BT Premiership Division 1


Biggar v Ayr

Biggar have the assistance of two Borders pros, Lee Kibble and Geoff Cross as they aim to recover from last week's mauling by Currie, though that result was overshadowed by the death, during the game, of their bagman Hugh Falconer. Kibble replaces fellow-pro Ian Berthinussen who had seven stitches inserted in a cut mouth at Malleny Park, while Cross comes in for Fraser Campbell.


Ayr are unchanged as they attempt to chalk up their first away victory this season.

Currie v Boroughmuir

The visitors welcome back captain Rory Couper for their visit to Currie whose confidence will be skyhigh after their nine-try hammering of Biggar last Saturday. Both sides have lost one player to the Scotland sevens squad, Currie centre Neil Chisolm and Meggetland flanker Olo Brown.

Kevin McShane is the likely deputy for Cairns, alongside the influential David Officer, while Euan Mathieson makes a timely recovery from injury to replace Brown.

Hawick v Stirling County

Having won their last five games, the home club can now forget about relegation and concentrate on keeping their place in the top four. And they will try and do that with a full-strength squad, with Matt Landels starting in place of Borders pro Will Kay who played against Boroughmuir last saturday.

Stirling move New Zealander Alan Syme back to stand-off, with young Ally Gardiner coming in on the right wing, and Justin Mathieson is in at No 8.

Glasgow Hawks v Melrose

In spite of the fact that Hawks ran in ten tries against Stewart's-Melville last weekend. Melrose coach Craig Chalmers sees no reason why his side can't beat the champions, provided they keeps errors to the minimum.

Melrose are strengthened by the presence of Borders' pros James King and John Dalziel, while Geoff Caldwell is back in favour after scoring a superb try, as a sub, against Watsonians.

Hawks are unchanged and going for their 12th victory on the trot.

Heriot's v Stewart's-Melville

The visitors field a new half-back partnership in teenager Ross Samson and Nicky Wood, with Graham Shiel switching to centre in place of the unavailable Craig Joiner. Up front, South African prop Stefan de Beer has returned home, his replacement being Andrew Statham, while a new back-row takes the field, due to Ross Rennie and Richard Vernon playing sevens at Murrayfield.

Heriot's have Marc Teague fit again, while Ewan Grewar and Finlay Bibby (ex-Currie) win places in the pack.

Watsonians v Aberdeen GSFP (3pm)

Last year's Merchiston Castle centre Robin Holroyd makes his first start for the home club, after coming on as a sub last Saturday. With No 8 Alex Baddeley out for two months with a broken wrist, Gavin Brown returns to the back-row, with Ian Dryburgh, Scott Laird and Simon Stevenson (ex-Reading) also finding places in a much-changed pack. Incidentally, Ben Di Rollo, who has featured for Watsonians this season, has joined Edinburgh Accies.

This article was posted on 12-Nov-2005, 11:26 by Hugh Barrow.