MCKELVEY ON WELSH DEMOLITION JOB
Sunday, 29 March 2009
Scotland under-18 head coach Grant McKelvey praised his team’s application and professionalism after watching them run in nine tries against Boys Club of Wales at Bridgehaugh in a 57-3 win.

Michael Doneghan scored a hat-trick while fellow wing Chris Bloomfield (pictured) scored two with the other efforts coming from full-back Glen Bryce, stand-off Stuart Edwards – named Martin Currie man of the match, scrum half Sean Kennedy and replacement Michael Roy.

McKelvey saw his side race into a sizeable lead with six tries scored inside the first half but highlighted how pleased he was to see them maintain the tempo for the majority of the game.

McKelvey said: “The players kept on going and their physical application has never been in doubt.

“The areas we need to work on are tactical, technical and technique-wise. Their work ethic has been tremendous. I thought they stuck to the task in the first half and we were pleased to nail them on the try-count.

“We got a shelling last week and that affected our confidence. So we asked the players to come out and show the improvements and they did that.

“We concentrated on our defence, our line speed, technical tackling ability, our accuracy at the line-out and we introduced another couple of starters at the line-out which we saw evidence of in the first half.

“So we have managed to transfer our form from the training ground onto the pitch which is something we didn’t manage to do last week.

“We will take it for what it is; a hugely positive result for us.”

Scotland came out of the blocks with genuine purpose and intent and that zestful approach translated into an early score for Doneghan; finishing a flowing move in the corner.

Edwards then struck his first of six successful conversions before Doneghan hurtled upfield and turned provider to release Bryce who in turn off-loaded to Bloomfield for an easy score on the left wing.

The following try was engineered by Kennedy who punctured a huge hole in the Welsh defence before dispensing a measured pass for half-back partner Edwards to score.

Doneghan continued the demolition job on the Welsh by touching down in the corner before moments later Bloomfield cruised through to score on the opposite flank.

The exhilarating brand of expansive rugby employed by the home side cut the Welsh defence to ribbons and the following try was a masterpiece scored by Kennedy right underneath the posts.

Doneghan then scored his third of the afternoon to compound the misery of the away side with his rapid turn of speed and side-step causing the Welsh all sorts of problems.

Glen Bryce kept the scoreboard ticking over in the second half with an expertly executed line break to score before replacement Roy rounded off the phenomenal team display.

The team’s next task is against the top Academy side in England, Leicester Tigers and McKelvey will be expecting another courageous attacking display in the East Midlands.

Scotland: Bryce; Doneghan, Gilmour, Oliver, Bloomfield, Edwards, Kennedy; Quigley, Ferguson, Philips, Evans, McAlpine, Kirkland, Boswell, Wishart. Subs: Shaw, McQuillan, Simpson, Finnie, Crosbie, Hunter, Jackson, Roy, Lowrie, Forbes.

This article was posted on 29-Mar-2009, 19:56 by Hugh Barrow.