Mather makes cup No 1 priority for Watsonians
HARRY PINCOTT
WHILE they've not given up all hope yet of catching Glasgow Hawks in the chase for the Premiership Division 1 title, Watsonians' main priority now is a successful BT Cup campaign, starting today at Myreside when Gala come calling in a fourth-round tie.

The Edinburgh side need to win all their remaining games and rely on Hawks to drop points if they are to win the championship. But if they come out on top in all their cup ties, then the silverware will be theirs.


"The cup is a more realistic target for us," said player-coach and captain Cammy Mather. "All we are looking at this week is beating Gala to make sure we are in the fifth-round draw. That's in our own hands.

"We are preparing as if it was a league game and I can assure you we are taking nothing for granted. Gala will be tough opponents, as they always are."

One good piece of news for the visitors is that they won't be facing Mather, the former Scotland flanker stepping down to give one of the younger players a game. Also missing will be hooker Steven Lawrie, who has a broken leg, and stand-off James Easton, but available again are regulars Carl McWilliam and Stuart McAllister, while hooker Gregor Wood could make his debut from the bench as back-up to Scott Laird.

Adding spice to this tie will be the presence of the Gala coaches, Dave Cockburn and Paul Di Rollo, who filled similar roles at Myreside in recent years. "On a personal note it will be nice for Dave and myself to go back to Myreside, and also for the players, who if they perform at their best can definitely win," said Di Rollo.

"We will be without prop Allan Johnston and winger Steve Craig, which is a blow, and while Watsonians are also minus a few players they have such a strong squad that they can live with that."

Last season, Currie deprived Glasgow Hawks of the opportunity of a league and cup double when they beat them at Malleny Park in the fourth round, and 12 months on the teams meet again today at the same venue. They meet in the league next Saturday, again at Malleny.

Hawks have former Currie scrum-half Iain Monaghan available for the first time this season after recovering from a broken arm sustained in the Carrick Fergus sevens last May. Scrum-half Kenny Sinclair suffered a similar injury in the same tournament and is still not fit.

Currie, minus Ben Cairns and James Taggart, hope to have former Scotland centre David Officer back in their squad as they attempt to repeat last season's upset win.

The holders, Boroughmuir, head for East Kilbride in better shape, thanks to the return of full-back Ross Cook, missing for the last two months through injury.

"It's a big boost getting Ross back because his goalkicking alone would probably have won us another couple of games at least," said coach Bruce Reekie.

Two weeks ago Melrose just pipped Biggar in a league game with a drop-goal in controversial circumstances, and today Biggar get their chance of revenge when they visit the Greenyards.

Biggar coach Gary Parker, the former Melrose player and coach, said: "We will go there and give it a go and hope we get the rub of the green this time. But it's likely to be another very tight game."

In the past four fixtures between the sides, Melrose have narrowly come out on top.

Peebles defeated Musselburgh at Stoneyhill last Saturday, their young team playing some very attractive rugby in the process. If the Borderers, spurred on by former Edinburgh professional Conor Sharman, can repeat that form at the Gytes today, then Heriot's could be in for a difficult 80 minutes.

In another all-Division 1 clash, Stirling County host Aberdeen GSFP.

This article was posted on 21-Jan-2006, 09:14 by Hugh Barrow.