Hawks close in on title
HAWKS 30-26 BIGGAR
WILLIAM PAUL AT OLD ANNIESLAND
IT WAS all about relegation-threatened Biggar by the end of this match, which began with the focus on the champions-elect being within touching distance of the Premiership title.

When results elsewhere dictated that Hawks now have to wait at least another week to get their hands on the trophy for the third time in a row, it was Biggar's astonishing fightback that proved the real story.


Hawks, thinking they had done the job with four tries in the bag to secure their own bonus point, did exactly what coach David Wilson has been warning them against all season. They switched off, lost their concentration, and almost blew it.

Despite conceding four tries Biggar, who beat Hawks' nearest challengers Watsonians the previous week, had been kept in the game by four penalties from the educated boot of Samoan international Quintan Sanft. There was less than ten minutes to go when the stand-off launched an up-and-under that caused panic in the Hawks defence.

No-one took responsibility for fielding the kick. It fell on open ground and bounced perfectly for centre Stuart Harrison to storm over in the follow-up. Sanft's conversion brought Biggar to within a single point.

That was as far as the fairy tale went, however. Hawks' full-back Mike Adamson closed out the game with his second penalty, but the precious bonus point Biggar collected could prove vital in the relegation dogfight.

Coach Gary Parker said: "At 22-6 down before half-time we could have disintegrated but we held it together. The way we have played against the top two teams in Scotland in the last eight days has been a phenomenal effort.

"It is not often I am delighted in defeat but I think the manner in which we played and the fighting spirit we showed was great. We need to win three games to stay up and the last few weeks has given us hope."

Hawks scored three tries in the first half-hour and looked to be running away with it when the first lapse of concentration let in Biggar. Steven Duffy stepped to the rear of his in-goal area to be ready to kick clear, but when the pass came he took his eye off the ball and it flew over his shoulder. From the resultant scrum, Biggar flanker Justin Reid barged over.

After the interval, Hawks seemed to be back on course when No 8 Mark Sitch touched down from a driving maul, but they relaxed once more and lost their grip on the game.

Hawks didn't react when Sanft banged over a 40-metre penalty but were woken up when his up-and-under led to Harrison's try.

Hawks were awarded a penalty for hands in the ruck and Adamson took his time, running down the clock in his preparations to kick, to ensure there were no more slips.

Scorers. Hawks: Tries: Monaghan, Warnock, Maclay, Sitch. Cons: Adamson 2. Pens: Adamson 2. Biggar: Tries: Reid, Harrison. Cons: Sanft 2. Pens: Sanft 4.

Glasgow Hawks: M Adamson; S Smith, A Maclay, S Duffy, R Munday; M Strang, I Monaghan; G Mories, S Fell, G MacFadyen, S Begley, R Maxton, S Warnock, N McKenzie, M Sitch. Subs used: P Dalton for Mories 48, E Milligan for MacFadyen 48, R Macdonald for Maxton 55, R McKnight for Monaghan 65.

Biggar: M Thompson; G Walkinshaw, S Harrison, G White, A Browning; Q Sanft, D Moore; E MacLaren, M Rutherford, F Campbell, C Slade, A Cairns, J Reid, A Dunlop, R Woods. Sub used: G Fisken for Woods 60.

Referee: A MacPherson (Stirling University).

This article: http://sport.scotsman.com/rugby.cfm?id=186332006

This article was posted on 6-Feb-2006, 08:38 by Hugh Barrow.