EDINBURGH EVENING NEW REPORTS
Scott ready to clip hawks' wings

BILL LOTHIAN


WITH metronomic consistency during this fledgling professional rugby era a string of quality back rowers have been coming off the Heriot's production line.

And the latest successor to a group that includes the Dall brothers, Graham and Andrew, as well as Simon Taylor and current hot prospect at Edinburgh Gunners, Alan MacDonald, is increasingly looking likely to be 20-year-old Scott Newlands.


Already recognised this season by Scotland Under-21 for the recent friendly with Stellenbosch University, the 6ft 3in and 16 stone Newlands finds that there is to be no let-up in intensity with tomorrow's visit from reigning BT Premiership champions and title favourites, Glasgow Hawks.

Confirming that opportunities to impress do not come much bigger on the club scene, Newlands, who fits the Heriot's back row mould as a ball-playing talent, says: "In looking to further my goal of a professional contract I can't think of a better place to be than Heriot's and a match against Hawks is a chance for all the young players to stand up and be counted."

Originally from Kelso and a part-time contractee with Border Reivers, Newlands found travelling from the Capital (he is in the third year of a Sports Science degree at Edinburgh University) increasingly a bind.

He said: "I could sense my form might be affected by combining studies with journeying up and down to Kelso so I plumped for a club where the style is naturally open and adventurous.

"Such an approach means the ball is more likely to be passed through the hands and hopefully, too, our efforts to add width can have an effect on catching out Hawks tomorrow. It's probably no coincidence that Simon Taylor emerged from a side that likes to throw the ball around and by being at Heriot's I know I have a better chance as a forward of feeling really involved in a game." It takes an event of major significance to unite those Capital club rugby rivals, Heriot's and Watsonians, but that is likely to be the scenario this weekend.

With leaders Hawks at Heriot's, second-placed Watsonians are hoping the traditional foe can give them a boost. That's at the same time as Watsonians, eight points adrift, try to keep their own interest alive at Hawick. The irony is acknowledged by Newlands while emphasising the importance of a win to his own club's cause.

"We have a chance to leapfrog Hawick into third place and that is our pre-occupation.

"That said we possibly have a role to play in determining where the title eventually ends up," added the former Scotland Under-18 and under-19 star.

He added "Amongst other implications it is a big day for Heriot's so far as discovering strength in depth is concerned since fellow back rowers Roddy Deans and Jamie Syme have headed over to Australia.

"All the more reason for the younger players to step up, helped by the return of (former Edinburgh European Cup stalwart) Tam McVie after a long spell out injured."

It is this extra responsibility that is expected to bring the best out of Newlands on his return from a two-match injury absence and set him up for another Scotland Under-21 outing on Monday in the pre-Six Nations fixture at Sale Jets.

Meanwhile, Heriot's also recall to their squad props Malcolm Welch, Grant Talac and Mark Thomson along with stand-off Jonny Sim in looking to return to winning ways after a defeat at Watsonians last time out.

Also in the Capital, Boroughmuir and Stewart's/Melville meet at Meggetland with both sides keen for safety points.

For 'Muir there are several potential bonuses with long-term casualties poised to climb off the injured list according to manager Grant Wilson.

"After a season wrecked by shoulder damage there is a chance that prop Ramin Mathieson (ex-Edinburgh) [pictured right] will finally get a run while full back Ross Cook is recovering from a cartilage operation last month," he said. "Another boost is the availability of back row Sam Paulo, who claimed a man-of-the-match award from one of his two early-season appearances before heading off to Newcastle University."

Coincidentally, Paulo's last outing for 'Muir was in the corresponding fixture at Stewart's/Melville which the hosts won 36-22.

Stew/Mel would love to complete their first double back in Division One but spokesman Malcolm McCall is realistic.

He admitted: "We have to expect a major backlash from Boroughmuir but, from our point of view, the break has worked well.

"Scotland Institute of Sport coach Bob Easson has taken a session and there has been input from ex-basketball cap Stuart Capaldi also as part of an attempt to freshen up our outlook. Above all, though, we are close to full strength apart from the unfortunate absence of scrum-half Stuart Clark due to food poisoning."

For Watsonians, incentives abound well beyond attempting to catch runaway leaders Hawks.

"A win at Hawick would certainly balance the books after they became the first team to beat us this season," admits coach Cammy Mather in announcing an unchanged side from the one which defeated Heriot's before Christmas although Duncan Hodge is on the bench for Murray Bringhurst.

"Additionally some of our younger players can use the second half of the season to clinch pro contracts," Mather added, "and into that category I'd put hooker Steve Lawrie and centre Bryan Rennie both of whom have been outstanding all the way through." Currie await Aberdeen Grammar FPs to Malleny Park. Currie were unavailable for comment.

Edinburgh Acads go for a double over Selkirk in Division Two at Raeburn Place and could climb back into the top three.

At the other end of the table, Haddington can use home advantage to distance themselves from the only team below them in the table, Murrayfield Wanderers.

The Division Three card gives Musselburgh a chance of giant killing at leaders Hamilton.

Similarly, Edinburgh University would ease their relegation worries with a home win over promotion chasing West. Elsewhere, RHC await Livingston.

This article was posted on 6-Jan-2006, 14:39 by Hugh Barrow.