Glasgow Hawks 27 : Hawick 17

Anytime there has to be a pitch inspection before the game can go ahead
then you wonder about the sort of game you’re going to get. On this
occasion the referee may well have been wondering whether to alert the
RNLI to stand by. In the event however it seemed as though the cold wind
and rising pressure dried the pitch enough for all 15 players in both
teams to take part.

I don’t know if this is Mike Adamson’s last outing with the Hawks for a
while but he certainly did enough yesterday to earn a man of the match
award - even though it ultimately went to Stuart Low. Personally I’d
have given it to Adamson for the try saving tackle he made in the second
half, hitting a Hawick attacker like a guided missile. Great to see.

It was quickly apparent that Hawick felt they had to prove that their
home win over the Hawks was no fluke. Unfortunately for them their
vigorous start led to an early yellow card award to their No 8 for what
looked like some very vigorous rucking.

This paid off for Hawks 2 minutes later when a scrum almost on the
Hawick line allowed Euan Smith to collect the 5 points. Adamson was able
to grab the extra 2 despite the wind and angle.

Ten minutes later it was Nick Cox’s turn to spend some time observing
events as he too collected a yellow.

Adamson was able to collect another 3 points when a series of fluid
attacking moves inside the Hawick 22 led to a penalty award. Pragmatism
seems to be the order of the day now with the Hawks and they take the
points on offer when presented with the chance.

Hawick were able to get on the scoreboard themselves only a minute later
when their own penalty award allowed Hutton to make the score 10 : 3.

Another penalty more or less on half time allowed Adamson to send the
Hawks for their, probably iced, oranges at 13 : 3.

The first half gave the referee an opportunity to impose his will on
both teams with the award of a yellow card each but it seemed to me that
he never came to grips with the set piece or breakdown, this led, in
turn, to some very scrappy play and confusion for players and both sets
of supporters alike.

Hawks started the second half as they meant to go on. They have started
to learn the simplicity of rugby and no longer play in their own half.
Anytime they find themselves on the wrong side of the halfway line and a
kick generally gets them into a better attacking position. The downside
of this however is the lineout. It has started to look better of late
but this match gave an opportunity to rearrange the words ‘with a
banjo’, ‘cow’s a*se in a crush’ and ‘couldn’t hit’. Some of the tackling
in the second half looked a bit lacklustre also but in fairness this
applied to both teams and may have been a factor of both teams having
had a point to prove on a cold afternoon.

With the second half of the second half complete, Adamson was able to
add to his haul of points when rare quick ball from the lineout allowed
his mercurial dancers to put the ball between the posts.Well, it makes
for the easier conversion.

Hawick were by no means down and out as with 10 minutes to go they were
able to get a first very well worked try. It was amusing to watch their
inside centre almost contemptuously drop the goal from a wide angle.
Possibly making the point to the outside centre who had been less than
effective with the earlier kicks.

Three goals and two penalties against two goals and a penalty left Hawks
short of the bonus point it's not really significant however. They now
lie in fifth place in the table with, I think, 5 games to go. Five bonus
point wins, assuming that everyone above them loses their next five
games would do the trick but this isn’t even possible never mind likely.
Nevertheless it would be very pleasing to rise another place or two
before we’re into the cup and super-cup competitions. Just to show
willing you understand.

So back to the studio to see John Inverdale putting a positive spin on a
flukey, 2 point win for England.

regards

The Green Phantom

This article was posted on 19-Nov-2006, 18:39 by Hugh Barrow.