With
both sides already promoted, this was the game that everyone
had been looking forward to for weeks, the league decider.
Dalkeith were unbeaten going into Saturday’s encounter, but,
despite two defeats, Meggetland had clawed their way back to
within touching distance with some high scores producing
precious bonus points.
Meggetland have run in tries all season through the pace and
precision of their back line, but that wasn’t going to
happen against a side of Dalkeith’s quality. Instead it was
the magnificent pack who must take the credit for an
outstanding win on Saturday, their first-half display being
without doubt the best 40 minutes this team has produced all
season.
Power and precision were the key. Jamie Scott and Andy Clark
ruled the lineout, aided by pinpoint precision throwing from
Andy McLean, playing his last game for the club before
moving south. In truth, Dalkeith simply could not get going
in that first half, seeing very little of the ball and being
under constant pressure when they did have it. Some
excellent kicking for position and, unusually for
Meggetland, taking the more straightforward penalty kicks to
build a platform, rather than always running the ball, kept
the pack on the front foot, and how they capitalised on
that, driving over 3 times in the first half hour.
Jamie Davidson’s successful penalty in 3 minutes opened the
scoring. This was followed by unconverted tries from the
rejuvenated Billy Blyth and from Andy McLean and two further
penalties from Jamie Davidson. Meggetland were scoring at
the rate of a point a minute and when Andy Clark, who, like
Blyth, has discovered late in the season the art of scoring
in every game, drove over for a further score, converted by
Davidson, it was 26-0 after half an hour and looking very
ominous for Dalkeith.
As
befits a good and unbeaten side, however, they rallied,
surviving 5 minutes either side of half time without their
influential number 8 and had the better of the second half
in which, for some reason, Meggetland decided to kick more
often than not, but, unlike the first period, the kicking
from hand was poor and merely gave possession back to
Dalkeith. This time, the forwards did not have the
territorial advantage, apart from the first 10 minutes which
produced a great deal of pressure but no further scoring and
Dalkeith, through Scott Rae, scored a well-deserved try with
15 minutes to go. They were not, however, able to add to
that and the game finished 26-5.
Barry Sinclair of the Scottish Rugby Council presented the
league trophy to captain Ross Young at the end of the game
and a hugely successful first season for Meggetland came to
a close.
The
game was intense, as would be expected, but it was
excellently refereed and was played in a great spirit by two
teams who thoroughly deserve their promotion and there was a
great atmosphere in the clubhouse afterwards. In a
particularly nice touch, Dalkeith put a case of beer and
some bubbly in the Meggetland changing room after the game
and the day overall was a credit to the spirit of rugby
football and to both clubs.
