Biggar vs Stew Mel, 16/12/06

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Squad

The Stewart's Melville FP RFC team to play Biggar RFC at Hartreemill on Saturday, kick off 2 pm, is:

The bus for Biggar will leave Inverleith at 11.45 am tomorrow if any supporters would like to join us for what is sure to be another entertaining road trip.

Malky

Riggers' Review

At 5.10 pm this evening, with the bus parked in the High Street, a number of the Stewart’s Melville 1st XV wandered aimlessly around Biggar looking for an off-licence.

Unfortunately, one couldn’t help but feel it wasn’t the first time today one had seen the aimless look. Make no mistake, we were comprehensively outplayed and outfought by a Biggar team who, incredibly, find themselves in the relegation dogfight - but we are so much better than this.

As a player, I remember being in a changing room, after a similar performance and result, when a team mate who was an ex-British Lion offered the advice that‘you can cheat anyone you want, but never cheat yourself’. Wise words indeed at this time of year, and maybe quite appropriate with a two week break from competitive rugby coming up. A time, maybe, for reflection, and for some players to answer questions about their effort and commitment. Does it match that of the coaches and other players?

Look at Dalgy. Studying medicine in Dundee.. Never late for training. Never misses sessions. If anyone could be excused for doing so, it is him. His performance today in a losing battle was outstanding, and a lesson for some of his team mates about putting one's body on the line for the cause.

But nothing should detract from the fact that we were beaten by the better team, who had experience in key positions and also, in openside Andy Dunlop, possibly the best player in Premier 2. The game started poorly for Stew/Mel, conceding an early push-over try from a scrum under our own posts, and, when a second score was conceded after about 20 minutes after more scrum pressure from Biggar, the writing looked like it was on the wall.

We managed to hold out, however, and, indeed, even got to the stage of thinking that overturning a 12-0 deficit at half time would be achievable, given that we would have the elements in our favour come the second half. Then the killer blow came, when a dog leg appeared in our defence and was exploited to the full by Biggar, who scored near the posts. 19-0 down didn’t look nearly as achievable.

And so it proved in the second half, when the team dominated possession without once coming close to breaching the Biggar defence. On a rare visit to our half, near the end of the game, Biggar secured the bonus point with their fourth try, and, when a penalty was added a few minutes later, the only thing the Stew/Mel support wanted to hear was the final whistle. Thankfully it arrived and ended a year which has seen us win 15 out of 23 games yet be relegated and achieve mid table mediocrity. Strange times indeed!

All that is left for me to do is thank all involved with the club for their support in 2006 and to hope for a more successful 2007. Have a merry Christmas, a great New Year and see you at Inverleith on the 6th of January when GHA come first footing.

Riggers

Stew Mel Stats

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