Hawks will pack punch out wide in Final fling



Hawks coach Davie Wilson expects his side to be flying high at Murrayfield tomorrow

by Bert Mitchell

GLASGOW HAWKS boss Davie Wilson admits a Scottish Cup victory over Edinburgh Accies at Murrayfield tomorrow is a must before they can call this campaign a success.

Hawks have had a transitional season after having won the Premier One title three years in a row, with Wilson replacing virtually his entire pack.

With Accies boasting a juggernaut eight, many pundits believe the Edinburgh side could bludgeon their way to a shock victory.

But Wilson is confident his team can bring the seasonal curtain down with a free-flowing performance delivered in champagne fashion He said: "People assume all we want to do is play expansive rugby and get the ball out wide as quickly as possible.

"But that is because since Christmas, we've been playing without our regular second rows Ally Dale and Alan Kelly. Both are around 18st and over 6ft 5in, so we have been playing without our engine room.

"That made it very difficult for us in the semi-final against a rumbustuous West of Scotland pack and people are looking at that and saying that Accies can give us similar problems.

"We hope to have Dale back and that will certainly help make us competitive up front."

Wilson added: "But it has been a season of rebuilding for us and, after a dodgy start caused by the high turnover of personnel, we have started to put the results together. We only lost three times in the league after Christmas."

Hawks' nail-biting semi-final success at West came in a game that ended with uncontested scrums - the first time this measure had been adopted in a Hawks game under Wilson's stewardship.

And the Old Anniesland gaffer is hoping there will be no repeat to ruin cup final day.

He said: "We lost a prop and a hooker, plus the replacement front row. It's not something you want to see happen in a cup final but, in any case, we are looking to have a bit more depth up front with Gordon MacFadyen likely to be back at hooker. But you have to play by the rules."

Wilson has admitted that Hawks - two times winners - have had their eyes on another Scottish Cup win since September.

He said: "We always said the league would be a bridge too far for us given the level of transition. The Super Cup was all about enjoyment but winning the Scottish Cup has been our big target for the campaign.

"At Murrayfield, we want to show we can win the cup and use that as a platform to make a renewed title bid next season."

Despite the final being played at Murrayfield, Wilson is confident the wide open spaces of the national stadium will hand his Hawks an advantage over Ian Barnes' side.

He said: "Accies disposed of Hawick in the quarters and Boroughmuir in the semis, but both were with home advantage.

"Playing at Murrayfield will be a different proposition and one that will suit our more expansive game. But the bottom line is that if we do win, it would be a fantastic achievement and one we will savour."

This article was posted on 4-May-2007, 21:22 by Hugh Barrow.