Hawks will have to wait a bit longer for the title
Glasgow Hawks came very close to becoming Scottish champions for the third season in succession in the 17-17 draw at Aberdeen GSFP.
They travelled north knowing a bonus point win would be enough for the title and they piled on the pressure for fourth try in the closing moments but had to settle for a draw that was a fair reward to both sides.

Hawks scored three tries through centre Ally Maclay, lock Mark Sitch and flanker Greg Francis with Mike Adamson adding one conversion.

For the Grammarians scrum-half Luke Parsons touched down and there was a penalty try. Both were converted by Keith Oddie, who also scored a penalty.

Relegation-haunted Boroughmuir broke their recent bad run with a battling 21-14 win at home to Biggar but remain joint third bottom of the table.

The visitors had 75% of the play and even had a try ruled out for a forward pass.

Muir displayed heroic defence, especially when they had both Peter Knight and Angus Martyn in the sin bin together in the middle of the game.

Crucially they proved to be clinical on the break.

Muir got a dream start with a try in the first minute from winger Bob Cairns, followed by one from scrum-half Calum Cusiter, both converted by Ross Cook, to let Muir turn leading 17-7.

The second-half try came from winger Rory Couper again converted by Cook, who also dropped a goal.

Biggar, who are now second-bottom, had a penalty try and one from Quintan Sanft, who also kicked both conversions.

Currie took a huge step to safety when they overwhelmed bottom side 33-6 Stirling County at Bridgehaugh.

They were 10-0 up in four minutes with tries from full-back Doug Flockhart and winger Chris Browne.

County hit back with a penalty from Brian Archibald but centre David Officer opened the second quarter with a try.

Archibald added a second penalty but one from Currie's South African stand-off Dominic Raw saw the visitors turn around 18-6 ahead.

County continued to compete but had no answer to the size and power of the visitors as Raw eased them further ahead with his second penalty before fellow South African lock Paul Huntly was at the bottom of a driven line out for the bonus point try which Raw converted.

Currie racked up their fifth try with winger Geoff Caldwell helping his pack roll over the line.

Stewart's/Melville, desperate to avoid the drop, recorded their sixth successive win - 21-13 at home to Hawick - but yet again failed to pick up a bonus point.

They led 14-0 at the break thanks to converted tries from full-back Richard Borthwick and young scrum-half Ross Samson.

In the second half they pulled away with a third try from flanker Stuart Clark.

Hawick seemed happy to keep in touch with a pair of Craig Neish penalties and their try from prop Wullie Blacklock came in injury time.

This article was posted on 12-Feb-2006, 00:55 by Hugh Barrow.