HERIOT'S 33-29 GLASGOW

WILLIAM PAUL
AT GOLDENACRE


A ONE-MAN wrecking team called Apolosi Satala dismantled league leaders Glasgow Hawks and offered renewed hope to championship chasers that the title is not beyond them.

The Fijian international and World Cup Sevens winner was doubtful before the start with a stomach bug but decided to play. After 20 minutes he had scored two superbly taken tries and had to visit the dressing room for a five-minute pitstop before returning to complete his hat-trick with a third try that was truly sublime.


"Apple was awesome," said Heriot's coach Iwan Tukalo. "He'd been complaining about a dicky stomach, hence the reason for leaving the field, and I'm thinking what the Hell could he do on full throttle."

Hawks coach David Wilson added to the praise only a little grudgingly. "We allowed our Fijian friend to dominate the match too much. With his three tries it was almost a one-man effort, but then we made him look good because we just didn't tackle."

Satala, a member of the Edinburgh professional squad, looked good all right. His performance at No 8 was phenomenal and the difference between the teams. The 25-year-old was involved in every move, he seemed to be under every high ball, and making every tackle. Heriot's are now likely to lose him as he is on standby for posting to Iraq with the Royal Scots but their erratic form this season means that it is second-placed Watsonians and Hawick who have the more realistic chance of preventing Hawks taking a third championship in a row.

Watsonians, who narrowly beat Hawick on Saturday, are now within five points of Hawks who entertain Hawick this weekend and are not particularly looking forward to it. Wilson admits there is a lot of work ahead to restore the winning mentality that served Hawks so well in the first half of the season but which seems to have dissipated with two defeats in their last three games.

"Our preparation in the last couple of weeks over the festive period has not been becoming of league champions and if we want to remain at the top we have to take a close look at ourselves," he said. "To win a third championship we have to put the effort in. If you have aspirations to be the best you have to give commitment and you have to give time, and maybe we have been resting on our laurels too much."

Hawks looked out of sorts from the kick off against Heriot's. They didn't relish the contact and were lacking in ideas behind the scrum. Even so, they somehow managed to match Satala's two tries with two of their own from Richie McKnight and Murray Strang to make the score 16-15 at half time. It was to be as tight as that for the whole game.

From the restart, Satala got the ball in his own half, sensed a gap that no-one else could see and went straight through it. Hawks finally caught him as he crossed the 22 but before he was put down, he passed to winger Steve Manning and stayed on his shoulder for the next 10 metres before taking the return pass and gliding over the line to finish it off.

Hawks, to their credit, didn't just stand back and admire the Fijian's creativity. They went up the other end and worked a third try of their own for big lock Richard Maxton from a formidable rolling maul. Then they were awarded a penalty try which got them the bonus point when another maul was deliberately collapsed on the line and Heriot's flanker Scott Newlands was sin-binned for his part in its downfall. That put Hawks into a three point lead and stung 14-man Heriot's into an instant reply in their next attack which saw the ball shipped right across the field for full back James Thompson to score and ensure a bonus point for his side too.

There was to be no more scoring in a frantic last quarter as Heriot's desperately defended their four point lead, finally managing to control the mauls that had been so effective up to then. Hawks had a try under the posts ruled out for crossing and Satala contributed a valedictory pick up from the base of the scrum followed by a 50 metre lope up the blind side to keep the crowd entertained.

Tukalo said: "It's a nice way to start the new year. On balance we probably deserved the victory. Today was about a bunch of players who have the skills applying themselves and dominating the space. We held our discipline when we were under pressure at the end and I can't emphasise enough the effect of the players attitude. They go down to 14 men and go up the other end and put points on the board. You can't ask for any more from the guys in that respect."

Scorers: Heriot's: Tries: A Satala (3), J Thompson. Cons: A Monro (2). Pens: A Monro (3). Glasgow Hawks: Tries: M Sitch, R Maxton, M Strang, Penalty try. Cons: M Adamson (3). Pens: M Adamson.

Heriot's: J Thompson, C Bruce, N De Luca, J Houston, S Manning, A Monro, M Goldie, M Welch, N Meikle, C Sinclair, J Osborne, E Grewar, S Newlands, T McVie, A Satala. Subs used: G Talac, S Mustard.

Glasgow Hawks: M Strang, A Maclay, S Smith, S Duffy, I Kennedy, M Adamson, R McKnight, E Milligan, M Smith, G macFadyen, R Maxton, S Warnock, M Sitch, N McKenzie, S Forrest. Subs used: S Biggart, S Begley.

Referee: B Devlin (Portobello).

This article was posted on 9-Jan-2006, 08:51 by Hugh Barrow.