Arnold Clark Men's Premiership Round 16 Dream Team
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ARCHIE BARBOUR was his usual reliable presence in defence and attack for Kelso as they got the better of Borders rivals Kelso at Poynder Park on Saturday afternoon, and created his team’s key third try with a moment of individual brilliance, where he sped past six or seven opposition players to set up Murray Woodcock, so he can count himself unlucky to miss out in the battle for the No 15 shirt to Freddie Owsley, who created one try with a well-timed pass and scored another himself as Watsonians got the better of play-off rivals Currie Chiefrains at Myreside on Friday night.
Bruce Colvine is better known as a scrum-half, but impressed on the right-wing for Melrose as both a gutsy and clever competitor to successfully stifle Kelso’s threat and spark a few opportunities for his own team. On the opposite touchline, George Coull was both industrious and an incisive runner whilst weighing in with two tries as Heriot’s put Musselburgh to the sword at Stoneyhill.
Andrew Grant-Suttie’s hard-hitting defence was key to Selkirk smothering out Hawick’s hopes of an away win at Philiphaugh, so he gets the nod at outside-centre just ahead of Jamie Shedden, who was a top performer for Ayr against old club Marr, and Elliot Ruthven of Melrose. At inside-centre, Frankie Robson was the rock around which much of Kelso’s attacking play formed, and gave Melrose backs no breathing space, while Ross Nixon of Selkirk can consider himself unlucky to miss out after an astute all-round performance against Hawick.
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Watsonians head coach Davie Wilson expressed frustration at his team’s lack of nous with the boot when trying to relieve pressure from a relentless first half Currie Chieftains onslaught on Friday night, but the tide turned dramatically after the break with Jason Baggott pulling the strings. He also kicked nine from a possible 11 points from the tee which ultimately proved to be the difference between the two teams, so is named at stand-off.
Andy Tait continues to show what Kelso missed while he was injured during the first half of season, making good decisions and showing sharpness of thought and deed with a fine try, but he misses out on the No 9 jersey on this occasion to former Scotland cap Scott Steele, who is rewarded for his pivotal role in helping orchestrate what could be a crucial home win for Glasgow Hawks against Edinburgh Accies, helping ease the Balgray side’s relegation anxieties.
New Zealander Isaiah Malaulau also played a central role in that important victory for Glasgow Hawks so gets a nod at loose-head prop ahead of the busy Jack Dobie of Melrose and veteran Grant Shiells of Kelso. Selkirk hat-trick hero and man-of-the-match Corey Tait started out at blindside flanker against his hometown club of Hawick but switched to his more accustomed role of hooker during the third-quarter and that is where he is selected in this Dream Team. Dan Gamble was a big presence for Kelso at tight-head prop but misses out to Ayr’s Calvin Henderson on this occasion.
Second-row selection was a shoot-out between several established gun-slingers and a couple of new kids on the block, including veteran Melrose captain Angus Runciman, his partner-in-crime on Saturday Angus Common (who really got in the faces of his former Kelso team-mates with bristling display), the equally relentless Cammy Thompson and Keith Melbourne of Kelso, and the consistently high-performing Ed Bloodworth of Ayr. However, for all-action effort and some crushing hits, Sione Halafihi of Glasgow Hawks teams up in the engine-room with Jamie Campbell of Heriot’s, who makes the Dream Team for the third time on the bounce.
Jack Utterson turned in another powerful performance for Kelso with the 17-year-old revelling in the hard forward exchanges, but Jason Hill get the nod at blindside-flanker after captaining Heriot’s during the second half, carrying hard and scoring a try in that big win over Musselburgh.
It was a fair old battle on the open0side at Poynder, where Kelso’s Murray Woodcock‘s all-round play belied his tender years, and the student capped it off with superb support play for good try, while Allan Ferrie produced an immense performance for Melrose, setting the tone for a fine display when he grabbed Bruce McNeil‘s collar and marched him backwards, with the former just edging selection.
At No 8, Neil Irvine-Hess led Watsonians’ resolute defensive effort which kept them in the game during the first half against Currie Chieftain to earn the man-of-the-match gong, but he misses out to another hugely influential leader of men in the shape of Ayr’s two-try battering ram Blair Macpherson.
15. Freddie Owsley (Watsonians)
14. Bruce Colvine (Melrose)
13. Andrew Grant-Suttie (Selkirk)
12. Frankie Robson (Kelso)
11. George Coull (Heriot’s)
10. Jason Baggott (Watsonians)
9. Scott Steele (Glasgow Hawks)
1. Isaiah Malaulau (Glasgow Hawks)
2. Corey Tait (Selkirk)
3. Calvin Henderson (Ayr)
4. Sione Halafihi (Glasgow Hawks)
5. Jamie Campbell (Heriot's)
6. Jason Hill (Heriot’s)
7. Murray Woodcock (Kelso)
8. Blair Macpherson (Ayr)
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