Melrose vs Stew Mel, 19/9/09

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Squad

The Stewart's Melville FP RFC team to play Melrose at the Greenyards on Saturday, kick off 3 pm, is:

Another raft of changes ahead of our first road trip to Melrose since we posted a decent wee result there in February 2006 ...

Behind the scrum, Hayden moves up to partner Rob at centre, with Alec Jessop no doubt delighted to reclaim the number 15 jersey for the trip to play his old club. Borth returns to the right wing after his brother's wedding last week, while Seumas makes his 1st XV debut on the other wing after a couple of weeks counting fish in the Highlands. The half backs are unchanged.

In the front row, Colin starts in place of Ryan Grant, who's going to be involved with the new Gael Force team for the next couple of weeks. Paul Voy returns from injury to replace the injured Dougie Naismith in the second row, while Blair gets the nod ahead of Ricky in the back row.

On the bench, Martin and Andy feature after impressing for the 2s in recent weeks. This is Martin's first involvement in the 1st XV, so congratulations go to him - he's very much one of the unsung, rock solid stalwarts of the club, and it's great to see him making the step up.

Hope to see some familiar faces at the Greenyards on Saturday - if you'd like a lift, please be at Inverleith by 11.45 am. The bus will leave at 12 noon.

Mike Sims

Match Report

Last Saturday, 19th September, was, like the previous one, a near perfect day - weather wise - on which to play rugby. Stewart's Melville were down in the Borders for an away game against Melrose at the Greenyards.

The Inverleith men, despite having yet to win this season, were very much up for it. Perhaps it is well worth mentioning that our courageous young men continue to maintain a high level of morale and great enthusiasm, and show a very positive attitude to their rugby. It should also be mentioned that the visitors took with them from the Capital a fair number of travelling supporters, equalling (if not exceeding) that which was achieved away from home last season when we were flying high.

As a fellow spectator, it was great to hear regular shouts of support for our team coming from all around the ground. Those who made the trip couldn't save us from the final result, but their vocal encouragement must have helped our young 'lions' as they fought hard against much more experienced opposition.

If the Dundee match was all about back threes, then Saturday's game was about the front rows. Colin, Sam and Ruairi, with an average age of nineteen, were up against a Melrose front row whose combined age was a quite 'prehistoric' 80! Well, as they say, "if you're good enough, you're old enough!"

And our boys were good enough - the age gap certainly made no difference physically, and it was a delight to see our lads matching and overcoming the Greenyards' veterans. It wasn't just the front row, either - the whole front five distinguished themselves. Ben and Paul Voy left their mark, putting in some great hits on the Melrose big men, with their locks Stuart Johnson and John Dalziel receiving most of the attention.

Ross, Blair and Clarky completed the fine display by our pack, whose scrummaging was superb, driving back "the 'Rose" on a few occasions. And we are beginning to get it right in the lineout and even winning a few off the opposition. Most, if not all, of the pack also had their solo 'moment in the sun'. They were all prepared individually to go forward with ball in hand, passing and receiving well, rucking, mauling and playing quick ball without, on occasion, waiting for our scrum half to arrive. Our forwards also defended our line well, with no score (that I recall) coming at the whitewash when it was being defended by our shirt numbers one to eight.

A post match comment by a Melrose committee man was, "A poor game!" - but, when challenged, he qualified his statement and conceded, "Your forwards played a bit and so did our backs." So were there only fifteen players on the park who met with his approval? If 'aye', to use the vernacular, I can see his point of view, albeit it through (yellow) rose tinted glasses. But I don't agree.

Amongst our backs, Hayden and Alex did work hard, putting in some try stopping tackles. Stuart also deserves some praise for keeping his nerve when kicking twice within three minutes for our total points. It had, however, taken the men in black only seven minutes to open the scoring, with a wide pass that sent their explosively fast fullback Fraser Thomson over for a try. Then, fifteen minutes later on the opposite wing, Thomson went over again for his second. Around the half hour mark and against the then run of play, the Melrose left winger went over at the same spot, further exposing our backs' 'defence'. Adding a successful conversion, the Melrose men were 17 points to 6 up by the time they sucked on their slices of orange at half time.

At the same time, Moff gathered the lads around for their mid-match chat and emphasised what had gone well and where to improve - but, within two minutes of the restart, Melrose had the "bonus point" in the bag. In the final ten minutes, Clarky and Ruairi pulled up and Sam was invited to retire by the referee. It must be said that the referee had a good game, although he never came to terms with Melrose being ever so occasionally onside at the ruck.

Then, to end the match, John Dalziel stormed over for the opposition's final try, which they converted. Being defeated 29-6 can't be what we wanted, and those who weren't there will form their own opinion. But, in summary, despite ever changing line-ups and experienced players being out with short and longer-term injuries, the lads at last played for each other, as a team.

Perhaps they're not as good as that team from the '50s, '60s, '70s or whenever that we keep hearing about. We don't have the full international caps we once had playing for us - the only exception being Cedric with his caps for Switzerland - but club rugby has changed, for better or worse, and changed dramatically since the mid '90s. It's far tougher, far more physical. Clubs do buy in success - we don't! Moff, Andy and Jimmy can only work with players who are prepared to play for Stewart's Melville and to play unpaid. Our coaches can only train and then select the lads who turn up twice a week for training and who put rugby before a social life.

So criticise if you must, but, while that may make you feel better, it won't in any way help us in our remaining eighteen games. Alternatively, why not stand four square behind our team? They're getting better - together we can help them be best!

Mercury

Stew Mel Stats

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