Stew Mel vs Edinburgh Accies, 1/2/03

• Click here to jump to Riggers' Review
• Click here to jump to Stew Mel Stats

Squad

The Stewart's Melville team for Saturday's game with Edinburgh Accies, 3 pm kick off at Inverleith, is:

As we prepare to go into our 19th game of the season, we are, for the first time, able to announce an unchanged team for this crucial encounter with our local rivals.

A win with a bonus point will see us promoted to Premier 2 next season, but, after our narrow 10-7 win over Accies at Raeburn Place earlier in the season, we know how tough this game will be.

The team have trained well again this week and the confidence picked up in the win over Dunfermline was apparent on Tuesday night with a quality session at Inverleith.

Riggers' Review

What can you say to that? The dream has been realised. We are now back in Premier 2, somewhere we have not been for so long. What a performance. To do it in such style. To do it against the Accies. To score 9 tries. Fantastic.

Changing Room 1 at Inverleith was a happy place to be on Saturday after the game. As well as the 19 players who clinched the promotion spot on Saturday, we were joined by others who are very much part of the success this season but who were unable to be in the squad for the final game. When I stood and looked round at the smiles on everyone's faces, I realised how much it meant to them all. I also realised that, without a few others who weren't there with us, this wouldn't have been possible. Al Christie, David Roxburgh and Dougie Wyllie deserve as much praise as anyone for the efforts they have put in in the last few years. Without their input, the club wouldn't be where it is today, and it wouldn't be the club it was on Saturday night. It was jumping. I think it must be ten years since Inverleith saw a night like that.

For some of the players, it was especially sweet. I think of some of the guys who have played for us and tried to get us promoted. You think of Fraser Pollock and Andy Cadzow. You think of Mark Paton and Jason Conlin. Guys who have stayed loyal to the club, when it may have been easier to have walked away. You think of people like Mark Tweedie and Graham Lind. Both of whom would have done anything to have been part of Saturday. You think of the likes of Chris Capaldi, Matt Dey, Jamie Blackwood, Richard Maxton, Andy Kelly. Guys who played their hearts out for the club and left because they had to play at a higher level. Saturday was as much for them as it was for the team taking part.

But there is no point living in the past. The future is for living, and it starts again on Saturday at Neilson Park, Haddington. 13-18, 8-11, 25-26. That's the last three results against Haddington. It would be good if we could finally avenge these close defeats with any sort of victory come Saturday evening. That was actually the focus nearly straight after the final whistle on Saturday. Job done, but we are looking for a win on Saturday. Nothing less will do.

We then move onto the Integrated Tournament, where we play four sides who we will come up against next season. This gives us a great chance to judge the squad that we have against teams already playing at the level we want to. It will also let the players see how much development work needs to be done during the summer months. Plans are already in motion regarding work with Linda Low, our Strength and Conditioning Coach. To some of the team, this sort of work will make a massive difference.

As you can see, there will be no resting on our laurels down Inverleith way. The hard work is just starting, and let us hope that the only way is up.

Riggers

Stew Mel Stats

Return to West Of Scotland Match Report