians 68-12 in the Sarah Beaney Cup Final. Glasgow University won the BT Women’s Plate, beating Greenock Wanderers 34-17, and Oban Lorne defeated Garioch 45-5 to triumph in the BT Women’s Bowl Final.