Date: Saturday, 27th April 2002
Kickoff time: 15:00
Against: Hawick
Team: Hawks 1st XV
Location: Away
Competition: Cup-Shield-Bowl-Plate
Final score: 17 - 20 (lost)

Hawick uncork a heady vintage Hawick 20 Glasgow Hawks 17 After extra time. DAVID FERGUSON at Murrayfield HAVING come within a few minutes of clinching their second Scottish Cup, Glasgow Hawks were left stunned and demoralised by a typically defiant Hawick display. This particular vintage of the Green Machine might not possess the kind of all-round talent of the past, but even Teries with memories stretching back aeons would surely be hard-pressed to find one with as much heat in its boiler as the 2002 model. Heart, passion and cool determination have proven to be the hallmarks of the squad, coached by Greig Oliver and Sean McGaughey, with the team regularly allowing their opponents to build up a head of steam - and a significant half-time lead - before digging in, fighting back and emerging victors. The fact that the Hawick supporters were made to wait until the 80th minute of Saturday’s thrilling final for the converted try which levelled the scores merely ensured that the players had kept their most exciting comeback for the season’s finale. Their composure shone in the 20 minutes of extra time when Hawks dominated territory, but a fine Gavin Douglas drop-goal on the stroke of half-time had added the necessary steel to the backbone in a towering defensive effort. Hawks coach Shade Munro admitted afterwards that this defeat didn’t feel as painful as the one in 2000, when they were blown away by Boroughmuir, but the fact that the team knew they had not taken maximum advantage of their chances, particularly in the first half, was frustrating. Leading 12-3 at half-time, with talented wing James Adams and openside Mark Sitch having overturned with fine tries Hawick’s early lead from a Neil Stenhouse drop-goal, the Glasgow outfit laid the foundations for a high-intensity, entertaining final. The first touchdown, with just five minutes played, owed everything to full-back Cammy Little’s tremendous burst into the line, his pace taken him round the flailing arms of Douglas and speeding 40 metres into the Hawick half. Adams supported well and ensured an easy conversion for Little. Sitch, in the 22nd minute, simply demolished the tackles of Kevin Reid, Nick Martin and Joe Edwards in a charge to the Hawick line. But the halting of two fine breaks by Hawick’s towering wing, Nikki Walker, in a typically rousing start to the second half by the Borderers, provided a false dawn for supporters from the West, as, from a scrum-five on the right nine minutes in, the ball was moved to the backs and a tremendous long pass from Stenhouse found full-back Colin Turnbull breezing into the line to score. Stenhouse’s conversion cut the deficit to just two points. As Glasgow tried to keep their composure, some intriguing interpretations of the tackle law by referee Chuck Muir - which had many questioning the wisdom of the SRU’s appointing a Borders referee for the final - saw Hawick awarded three penalties in five minutes. Stenhouse, however, missed all three attempts. Unbowed, and with the No8 Rory McKay and Sitch providing good leads, the Hawks began to work some promising phases deep into the Hawick half. Their reward came with 17 minutes remaining, when, after a Chris Docherty drive, Sinclair sent Tom Philip - who had moved into his familiar centre role - racing at the Hawick defence. He handed off both props, Craig Dunlea and Joe Edwards, in a 20-metre run and managed to feed Iain Leighton out of Turnbull’s tackle, the former Melrose centre powering through Reid’s tackle and over. When the Hawks then managed to subdue the immediate, and expected, Hawick retaliation and, significantly silenced the Green army in the West Stand, there was a feeling that the title was heading west. However, in the 80th minute, the powerful Walker stamped his trademark on what is likely to be his swansong before joining the new Borders team. Walker’s sheer physical force and strong-pumping legs - which were hugely developed in a summer of terrific toil last year - took him out of the clutches of Little on the wing and left other Hawks defenders bouncing off the turf as he raced in behind the posts. Stenhouse’s easy conversion levelled the scores, but an off-target drop-goal then ensured that the cup final would, for the first time, go on into extra-time. The loss then of scrum-half Kenny Sinclair who, with fly-half Steven Duffy, had orchestrated much of Hawks’ attacking play, was a huge blow to Hawks, especially as their plan to replace a forward became a farce with fourth official Andy Ireland ordering flanker Greg Francis on for Sinclair. That forced a major reshuffle, with Little going to scrum-half, Gerry Hawkes to full-back and Philip to centre. Still, it was the Hawks who made all the running in the first period of extra-time, and a neat break by Philip sparked a sustained period of pressure in the Hawick 22. But Hawick managed to work their way back upfield with their trademark tight mauling, and breaks by Martin and David Irving, with good support play, created the crucial platform for Douglas to slot a drop-goal with 11 minutes of extra-time played. The Hawks continued to press, knowing that, with a try advantage of 3-2, three points would win them the match. However, despite winning and retaining possession well, they struggled to find an opening in attack, and, despite taking a battering, the Green Machine’s refusal to buckle sparked waves of delirium among the Hawick hordes when the final, final whistle blew. Scorers: Hawick: Tries: Turnbull, Walker. Pens: Stenhouse. Cons: Stenhouse (2). Drop-goal: Douglas Glasgow Hawks: Tries: Adams, Sitch, Leighton. Cons: Little. Hawick: C Turnbull; N Walker, G Douglas, J Houston, C Bruce; N Stenhouse, K Reid (capt); J Edwards, M Howe, C Dunlea, S McLeod, I Elliot, D Landels, N Martin, R Deans. Subs: M Landels for Howe, 47mins. A Gillie for Edwards, 65. D Irving for Reid, A Imray for D Landels, both 75. C Murray for Bruce, 80. J Parker for Imray, 94. D Hames for Turnbull, 99. Glasgow Hawks: C Little; J Adams, G Morrison, I Leighton, T Philip; S Duffy, K Sinclair; L McIntyre, C Docherty (capt), E Murray, I Smith, S Hutton, R Maxton, R McKay, M Sitch. Subs: S Gordon for Morrison, 67mins. K Horton for Docherty, G Hawkes for Adams, both 73. C Hodgkinson for Duffy, 78. G Francis for Sinclair, 80. D MacNeil for McIntyre, 93. G Mories for Murray 95. Referee: C Muir (Langholm). F-T: Hawick 20-17 Glasgow Hawks BT Cellnet Cup final, Murrayfield, 20 April Full time: Hawick manage to hold on to complete the league and cup double. 90 mins: Hawick go into the lead with an extra-time drop goal to make the score 20-17. 80 mins: An incredible finish sees Nikki Murray score for Hawick under the posts, leaving Neil Stenhouse a simple task to level the scores at 17-17 and send the game into extra-time. 63 mins: Iain Leighton puts Hawks back in command with a try after an excellent passing move, making the score 10-17. 60 mins: Hawick have the edge but still trail after Stenhouse misses a couple of penalty attempts. 50 mins: Hawick pull themselves back into the game with a John Turnbull try, converted by Neil Stenhouse to make the score 10-12. Half-time 22 mins: Mark Sitch extends Hawks' lead, powering through the Hawick defence to touch down to make the score 3-12. 10 mins: Glasgow Hawks have the early advantage, despite a quick drop goal by Hawick's Neil Stenhouse. Hawks reply is a try by James Adams, which is successfully converted to make the score 3-7. Kick Off 1500 BST -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hawick: Colin Turnbull, Nikki Walker, Gavin Douglas, John Houston, Cammy Bruce, Neil Stenhouse, Kevin Reid (capt), Joe Edwards, Mike Howe, Craig Dunlea, Scot McLeod, Ian Elliot, Dan Landels, Nick Martin, Roddy Deans. Replacements: Matt Landels, Andrew Gillie, Alistair Imray, Jamie Parker, David Irving, Dan Hames, Colin Murray. Glasgow Hawks: Cammy Little, James Adams, Graeme Morrison, Iain Leighton, Tom Philip, Steven Duffy, Kenny Sinclair, Liam McIntyre, Chris Docherty (capt), Euan Murray, Ian Smith, Scott Hutton, Richard Maxton, Rory McKay, Mark Sitch. Replacements: David Macneil, Kevin Horton, Gavin Mories, Greg Francis, Craig Hodgkinson, Gerry Hawkes, Steve Gordon. No team list has been added yet.

Click here to go back to the previous page