German Festivals and Hoochmagandy - a potent mix on Doonside

OKTOBERFEST in Munich is an annual excuse to enjoy good food, great beer and live music. All these elements were on offer at Millbrae on Saturday, as a prelude and postscript to Ayr's clash with Stirling County. They are confirmed party animals around the Brig o' Doon, although there is a long tradition – going back to a certain Thomas, of Shanter Farm in the 18^th century, of over-indulgence and lewd behaviour coming together badly in these airts.

 A veteran Ayr supporter looks into the marquee at Millbrae on Saturday night

In chronicling Tam's brief encounter with the scantily-clad Cutty Sark, some of whose female descendants were giving the Prosecco big licks on Saturday, Robert Burns was not required to keep his narrative to 300-words. The hacks in the press seats on Saturday were left deciding – what do we leave our, and how do we manage it? Because the match itself was a true centre-piece, as filling as the German sausage, as satisfying as the German beer and with passages of play which sang like the music. This was further proof, should it be required – the BT Premiership is a tremendous competition which is being terribly under-sold by an SRU obsessed with the professional arm of the game, and by a Scottish media which, with the exception of Graham Bean and his team at Scotsman Towers, has decided to largely ignore it.

One veteran member of the currently-dormant Scottish Rugby Union Writers Club was moved to a rant on facebook on Saturday night, about the disgraceful lack of coverage of the BT Premiership. He still bears the scars of umpteen battles with Murrayfield – whom he blames for the lack of coverage of the league – but, hopefully, if the club representatives suddenly discover their cajones – Agenda 3 and its implementation might change all this.

Steven Longwell - a superb off-load

More matches like that between Ayr and County would help, even if, initially, the story only gets out by word of mouth, would help. Twelve tries, some of them absolutely out of the top drawer, were scored. Few noticed, the move was completed so-quickly, but, the off-load which TIGHT-HEAD PROP Steven Longwell produced to set-up Scott Lyle for Ayr's opening try – some professional props couldn't have done that, far less a club one.

Ross Curle - he's still got IT

Ross Curle, until his late – near compulsory “brainfart” tip tackle on Stafford McDowall – had a quiet game, but, he produced one absolutely stonking outside break to send Kerr Gossman clear. The younger Gossman was halted at the corner by a superb Danny McCluskey cover tackle – had he scored then, the final outcome might have been different. Curle, like him or loathe him, has been one of the Premiership's perennial star turns.

Logan Trotter's opening try for County, and Frazier Climo's for Ayr were similarly incisive breaks, a back backing himself to take the right line through traffic.

Jock Craig, the former Ayr and Glasgow prop and the former Ayr Director of Rugby is a great supporter of Ayr's Bahamian international prop George Hunter. Hunter was with Glasgow as a boy, but, Auchlin is convinced, the Hunter of today is a much-more rounded player. Technically, he is a far-better player, while as a ball carrier, he invariably gives Ayr go-forward ball. Both professional sides are short of loose-heads – Hunter is worth looking-at again, and, while he may be biased, Auchlin is not alone in holding Hunter in high esteem. He showed why in this game.

 George Hunter, a late-developer who could do a job in the pro ranks

Now comes Aristotle's big tip – look-out for some of the younger elements in Saturday's spectacular, breaking through quickly. Under-20 cap Stafford McDowall just gets better by the week for Ayr, while on the County side, Lewis Wynne, Hamilton Burr and Callum Hunter-Hill confirmed, the good things written about them are all true. But, the standout kid on Saturday was Ayr's Robbie Smith. Pat McArthur, now as assistant coach with Ayr when not on Warriors' duty, thinks highly of the young hooker. On Saturday, however, Smith really stood-out when he switched to tight-head after Longwell's injury. He then proceeded to take Remy Chies apart, without a reduction in his effectiveness about the park.

Robbie Nairn - big, quick and going places

Finally, the long-awaited introduction to the Ayr XV of former Harlequin and Scotland Under-20 cap Robbie Nairn – who spent last season under-studying Tim Visser – caused a buzz. What are they feeding this kid? He's bloody huge, and he's quick, as he showed with some terrific kick-chase work and his pace in scoring with his first touch.

The final result calmed the somewhat shredded nerves of the Ayr support, who will now head, in numbers, to Fullarton Woods, on Saturday, for the local Derby with Marr – this will be a cracker, while the banter on the side-lines will be wonderful – haud me back.

ELSEWHERE, in putting CURRIE CHIEFTAINS to the sword, MELROSE took another step towards what looks, even after a mere five rounds of fixtures, like being top spot at the end of the regular season, and therefore a home play-off semi-final. But, who will get the other home draw? That will take a wee bit longer to settle.

COUNTY'S try bonus-point from Millbrae took them into second place, one point ahead of HERIOT'S, who beat WATSONIANS on Friday night and GLASGOW HAWKS, who beat basement boys HAWICK at Balgray on Saturday. Currie and Ayr come next, on 14-points, followed by MARR, who grabbed a losing bonus point at BOROUGHMUIR on Saturday – and might well have won. That result, however, was welcomed by Peter Wright and everyone at Meggetland, since it got 'Muir off the foot of the table, at the expense of Hawick.

Melrose clear at the top, Hawick, and to a lesser extent Boroughmuir and Watsonians slipping off the pace – the rest clustered together – the 2017-18 Premiership title race is bubbling-up nicely to be one of the best. Enjoy.