Arnold Clark Men's Premiership: Hawick bounce back with big win over Musselburgh
01/25/2025 02:24 PM
Hawick 31
Musselburgh 5
DAVID FERGUSON @Mansfield Park
HAWICK bounced back to winning ways with a comfortable five-try victory over the league's bottom club.
Two tries in the opening quarter suggested the Greens were very much in the mood to blast away the frustration from a one-point loss at Watsonians last week, but Musselburgh proved a stuffy side to put away and had they been a bit sharper they could have gone into the break just 12-7 behind.
Instead, the hosts scored in the last minute of the half and added a fourth minutes after the restart to put the result beyond doubt, ensuring Hawick move away from the relegation battle and remain in the race for play-off spots.
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Andrew Mitchell, the scorer of the crucial third try that proved vital as Musselburgh came back at the hosts in the second period, admitted: "They never made it easy for us at all.
"It might look like it was comfortable but Musselburgh played with a lot of spirit, and in the second half particularly we couldn't quite get going, and a lot of that was down to how they played.
“But, when you look at the scoreboard, 31-5, five tries and a bonus point, we've got to be happy with that, and coming off the loss last week that we didn't think we deserved, we can start building again for the push for the top four."
Musselburgh's strength has been tested by injuries with leading lights Danny and Craig Owenson, and Michael Badenhorst’s key experience missing from the side. It showed with Hawick's experience clear in scrum and lineout dominance, and their ability to finish chances.
However, a trio of schoolboys stepped up for the visitors – Bruce Weatherhead (17) at full-back, his Loretto schoolmate Struan Talac (17) at scrum-half, and his brother Jason (18) at hooker – and seeing the game through their eyes was intriguing.
Struan had a particularly tough battle with Hawick No.9 Gareth Welsh, a key figure in Hawick's tries in the first half, and then being replaced at half-time by Logan Henry, the Kiwi who has experience of playing Super Rugby with the Hurricanes.
Still, Struan said afterwards: "That was a brilliant experience. Yes, we lost and it's disappointing, but Hawick are a good side. For me, making my 1st XV and Premiership debut at such a historic place was amazing.
“I was buzzing when told about it during the week and I think we improved in the second half. And if we'd maybe taken our chances we could have been closer. But, I loved it and we have plenty more games now to try and get ourselves the wins we need."
Defeat here makes the challenge stiffer, but the work-rate and spirit suggests Musselburgh will not go down without causing a few bloody noses on the way.
Hawick moved into cruise control quite early in the game, the veteran props of Shawn Muir and Nicky Little helping their own debutant Fergus Bell into the game, and the young hooker enjoyed his own first start with a fine display in the tight and about the park. He topped it off with the second try, following scrum-half Gareth Welsh's dart round a scrum for the opening score after 11 minutes by finishing a lineout drive to the line in the 19th.
Two glimpses of the home line ended with lost lineouts for Musselburgh, a loose Hawick pass almost produced a score and a fine counter-attack by wing Tom Foley, initially curtailed by a high tackle, was also brought to a halt by Hawick scrum pressure and their defensive play.
Had either of these chances been turned into points it might have been an interesting half-time, but just when we wondered if Hawick's attacking momentum had been punctured, centre Mitchell took it on his own shoulders and somehow covered the last 15 metres to the visitors' line with one man hanging onto his jersey and two others around his body, his pumping legs a joy for the Greens support to behold.
When No8 Conor Sutherland capped a fine all-round display with a fourth Hawick try three minutes into the second half, it was game over. Hawick seemed to know it as their fluency disappeared and despite the promptings of Muir and Little in particular, fine work by Sam Frizzel and Hughie Donaldson in a great battle with Musselburgh locks Jak Haynes and Abe Mataitini, and back rows going at it hammer and tongs the number of balls dropped rattled well into double figures.
Musselburgh enjoyed a far greater share of possession and earned reward when Foley dived into the right-hand corner after 53 minutes, sparking a melee of handbags as home players seemed to take exception to Musselburgh scoring, but despite a fine -metre charge by replacement hooker Bob Stott, there were to be no more chances for the East Lothian men.
Hawick finally grabbed a fifth try after a series of scrums and lineouts in the visitors' 22, right wing Morgan Tait appearing on the left flank to take Cian Riddell's pass to dive into the corner. Left wing Charlie Welsh could have been forgiven for some frustration after all the work he put into this game – he had been denied by a forward pass by Riddell minutes earlier and helped build the try-scoring finale by coming off his wing into midfield.
As straightforward as it ultimately proved this was a significant win in Hawick's season as it moves them nine points clear of the bottom three, and closer to fourth spot with eight games remaining.
Musselburgh's young guns have a lot to be proud of after their first appearance, but they are going to have to find a significant improvement in set-piece and finishing accuracy if they are to survive in the Premiership.
Teams –
Hawick: K Ford; M Reid, A Mitchell, L Armstrong, C Welsh; K Brunton, Gareth Welsh; S Muir (c), F Bell, N Little, S Frizzel, H Donaldson, F Renwick, M Brogan, C Sutherland.
Subs (played): A Cannon, M Atkinson, M Renwick, G Huggan, L Henry, C Riddell, M Tait.
Musselburgh: B Weatherhead; T Foley, M McCowan, R Watt (c), S Watt; P Burns, S Talac; R Brown, J Talac, H Meadows, J Haynes, A Mataitini, P Bogie, F Duraj, J Lister.
Subs (played): B Stott, E Bonthron, J Arnold, B Heber, O Craig, D Jakeman, M Crawford.
Ref: John Smith.
Yellow card: Bonthron 80mins.
Scorers
Hawick: Tries – G Welsh, Bell, Mitchell, Sutherland, Tait; Cons – Ford 3.
Musselburgh: Try – Foley.
Scoring sequence (Hawick first): 5-0, 7-0, 12-0, 17-0, 19-0 h/t; 24-0, 26-0, 26-5, 31-5
Man of the Match: Musselburgh's second row Jak Haynes turned in a fine performance in defeat, and Hawick had numerous contenders both scrum-halves superb, and the entire pack putting in strong displays. But in a game where momentum was key, Shawn Muir and Nicky Little consistently drove the Green Machine through phases and on to the necessary game-winning tries, and continued to shut Musselburgh down with stirring defence. Choosing between them is impossible so they share the award this week.
Talking point: Musselburgh's introduction of talented, gutsy schoolboys and Hawick's ability to keep bringing through quality local talent, Fergus Bell the latest to take his chance, is a positive sign for the future of the Scottish club game.
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