Arnold Clark Men's Premiership Round 20 Dream Team
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MORGAN GABE’s elusive running earned the full-back his sixth try of the season and caused Edinburgh Accies all sorts of problems as Melrose fought back from 35-12 down at half-time to secure a 35-38 win at Raeburn Place, earning the former Barnstaple RFC player selection in the No 15 slot just ahead of George Coull of Heriot’s, who is one of three players who dotted down three time to miss out on selection this week, the others being Ayr replacement Ben Frame and Currie Chieftains scrum-half Gregor Christie.
But not all the hat-trick heroes miss out. Lomond Macpherson retains the No 14 jersey having claimed a trifecta for Watsonians in a big home win over Selkirk, while Thomas Lanni‘s brace in that landslide for Ayr at Hawick earns him selection on the other wing.
Kenta Katsunamarked his second last game for Heriot’s before returning to Japan with a typically classy performance, so he is selected at outside-centre ahead of Ayr’s Jamie Shedden, Marr’s Scott Bickerstaff and Glasgow Hawks’ Finlay Callaghan. Meanwhile, Scott Robeson made some telling line-breaks in midfield for Currie Chieftains and won a couple of turnovers to slow down Hawks, so he gets the nod at inside-centre just ahead of Dom Coetzer of Watsonians
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Teenager Bruce Weatherhead continued his impressive transition into adult rugby with an assured performance at stand-off for Musselburgh against Marr.
Bruce Colvine was a real handful for Melrose against Edinburgh Accies and Christie got those three tries for Currie Chieftains against Glasgow Hawks, but Grant Baird edges the scrum-half selection for his man-of-the-match performance for Marr, characterised by slick distribution and electric running which was his key to his team’s success.
Graeme Carson, marking his 200th Currie Chieftains appearance, is at loose-head prop; James Malcolm of Ayr gets the nod at hooker; and Zen Szwagrzak is at tight-head having led the Melrose fightback at Raeburn Place through his set-piece work and open play contributions. An honourable mention goes to Isaiah Malaulau of Glasgow Hawks.
Courtney West of Currie Chieftains links up in the second-row with Rory Jackson of Ayr, which means Andrew McInnes of Watsonians and David Andrew of Marr are both unlucky to miss out this week.
It was a tight call at blindside flanker with Josh Minty of Watsonians edging out Ryan Sweeney of Ayr and Jason Hill of Heriot’s, and the other two back-row berths are made up by Heriot’s men Sam Wallace and Ruairidh Leishman.
15. Morgan Gabe (Melrose)
14. Lomond Macpherson (Watsonians)
13. Kenta Kutsuna (Heriot’s)
12. Scott Robeson (Currie Chieftains)
11. Thomas Lanni (Ayr)
10. Bruce Weatherhead (Musselburgh)
9. Grant Baird (Marr)
1. Graeme Carson (Currie Chieftains)
2. James Malcolm (Ayr)
3. Zen Szwagrzak (Melrose)
4. Courtney West (Currie Chieftains)
5. Rory Jackson (Ayr)
6. Josh Minty (Watsonians)
7. Sam Wallace (Heriot’s)
8. Ruairidh Leishman (Heriot’s)
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