THE SCOTSMAN REPORTS
Flamboyant Hawks open up in attack

DAVID FERGUSON
AT THE GREENYARDS


Melrose 17
Glasgow Hawks 47

GLASGOW HAWKS stretched their wings at the Greenyards on Saturday to reveal a new desire for open, running rugby and it was more than enough to overcome a disjointed Melrose.

The two sides met in the first game of last season and then it was Melrose who emerged victorious. The Hawks players had spoken about that, several times, before Saturday's kick-off and, despite the fact they still had gone on to win the 2004-5 championship, resolved that they did not require the same boot up the backside this term. It was that deep determination, allied to a confidence to move the ball, which ultimately took them coasting to a 21-0 half-time lead.

Even when Melrose hit back, showing that, with cohesive, thoughtful play they were capable of sublime rugby, the Hawks merely regrouped and flew forward to the try-line again. In truth, had they not latterly tired and lost their hunger, and concentration, a 50-point win would have been on the cards. That is the big lesson for them from this match as title contenders will not be as obliging.

With their pack having lost only Stevie Swindall of their young stars from last season, it was no surprise to see them again giving the opposition a torrid time up front, strong in the scrum and mauls and dominant on attacking and defensive lineouts. The difference of a new coach in David Wilson, however, was noticeable. His predecessor, Peter Wright, did work hard on Hawks' back play, but when it came to the crunch he knew his pack could win games for him and the ball did not fire across the pitch as often as it was driven methodically up the pitch. That was successful.

But enter a former Hawks centre and, on Saturday, the touchlines became busy areas of traffic. In truth, Melrose played into their hands; promising thrusts from Richard Higgins and Stuart Johnson, in particular, in the first half ran aground on errors, slack passing or ruck turnovers. In contrast, Hawks twice entered the home 22 and twice scored tries in the opening 22 minutes.

Murray Strang, the fly-half, was the spark as Hawks moved an attack with vigour down the field, right and then left. That conviction helped ensure when the ball went to ground it bounced kindly for the Hawks and, when swept right again, slick passing put Iain Kennedy, the talented young Lenzie centre, running in for the opener. Mike Adamson, another exciting youngster, converted.

Inside the first quarter Melrose lost the purposeful Barry Watson, after his excellent high ball and chase ended with a thudding clash and the agony of a knee ligament injury, and then openside flanker Alec Clark with another leg knock. Hawks took advantage with a driven lineout and try from Nick Cox, their new England under-21 prop.

Three Adamson penalties took Hawks 21 points clear by the break and Melrose's lack of threat in the opposition third of the field suggested there was no way back. There was a surprise in store, however. Just two minutes after the restart Melrose scored a well-worked try. Having changed tack and begun to drive straight into the Hawks, they tied in the visitors' defence more efficiently and created space. Scott Wight, the home stand-off, sent a neat kick down the right side and Mark Robertson regained possession to run in behind the posts. Wight converted and it was game-on for four minutes. That was the time Hawks needed to reply, Neil McKenzie, the busy openside, exposing poor home defence to crash over, and Adamson converting.

The home coaches had, by now, realised that Wight was struggling to set his back line moving quickly enough - the young stand-off is a promising player, but he needs to improve his pass and speed of thought - and moved him to full-back and Scott Ruthven to his familiar fly-half role. Ruthven had started the game at scrum-half before Watson's injury, and his superb passing skill ignited fresh hope in the home ranks.

However, he could do little about terrific ingenuity from Stuart Low. The cocky Hawks wing took a pass in midfield from Strang, chipped over the Melrose defence, grasped the kindly-bouncing ball and sent flanker Scott Forrest running in for a try; Adamson adding the extras again. Low might try that sort of thing at any time against anyone, but it was indicative of Hawks' will to attack with pace and invention.

Robertson was denied a try by a great Adamson tackle just after the hour-mark, but a sublime flat pass from Ruthven enabled Wight to slice through the Hawks' midfield 30 metres out and quick passes to Robertson and then Geoff Caldwell sent the wing racing in for a polished score. Wight couldn't convert and with just eight minutes remaining it was still little more than a consolation for Melrose. Still, there was time for three more tries.

Adamson responded with a neat try for Hawks from the restart, a determined and pacy burst down the left wing brought another deserved try for Robertson - beginning to blossom into an exciting, adventurous performer before Kennedy embarrassed the home defence with a jink into a hole the width of the M8 and scampered over. Adamson converted for an impressive haul of 22 points.

Scorers: Melrose: Robertson 2, Caldwell. Con: Wight. Glasgow Hawks: Tries: Kennedy 2, Cox, McKenzie, Forrest, Adamson. Pens: Adamson 3. Cons: Adamson 4.

Melrose: M Robertson; G Caldwell, J Murray, K Kaufana, B Watson; S Wight, S Ruthven; A Gillie, W Mitchell, R Higgins, G Broomfield, S Aitken, S Johnson, R Miller, A Clark. Subs used: G Innes, I Cornwall, M de Franck, S Shiel.

Glasgow Hawks: M Adamson; K Baillie, I Kennedy, S Duffy, S Low; M Strang, R McKnight; E Milligan, M Scott, N Cox, S Warnock, R Maxton, G Francis, M Sitch, N McKenzie. Subs used: P Dalton, S Forrest, S Biggart, S Begley.

Referee: R Dickson.

This article was posted on 29-Aug-2005, 07:27 by Hugh Barrow.