Glasgow Hawks​33 GHA​14


“What if I'm far from home?
Oh brother I will hear you call.
What if I'd lose it all?
Oh sister, I will help you out.

Ooooooh, if the sky comes falling down.
For you.
There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do.”
(“Oh brother” by Avicii)

We often talk of the rugby family. The group if disparate souls who bond together over this game we all love. The players, male and female, the older generation working in the background, the girlfriends, boyfriends as well, who cheer and aid. This family comes together to give voice to our common hopes and dreams to share joy and despair. There is also the literal family, the mums and dads who drive their children to morning matches, standing and cheering in the joyous cold of a Scottish Winter, altogether becoming our rugby family.
All these elements were present yesterday, a day both sad and happy. A day where thoughts turned to the ties that bind us. As Old Anniesland played host to City rivals GHA in the West Regional Cup, the ground was busy with members of Glasgow’s Rugby family. As the kick off approached, there was a minutes silence to contemplate the loss of a young family member, Sonny Kiernan. Thoughts turned to the indescribable loss which his parents and sister were experiencing. Remembering that families suffer sadness and attempting to reach out to them in their grief.
Looking down the lines of the players, Ally Maclay, stood in silence alongside his family of players and Hawks welcomed him back after his convalescence. In the stand his father prepared warm drinks for the attendees, rugby is a family affair.
In GHA there were former Hawks, notably Andy Henderson, who had played at Old Anniesland before he played for Glasgow Warriors and was a stalwart of the Scotland team in the previous decade. Again in the Jimmy Ireland Stand, Andy’s children played happily as the game kicked off and the players put these bonds to the test, as they do every other Saturday.
GHA started the match in very good part and hawks looked nervous, with players in both sides having played each other since childhood, there was no fear of the team from the higher division. Indeed, in the way of Scots, there was an air of “I Ken yer faither”. There is a world of experience in the GHA side which revealed itself in the early exchanges former Warrior’s fans favourite Hefin O’Hare was lively out wide and the aforementioned Henderson had authority in the midfield. Hawks did have pressure but in the first quarter of an hour lacked composure in the red zone. Early errors allowed GHA to clear any threat and when Hawks were under pressure in their own half they conceded a couple of penalties which Scott Lang slotted over in the 6th and 12th minutes to take an early lead. (0-6)
Hawks’ pack has been receiving plaudits from a variety of sources but it had an unfamiliar look. Angus Hamilton and Ross Miller are in Australia, for different reasons and Mateusz Bartoszek watched from the stand as he remains injury. However, any concerns that the pack would be hamstrung by this were disabused as the front 8 took the game to GHA overpowering the visitors, just before the half hour the pack drove into their opponents 22 battering on toward the line. GHA seemed to be holding on when Polish International prop Craig Bachurzewski, came in at pace going over for the try. Unfortunately the conversion was missed but Hawks were in business. (5-6)
Bachurzewski, who had an excellent match, was instrumental in Hawks going into the leadfive minutes later as he burst through the visitors defence from 15 metres out and was unlucky to be hauled down short of the line. The ball was recycled quickly and Dan Smart put the ball out left where David Milne was on hand to grab five more points. (10-6)
Grabbing the lead, Hawks were now dominant and GHA seemed to have no answer to the questions which were being asked of the defence. It now fell to scrum-half dan Smart to add to the visitor’s pain. The young New Zealander, jinked past and overwhelmed Niall Cassie to go under the posts for another try which he then converted himself. (17-6)
As half-time came, GHA could only rue a 10 minute spell in which they conceded 17 points. But, they weren’t behind not beaten. They came out for the second period determined to take the match to Hawks. Putting the premier side under pressure from the kick-off they were rewarded in 45 minutes when Dominic Dunn went over for a try following a well worked move. The family theme re-stated as Dunn’s family have been mainstay of Aloysian Rugby and now GHA for many years. With Lang missing the conversion the visiting side were within a single goal. (17-11)
Andy White now took over the kicking duties and an exchange of penalties between him and Lang just after the 50 minute mark kept the difference at six points (20-14)
Hawks now started to use the pack to grind down GHA. What ball the visitors had was often deep in their own territory. Runs made were enveloped by the home cover who forced penalties from GHA which White slotted over with ease and ending the match as a contest. With 10 minutes of the match remaining Hawks were 12 points to the good. (26-14)
The match was drawing to a close in the winter gloom and Hawks were just in GHA’s 22, Smart put a kick over the heads of the defence. In desperation Lang tried to run the ball out of defence in one last futile attack. He didn’t allow for the pace and strength of Jack Steele who launched a tremendous tackle into the full- back. The impact forced Lang into to his own in-goal area and as he fell he failed to ground the ball. The pill was dislodged and Robert Beattie who was up supporting Steele was sharp enough to stretch a red sleeved arm toward the ball touching down for the 4th try. As White put over the conversion the final whistle blew and the Cup was won. Another familial tie. (33-14)
The cup won, the family were together in joy just as a few hours earlier they had been together in sadness. “Brother I will hear your call, Sister I will help you out.”

This article was posted on 12-Jan-2014, 14:10 by Hugh Barrow.