P7 Saltires
and Lions
Meggetland
Sunday 18th November
Sunday saw a
welcome return of mini Rugby to Meggetland. We hosted teams from
North Berwick and Heriots. Many of the visiting coaches and
supporters were impressed by our club's superb new facilities and
the excellent hospitality.
Boroughmuir P7
and our guests all had enough boys and girls to put out two teams
each. We therefore had the welcome opportunity to give all the
players a good run out in teams matched to their experience.
The squad was
split with the more experienced players in the ‘Saltires’ and
our newer recruits forming up the ‘Lions’ This team was
supported by the inclusion of a couple of experienced ‘veterans’. In
agreement with our visitors we played the two mini rugby rule
variations existing in Scotland. That is, School Rules and SRU Club
rules. Boroughmuir minis normally play SRU club rules to the end of
P7. The Saltires played School rules while the Lions played SRU.
The main
differences are that in School rules:
-
A player can
run with one hand on the ball
-
The ball can be
ripped in contact or the maul
-
The ball can be
targeted
-
A player can
‘hand-off’ a tackle
-
The ball can be
kicked from anywhere on the pitch (not used on Sunday)
These are the
rules all our players will be using when we go to the Malone IFoR
tournament in the spring. It will also be the type of rugby our team
will be playing from S1 up. The coaches saw this as an opportunity
to start introducing the squad to the new way of playing.
The Boroughmuir
Lions (Report by honorary coach Alan Downie)
Lions
played SRU
club rules and won both their games on Sunday and won them
well. Against North Berwick, they ran in 6 tries and conceded 2
whilst against Heriots they kept a clean sheet winning 4-0. What was
so very impressive was the manner of play and the individual
performances put in by every player. For some they had the thrill of
scoring their first competitive tries. All ten in the squad played
some of their best rugby of the season running, tackling,
supporting, passing and creating general mayhem and chaos - and
everything done with total commitment and at speed. This was a great
team performance built on great personal performances.
Before the games
started, Alan promised the team win bonuses. He said he'd give
everyone a penny-chew if they played well and everyone an extra
penny-chew for each win. So to honour that commitment, this
silly-old-coach will bring one penny sweetie each and everybody can
have three chews of it - that seems fair!!!
The Saltires
(Report by Alistair Fitzgerald coach and repentant referee)
Saltires had a
more difficult time as they were playing (modified) school rules
against Heriots and North Berwick teams who have had a few previous
opportunities to play under these rules. Nevertheless they adapted
well and the games were a lot closer than the 3-0 and 4-1 scores
suggested, (two disallowed tries and one dubious Heriots try didn't
help – (apologies for the Heriots try guys)).
Both teams
played well in terms of commitment and support for each other. We
have a lot of work to do yet to play consistently at the level the
coaches know we can. Well done Lions on an excellent performance and
the effort by Saltires in new playing conditions were very
encouraging. You all did yourself your supporters and the club
proud.
Biggar Tournament
Sunday 9th
September
P7 RESULT
WELL DONE LADS!
Biggar is our first
significant tournament of the season. We returned this season as the
defending P7 Champions and achieved Runners-Up through a team
display we are all proud of.
The tournament
allowed us to take a squad of 14 with 10 players on the field at any
one time. Due to last minute player call offs and no shows we only
took 11, but that is what made Sunday’s performance by our team of
heroes so fantastic. With only one substitute and he is relatively
new to rugby, we were deserved runners up. There were no injury
substitutes possible for the forwards and cover for only one of the
backs. Many played through the pain barrier after injury. So it was
the bravery, tenacity and flexibility of all our players that made
our Runner Up medals a solid and deserved achievement. I am sure had
we had a full strength of reserves to draw on we could have won and
brought the Shield Trophy back to Meggetland. What was demonstrated
on Sunday makes the coaches believe we should fear no opposition
team this season and always take the field to win.
ALL
the players deserve mentions. They played 5 gruelling games in a
Round Robin tournament that saw them beat some good club teams.
Our forwards were
immense controlled, disciplined (mostly) and aggressive led strongly
from the front row by our captain/hooker ‘The Leader of the Pack’
Fraser. Prop David made his usual big impression with
strong rucking clearouts and always the willingness to pick up the
ball and run with it. Dependable prop Rory tackled and ran
excellent patterns, gaining ground and ensuring we retained
possession from the rucks. Patrick was drafted into the
unfamiliar position of second row. He showed great adaptability and
skill, tackled well picking the ball up and making good runs.
Special mention must be made of Patrick’s comrade in the second row
Dugald. Dugald was playing throughout all the matches, even
though he was feeling ill, but who watching would have known?
Notably and thankfully as the referee allowing the final play of the
game against Selkirk, Boroughmuir were losing 1-0, Dugald powered
through the mêlée over the line and scored a try to draw the game.
This try proved to be all important, giving us the valuable point
that secured the runners up medals.
In his first game for
Boroughmuir, our promising new recruit, Peter stood in as our
scrum half controlling the ball well setting up our backs for what
they do best, running rings around the opposition.
Because our forwards
controlled large parts of games they gave our speed merchants the
opportunity to perform. The backs combined well in fast attack and
none of them shirked the brave tackles when they were needed.
Colin at stand off, Robert at centre with Jamie
and Francis on the wings became a handful most opposition
teams found to hot to handle. All produced runs that sorely tested
our opponents and not a few of these resulted in sparkling running
displays that resulted in tries. Special mention goes to our super
sub Scott drafted in as a replacement back who got rather
more action during difficult times than he might have anticipated.
Thanks Scott great commitment and well played.
Everything was not
perfect on the day with 3 similar silly long slow passes resulting
in interceptions that gave away tries and games, but we shall work
on that in training.
Thanks to all the
players and supporters who travelled down on Sunday. This fine
display gives us belief that this is the season our team will win
silverware.
Results P7 Round
Robin
|
Boroughmuir |
0 |
Uddingston |
0 |
|
Biggar |
1 |
Stirling
County |
1 |
|
Melrose |
0 |
Selkirk |
0 |
|
Boroughmuir |
2 |
Biggar |
0 |
|
Uddingston |
1 |
Melrose |
0 |
|
Stirling
County |
2 |
Selkirk |
0 |
|
Boroughmuir |
1 |
Stirling County |
2 |
|
Uddingston |
2 |
Biggar |
2 |
|
Melrose |
2 |
Boroughmuir |
4 |
|
Selkirk |
2 |
Biggar |
3 |
|
Uddingston |
0 |
Stirling
County |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Uddingston |
1 |
Selkirk |
1 |
|
Stirling
County |
2 |
Melrose |
1 |
|
Boroughmuir |
1 |
Selkirk |
1 |
|
Biggar |
1 |
Melrose |
1 |
P7
Round Robin Tournament Table
|
Club |
Won |
Lost |
Drawn |
For |
Against |
Points |
|
Stirling
County |
4 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
3 |
9 |
|
Boroughmuir |
2 |
1 |
2 |
8 |
5 |
6 |
|
Biggar |
1 |
1 |
3 |
6 |
8 |
5 |
|
Uddingston |
1 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
|
Selkirk |
0 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
3 |
|
Melrose |
0 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
8 |
2 |
