Friday, 03 September 2010

Week three of the reformed Scottish Rugby Premier One season kicks off this weekend with the top league already throwing up a number of surprises.
Expect this weekend to be no different as the first Border derby of the season kicks off at Mansfield Park, as Hawick host Melrose; Ayr travel to Dundee out to exact revenge for last season's Dundonian defeat at Mayfield; which was so damaging to their title defence; high flying Glasgow Hawks host Stirling County;; the season's (and Goldenacre's) second Edinburgh derby sees Heriot's take on league champions Currie; Boroughmuir face West of Scotland at Meggetland and Selkirk play Marcus Di Rollo's Watsonians at Philiphaugh.
BORDER DERBY: HAWICK v MELROSE, MANSFIELD PARK (KICK-OFF 3PM)
The first Border derby of the Premier 1 season kicks off at Mansfield Park this weekend as Hawick host Border rivals Melrose.
Hawick head coach, Derek Armstrong, said: “The availability of professional player Alex Dunbar gives us options in selection while we’re delighted that Matthew Landels and Craig Charters are available this week after missing the Boroughmuir match.
“According to reports, Melrose should have beat Ayr last week and have already beaten Currie, so our visitors are on a high. We are looking forward to welcoming them to Mansfield Park.”
Melrose head coach, Craig Chalmers, said: “Along with Ayr, Hawick is probably the hardest place to go and get a result. The players are looking forward to the challenge but we must start taking the chances that we have been creating, whether that is with ball in hand or kicks at goal.
“After letting Ayr off the hook last weekend in a game that we could and should have won, it is very important that we get a positive result at Mansfield Park this weekend."
Melrose team: Fraser Thomson; Calum Anderson, Jamie Murray, Craig Jackson, A Dodds; Scott Wight, R Chrystie; Nick Little, R Ferguson, G Holburn, G Dodds, G Elder, J Dalziel, G Runciman, R Miller
Substitutes: W Mitchell, K Cooney, H Mitchell, S Mccormick, B Allen
AYR OUT TO EXACT REVENGE: DUNDEE v AYR, MAYFIELD (KICK-OFF 3PM)
Last season’s league runners-up, Ayr, lost just two games last season with the trip to Mayfield costing their title defense dear – expect at fiery encounter in Dundee.
Dundee are without the free-scoring Matt Smith who has registered four tries in two games however his place is taken by the prolific James Fleming, with Peter Horne (released by Glasgow Warriors) slotting into full-back. Rob Gray switches places with Rob Cessford at back-row.
Dundee director of rugby, Ian Rankin, said: “Ayr travel to Mayfield on the back of a very impressive victory over Melrose last weekend which saw the reintroduction of their hugely influential lock Damien Kelly.
“Having held league champions Currie to a 32-32 draw at Malleny, we will be approaching the game with confidence but huge respect for the way Ayr play. Most importantly we will need the same attitude that served us well in the corresponding fixture last season.”
Ayr assistant coach, Peter Laverie, said: ““We are out for revenge and will be very focused for this game. It’s been an interesting league so far and we are looking forward to our second game on the road.”
Dundee team: Peter Horne; James Fleming, Harry Duthie, Fraser Clark, Alan Hay; Ali Oconnor, Andy Dymock; Neil Dymock, Simon Forrest, Alan Brown, Richie Hawkins CAPTAIN, Andy Linton, Chris Cumming, Rob Gray, Danny Levison
Substitutes: Callum Kerr, Darell Rusell, Ryan Milne, Rob Cessford, Stewart Coleman
Ayr team: Grant Anderson; Steven Manning, Mark Bennett, Mark Stewart, Cammy Taylor; Ross Curle, Jamie Hunter; Gordon Reid, Stuart Fenwick, Nick Cox, Glen Tippett, Damien Kelly CAPTAIN, Johnno Crossan, Paul Burke, Andy Dunlop
Replacements: Stephen Adair, Andy Kelly, Robbie Colhoun, AJ MacFarlane, Johnny McClung
GLASGOW HAWKS v STIRLING COUNTY, OLD ANNIESLAND (KICK-OFF 3PM)
A couple of changes to Hawks’ back line sese stand-off Andy White replace Mike Adamson, who is in camp with the Commonwealth Games athletes while a notable change to the bench follows the recruitment of last season’s industrious Scotland under-20 scrum-half, Kris Hamilton, from Caithness.
Stirling County head coach, Eddie Pollock, said: “We were very disappointed with our performance against Heriot’s at home and will be looking for a big reaction this week against a confident Glasgow Hawks side who are unbeaten so far.”
Glasgow Hawks head coach, Peter Wright, said: “After a very disappointing first 20 minutes we started to perform and showed some good touches throughout the team against Watsonians
“We know this is going to be a tough encounter but our players are looking forward to the challenge as well as trying to avenge our defeat from Stirling in last year’s Scottish Cup.”
Glasgow Hawks team: Craig Gossman; Joffy White, Dean Kelbrick, David Milne, Kerr Gossman; Andy White, Peter Jericevich; Nico Nyemba, Eric Milligan, George Hunter , Callum Harvey, Andy Kirkland, Rory McKay, Andy Hill, Ross Miller
Substitutes: Adrian Smith, Callum Taylor, Robert Niven, Kris Hamilton, Tom Steven
EDINBURGH DERBY: HERIOT’S v CURRIE, GOLDENACRE (KICK-OFF 3PM)
Currie head coach, Ally Donaldson, said: “There are areas of our performance which we have been disappointing. We have worked hard this week on correcting these in training and hopefully will see some improvement this Saturday.
“The players’ attitude has been first class and we look forward to the challenge of Heriot’s who have started the season in fine style.”
Heriot’s head coach, Bob McKillop, said: “Due to the level of competition in certain positions there are some tough decisions to be made to finalise the starting line-up.
“We are really looking forward to the huge challenge of playing the Scottish champions on our own ground. We have won our first two games without really firing on all cylinders and we are aware that anything less than a top level performance against Currie will not be good enough."
Currie team: Tom Brown; Hayden Abercrombie, James Johnston, Matt Scott, Douglas Fife; Andrew Binikos, Richard Snedden; John Cox, Fergus Scott, Alastair Hamilton, Ryan Wilson, Andy Adam CAPTAIN, Mark Cairns, Michael Entwhistle, Ross Weston
Replacements: Neil Scobie, Ross Merrilees, Steve Burton, Andy MacMahon, Johnny Smith
BOROUGHMUIR v WEST OF SCOTLAND, MEGGETLAND (KICK-OFF 3PM)
Bouroughmuir have made a few changes from last week with Stevie Wilson, Jordan Webster and Ali Davidson all missing. James Fish comes in for Wilson on the wing, Ross Neill comes off the bench to start in the centre for Webster and Tom McColl is promoted from the 2nd XV in place of the injured second-row Ali Davison.
Boroughmuir team: Tom Bury; James Fish, Malcolm Clapperton, Ross Neill, Stephen Ruddick; Sam Johnson, Ally Warnock; Robin Hislop, Sean Crombie, Nick Fraser, Tom McColl, Greig Scott, Jamie Doubleday, Neil Rodger, Derek O'Riordan
SELKIRK V WATSONIANS, PHILIPHAUGH (KICK-OFF 3PM)
Selkirk head coach, Graham Marshall, said: “This is a big game for both teams looking for a win to kick start the new season. It will be an exciting game.”

This article was originally posted on 3-Sep-2010, 11:46 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 3-Sep-2010, 12:39.