Stew Mel vs Murrayfield Wanderers, 3/1/04

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Squad

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

The team shows a number of changes to the one that drew 6-6 with Grangemouth last time out. Euan Clark is out with a knock received in that game, which allows Mike Elliott to start at Scrum Half.

A Centre partnership of Matt Dey and Graham Shiel is preferred on this occasion, with Struan Samson losing out this time.

Up front, Andy Kelly is available, and he comes in at hooker for Alex Edmonstone, whilst, in the back row, Richard Taylor gets his first start after impressing after coming on at Grangemouth.

Paul Sullivan drops down to the bench. Nick Penny and Graham Lind switch positions in the back row, with Nick moving to Number 8.

Riggers' Review

Happy New Year! Wouldn't it be great if we got a lot more of that in 2004? A comprehensive hammering of our local rivals was a great way to start the new year and, in a way, make up slightly for the abject performance we had put in against them earlier in the season.

We are a much changed side from the one that played Wanderers in September and that goes to show the depth and talent we have at Inverleith at the moment. Whilst it is right to praise the guys who played so well yesterday, it wouldn't be possible without the dedication of so many others at the club. We can only take nineteen players to a game, but, when you have over thirty players training each and every week, even during the festive period, performances like yesterday also reflect positively on those who don't make the final squad. I guess that's a reason that the 2nd XV are doing so well, and long may it continue.

To be honest, we didn't start too well in the game, and some of the nervousness that had started to creep into our play in December was still apparent. Wanderers took an early lead through a well worked try when our defensive line got out of sync, and we looked like we could be in trouble. On the sidelines, we have always felt that a little spark could be all it takes to get us going, and, yesterday, it came from a lineout on our own 22. We stole ball, the forwards came up the middle of the pitch and attacked with purpose and the support came from depth. We managed to lay the ball off out of contact and made thirty or so yards. We then lost the ball forward, but the move seemed to energise the forwards and clarify what they needed to do.

For the next seventy minutes or so, we controlled the game wonderfully well, with forwards and backs interchanging, laying passes off out of the tackle and making the right decisions. Nine tries were also racked up, some of them as good as any we've scored this season. The skill level on show was fantastic from all on the pitch, and I think it can be no coincidence that some of the improvised passes and skills came on the back of a basketball session run the previous Saturday by Alf Bissett and Stuart Capaldi. Many thanks to the two 'faithers' for that session.

When the final whistle went we were scoring at will. We were helped by Wanderers having three players sent to the sin bin, but I doubt they could argue with any of the decisions. The referee had a pretty good game yesterday, with our only criticism being that he never let the advantage go as long as he might have done, but that was a minor point. All in all, a pretty good day out, and hopefully one that the sizeable crowd and our much appreciated sponsors ISIS and Bell Lawrie White enjoyed.

We head down to Selkirk next weekend in what will be a tough game. We've not been great this season at following up good performances week in week out with the same level of performance, but, hopefully, that will be a New Year's resolution that the team have made and are going to keep.

Riggers

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