Bulls and Knights will be watching rivals clash closely
Watsonians’ home game against Edinburgh rivals Boroughmuir Bears this afternoon will be of more than usual interest to some of their Super6 rivals – especially the Ayrshire Bulls and the Southern Knights, writes STUART BATHGATE.
The Myreside team, pacesetters in the tournament early on, now have only the faintest hope of reaching the final after losing their last three games.
That hope will disappear entirely unless they beat the Bears with a bonus point – in which case the Bulls and the Knights will go through.
A few weeks ago, a back win for Fergus Pringle’s team would have seemed fairly likely. But the head coach warned that the Bears – despite being bottom of the table – are capable of posing a real threat to his team.
“Boroughmuir have been playing some very good rugby and have been unlucky at times, with some close results going against them against strong opposition,” Pringle said.
“We know it’s going to be a big challenge, but we are determined to bounce back after some close results ourselves and put
in an accurate, disciplined performance.”
If Watsonians do pull off a five-point win today, they will have to do the same thing against Ayrshire next week – and overcome a big points deficit.
The Bulls were down in third place not too long ago, but sit top with one round of games to go thanks to a hard-fought 17-11 win at home to the Knights on Friday.
Stirling County, meanwhile, are guaranteed a place in the third-v-fourth play-off after beating Heriot’s 17-16 at Goldenacre yesterday.
It was a third win in as many games for Ben Cairns’ side, who might still be in contention for the title but for a couple of narrow and avoidable losses earlier in the season.
“We don’t like making things easy for ourselves, do we?” Cairns said after a try from centre Grant Hughes secured the win in the final minute of the game.
“But we’re keen to finish as well as we can, with our eyes on a home game for the third/ fourth place play-off.”
The fifth/sixth play-off will also be held at the home ground of the higher-placed team. The final itself will take place a fortnight today at Edinburgh’s new stadium.
In the Premiership, Currie Chieftains kept up the chase on leaders Marr with a 31-5 win over Edinburgh Accies. Marr themselves beat Jed-forest
28-19, but are only four points clear of the Chieftains, who have a game in hand.
Hawick beat Glasgow Hawks 14-10 at Mansfield Park, and both teams are now level on 15 points, just one behind Currie. Musselburgh are also on 15 too after their 40-24 home win against bottom club Aberdeen Grammar. GHA, meanwhile, beat Selkirk 34-10.