Glasgow Accies 55 Newton Stewart 0

New Anniesland

Saturday 28th August 2010

‘Accies Get New Season Going With 8 Try Win’

On a perfect day for running rugby Accies demonstrated that they are going to be a side to be taken seriously this year with a display of running and handling rugby that was reminiscent of the performances in the second half of last season. They notched three well-taken tries in the first half and a further five in the second. This coupled with a great display of place kicking by Ali McLaren gave them a five-point start to the new season. It wasn’t all-perfect as there is still much to do in the forwards where the scrummaging and latterly the line out work needs to be tightened up. However there was much more to admire than criticise. The defence was fantastic with the centre of the field and the fringes bottled up there was no way for Newton Stewart to score through their backs as they lacked a cutting edge. They also tried to gain ground by kicking ahead but found Ross Chassels in excellent form and time after time he ran the ball back and regularly linked up with his backs and forwards to create panic in the Newton Stewart ranks by making huge territorial gains and putting Accies on the offensive again.

Accies started cautiously as they tested their opponents defence with little darting runs from the backs and making sure Newton Stewart were kept out of their 22 area. In fact for the first 30 minutes they did not get near the Accies 22 area.

Eventually in the 9th minute the deadlock was broken when Ali McLaren sent over a deft little kick from the right wing to the centre of the field. The full back guddled it and was forced to carry over and concede a five-metre scrum. From this scrum Newton Stewart were penalised and Ali McLaren kicked the goal for a 3-0 lead.

The next ten minutes were inconclusive with a number of early season handling errors that broke up the pattern of the play.

In the 22nd minute Accies made the break through that they had threatened earlier. Ross Chassels fielded a loose kick deep inside his own half and he and Craig Wright interchanged passes till they found Andy Jackson in support. His direct run sucked in defenders until he threw a beautiful cut-out pass to Mike Hermes for him to skin his opposite number for a try in the right corner. Ali McLaren converted with a superb touchline kick for a 10-0 lead.

This was the encouragement that Accies backs required and they began to run fluently and quickly.

In the 35th minute another loose kick found Ross Chassels again and this time he had Craig Wright in support. The little left-winger left everyone for dead as he tore 6o metres up the touchline for a try in the corner. Again Ali McLaren smacked it over from the touchline 17-0.

In the 40th minute Accies drove the ball from a lineout until releasing it to Ali McLaren who simply sliced through the defence for a simple try that he converted himself.

With 2 or 3 minutes of injury time being played in the first half Accies found themselves desperately defending for the first time. They managed to hold the hefty Newton Stewart pack out for long enough for the referee to blow for half time.

Accies 24 Newton Stewart 0.

It took Accies only 3 minutes of the new half to secure the four-try bonus point. Stewart Smith was the scorer after a mesmerising piece of handling involving five or six players. This was a classic try and highly encouraging so early in the season. Once again Ali McLaren banged it over from the touchline.

31-0

Four minutes later Accies did it again, the ball was passed from player to player until Ross Chassels was given enough space to squeeze in at the right-hand corner for the try. For the first time Ali McLaren missed the difficult conversion 36-0

Newton Stewart came back into the game at this stage and Accies defence had to withhold attack after attack which they did resolutely until the inevitable happened, the ball broke loose. Michael Hermes picked it up 10 metres out and sprinted the remaining 90 for a try under the posts that Ali McLaren converted. 43-0

For the next fifteen minutes it was all Newton Stewart. They certainly hadn’t given up the fight and the forwards were winning plenty of useable ball but their backs couldn’t break the stranglehold of Accies tight defence.

Newton Stewart had a huge loose head prop that caused Accies endless trouble in the front row as at present in the absence of Fabi Marchetti they do not have a specialist tight head and one of the three loose heads has to play on the tight. After 65 minutes this big prop had to leave the field and the scrums became uncontested as Newton Steward had another front row member injured as well. From this point Accies came back into the game and firstly hooker Matteo Giovanazzi scampered in and Ali McLaren kicked the conversion to bring up the fifty points, 50-0

Finally Accies won a lineout just outside the twenty-two and simply ran the ball through the hands to Mike Hermes to complete his hatrick,

Final score 55-0

New coach John Beattie could not have got off to a better start to the new season. The back division, very well orchestrated by Ali McLaren handled well and ran confidently for so early in the season. It was a game that suited Ross Chassels play as he likes to come into the line and he did it very well. Both wingers showed plenty of pace and the centres ran powerfully and defended superbly. All in all there were few faults.

In the forwards the back row of Chris Wright, Andy Jackson and Jack Walker put in a good shift and again performed the defensive chores heroically. New boy Adam Taylor made an impressive debut and was seen regularly about the park with ball in hand. Big Robert Fuller, all 6’-8” of him, playing his first game in the 1st XV acquitted himself well throughout the game.

Hooker Matteo Giovanazzi played his usual game buzzing around the field to good effect and being secure on his own ball. The front row trio of Matt Franklin, Jamie Coskry and replacement David Calder had a more torrid game against their opponent’s massive front row but played their part in the outfield duties.

As a unit the forwards have work to do in the lineout and scrums before the heavy pitches are encountered.

A great start but I am sure that the coaching team will not allow any complacency to creep in.

Next week Accies are off to Berwick. This will be the first time that they have played them since the Shield final at Murrayfield six years ago.

This article was originally posted on 29-Aug-2010, 07:56 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 30-Aug-2010, 16:49.