Stew Mel vs Greenock Wanderers, 3/11/01

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Squad

The Stewart's Melville FP team for the BT Cellnet Cup Round 3 game with Greenock Wanderers at Inverleith on Saturday is::

The team shows a number of changes from last Saturday in a game we must win to get the confidence back for the difficult away trip to Haddington the following week. However, the team are in no doubts that they must win this one first against a team flying high at the top of National 3 and who are coming to Inverleith on the back of a six try win against Portobello last Saturday.

Murray Thomson comes into the team at full back for his first game since rejoining Stew Mel from Currie earlier in the season. Kenny Milligan is injured so Scott Stewart replaces him on the wing. After a promising debut at full back last week, Sam Hendry takes over the stand off berth from Chris Bissett. Chris has been unfortunate in the last couple of games that things haven't quite worked out for him. He is a quality player and, once his confidence returns, he will challenge strongly for the jersey again. Stuart Bartwicki has held off the challenge of the available again Grant Smith for the No. 9 jersey.

Up front, Simon Rowan starts this week, with Simon Capaldi still struggling from the head knock picked up last Saturday. Fortunately Simon wasn't concussed so, all being well, he should be in contention for the Haddington game. Andy Fowler is rewarded with a start after a couple of powerhouse displays for the 2nd XV, with Ben Searancke covering the bench. The rest of the pack has a settled look about it and Stewart Bennet leads the team for the first time.

Onto the bench for the first time this season come Donald Scott, who has been scoring tries for fun in the 2nd XV. Donald has 12 so far this season and will no doubt be looking to add to that tally during Saturday's game. Dougie Rycroft also makes his first appearance in the squad. Dougie, who was last year's School 1st XV captain, has been playing well for both 2nd XV and Edinburgh U-19 and deserves his opportunity with the 1st squad.

Riggers

Match Report

The only good thing about Saturday is that we were not, by any means, the only 3rd Division side to make a complete shop front of things. OK, the dear old 'Scotsman' trotted out the standard 'Stew/Mel Crash Out Of Cup' headline, but that's now printed (with a wee 'TBC' against it) over the first Saturday in November in their Sports Reporters' Staff Diary every year.

You may have seen bleatings on the SRU Chatroom about the 3rd Division sides fielding weakened teams to guarantee safe passage into the Shield. Bollocks - Greenock's pack kicked our collective arses, and the Morton Men were worthy of their victory.

And that's it. If we stop trying to adopt the 10 man rugby approach when we come up against it, we'll do fine against Haddington. If not - you'll get another break from me next week.

Bill

Riggers' Review

Tonight's the night. The 'lucky' Blue & Gold change strips have outworn their welcome and will be torched on the cricket square at Inverleith this evening! Seriously, I doubt I'd get away with that, but maybe on the 'Swamp' area. It is amazing how, when we first started wearing those strips all those years ago, we couldn't lose with them on. Now, I'd doubt we'd win a raffle prize, even if we bought all the tickets from Fiona 'Mind the Bus' Burns! We have worn the strips for two and a half games this season: Haddington was lost; at half-time against H/A we were leading, they asked us to change strip, and we ended up losing - and, on Saturday .... well, enough said!

Can I honestly get away with writing a 'Riggers' Review' about our cup loss at Inverleith and blame the strips? Doubt it - and, anyway, it's probably got more to do with Club President Eric Cartwright's blazer. He's had it on for three games this season, and we've lost them all. That must be it. Only logical explanation for Saturday.

Or was it because Greenock Wanderers were better than us on Saturday? Hungrier for the win, showing more desire, playing with a passion that seems to have become a distant memory for us from the heady days of late September / early October? No, credit where credit is due. Greenock Wanderers fully deserved their win on Saturday and, indeed, we were only seconds away from going into undeserved extra-time. Justice was probably done when they crashed over for the try right on full time as a number of kickable penalties had been missed which had kept us in contention. Greenock had one of the most physically impressive packs I've seen for a long while, and it would be a real shock if they don't secure promotion. If you look at other teams who've come shooting up the leagues in the last few years, Murrayfield Wanderers, Haddington and Dunfermline, Greenock look as well equipped as any of these teams to go on a charge up the leagues. Good luck to them in the next round.

The dressing room, unsurprisingly, was like a morgue afterwards, and, yes, something had died: our Chief Executive's cup final dream! We are now left in the Bowl, which, after the results had filtered through on Saturday evening, looks like being the Premier 3 Knockout challenge. Ah, the romance of the cup! The boys had a good 15 minute chat in the changing room on Saturday, and there was no ranting or raving - what good would that have done? We seem to be a bit off the boil at present. It is amazing how quickly confidence can disappear from a squad.

Sunday 11th November is really, now, the D-day for season 2001-2002. If ever a game is a must-win game, Sunday afternoon down at Haddington is that game. If we lose, Haddington go above us in the league. It is time for the boys to stand up and be counted. A win of any sorts is needed on Sunday afternoon. We've got to go to Neilson Park and fight for our lives. The memory of losing at Inverleith on the first day of the season is still painful and the spur of not letting Haddington do the double over us will hopefully inspire the team on.

A good week's training should hopefully see us ready for the game. With the 2nds having another impressive win on Saturday, there are real options in many key positions for us. Simon Capaldi, Kenny Milligan and Fraser Pollock should all be fit for the game, Mike Elliott is back in full training and will play for the 2nd XV on Saturday and Steven Reed is back from his wedding/honeymoon and will be available the week after. We are nearly back at full strength and that is going to be the key. Personally, I think we will win on Sunday, as the boys are amongst the best I have seen at Inverleith since the heady days of the late 1980s. They have the right character and, with people like Stewart Bennet around, there is someone there you'd follow into battle. It is going to be a long week, and the boys will be hurting. What better way of turning it round than going to somewhere like Haddington and coming back with a win. Let's do it!

Riggers

PS: I make that our 6th 'Cup Upset' over the last twelve years, after Cambuslang (twice), Hawick Linden, Cumnock, Strathendrick and now Greenock Wanderers. We also came mighty close to losing at Garnock a few seasons back. I think only Black Al and myself have been at them all. That can't be good for our health!

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