Murrayfield Wanderers vs Stew Mel, 27/9/03

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

Squad

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

There are two changes from the team that started against Grangemouth last week. With Fraser Deeming unable to risk picking up an injury before his final exams for Sandhurst on Wednesday, Mike Elliott makes his first start of the season after two 2nd XV appearances. Fraser should be available for next week's home game against Selkirk, however, and we wish him all the best with his finals.

Fit again Steph de Beer will get at least 40 minutes on Saturday, with Simon Capaldi starting on the bench. Graham Lind and Stuart Clark remain on the injured list.

This is our only away local derby of the season, so please come along to Murrayfield to give the team your support as they aim to make it three wins in a row.

Riggers' Review

Saturday afternoon provided the coaching team with more answers than questions regarding the team - and not in a good way. It would be easy to sit here and write a negative piece about the team, but I doubt that would do any good. It might get a few things off the chest, but, truth be told, we did a fair bit of that on Saturday evening.

It will be up to the nineteen players picked this weekend to turn in a performance that is acceptable. Not to the coaches, not to the committee, but to each other. I doubt there were many people able to look into a mirror over the weekend and say they gave everything they had for the jersey.

We were well beaten by a physical Murrayfield Wanderers team. We might not have liked the manner of it, but we did nothing to stop it. Yes, we are a young team, but, sometimes, you have to grow up fast. Sometimes you have to trust each other and know that, if needed, your teammates will be standing shoulder to shoulder with you. You can coach players all you want, but, if they don't do the basics as well as you know they can, then you are on a hiding to nothing.

Saturday's tackling performance was as poor as I've seen from a Stew/Mel team. Tackling is a personal thing; pride should be at stake. You either do it, or we'll find someone else who will. If the players don't have the strength and power, then the fault is at their own door. The facilities have been provided, and the coaching to help that side of their game develop has also been provided. You can lead the horse to water, but you can't make it drink ....

For most of the second half of the Grangemouth game, we played off the back foot. For 78 minutes on Saturday, we did the same. You can have all the skill, pace and enterprise you wish in a team, but, if the team as a whole don't front up to the challenge that is laid before them, it is always going to be difficult. We need to get onto the front foot to give ourselves time, and we need to get onto the front foot to be able to control the game. That is something we need to work on.

We await Selkirk this Saturday afternoon at Inverleith. There is no let up to the tough games. I hope next week's review will be more positive!

Riggers

Stew Mel Stats

Return to 1st XV Fixtures page