Not Fit For Purpose - My Arse

ASSUMING, and I accept this is a huge assumption, The Fat Controller, The Thin Controller and The Lesser-Spotted Johnson are in any way interested in this final season of the Tennent's Premiership, then they ought to be happy with the look of the league table today.

		P	W	D	L	Points	TB	LB	Pts
1	Melrose RFC	2	2	0	0	98:21	2	0	10
2	Heriot's	2	2	0	0	74:38	2	0	10
3	Ayr RFC	2	2	0	0	60:34	2	0	10
4	Stirling County RFC	2	1	0	1	52:44	1	1	6
5	Boroughmuir	2	1	0	1	82:39	1	0	5
6	Watsonian FC	2	1	0	1	44:42	0	1	5
7	Currie Chieftains	2	1	0	1	49:49	1	0	5
8	Edinburgh Academical	2	0	0	2	41:68	0	0	0
9	Glasgow Hawks RFC	2	0	0	2	21:96	0	0	0
10	Hawick RFC	2	0	0	2	21:111	0	0	0

That table (apologies if it doesn't look right by the way – table formatting is above my pay grade), shows the six franchise winners occupying positions one to six in the table, and TFC and the BT Murrayfield minions will be hoping it remains thus for the remainder of the season.

I was at Millbrae yesterday for the Ayr v Currie match, and if the other games were as hard-fought and entertaining as that one, then it was a good day all round. Ayr's win was down to an aspect of the club's game since the days of Kenny Murray as coach – their superb defence. Currie held the whip hand for long spells, but they struggled to get round or through the Ayr defensive patterns and, in the end, they got a real lesson in taking your chances when they arrive.

Kenny Murray - his defensive sets are still working for Ayr

This victory sees Ayr move a step closer to having their name inscribed on the Bill McLaren Shield for the second time.

By the way, when you looked at the quality of the respective back divisions yesterday, the future of Scottish rugby is set fair while Ayr has in their ranks, some highly promising and BIG young players.

On paper, that Millbrae match seemed like “Match of the Day” - in the end, I feel that accolade has to go to the Goldenacre clash between Heriot's and Watsonians. In the end Heriot's big pack carried the home side to victory, but, what a game.

The Nails led 21-7 at the break, but, back came 'Sonians to lead 24-21, before, in the eighth minute of added time, Sam Grove-White awarded the hosts their second penalty try and that saw them home 28-24.

Sadly, for those of us who believe: “A strong Hawick means a strong Scotland,” it's a case of deja vu, as the Greens, as they did last year, struggle at the foot of the table. Boroughmuir scored 11 tries in thrashing the Greens 63-7 at Meggetland yesterday, to leave George Graham and the “Robbie Dyes” distinctly unimpressed. I gather the atmosphere was sombre in the Station Bar last night.

George Graham - not a happy bunny after Meggetland defeat

There was another big win at the Greenyards, where Melrose consolidated their usual top spot in the standings, with a 50-7 win over what the Scottish Rugby press pack is now calling: “the fledgling Glasgow Hawks squad.” The fixture computer did the Glasgow kids no favours, with Heriot's followed by Melrose, but, everyone at Balgray acknowledges this will be a tough season for Hawks, do not write them off just yet.

In the final Premiership match, Stirling County, having come up short against Watsonians in week one, got back to winning ways with a 38-24 win over Edinburgh Academical, who continue to learn just how hard it can be to win in this league.

Four of the top six go head-to-head in Saturday's third round of fixtures, so, no let-up for the sides. Watsonians will entertain Melrose, while Ayr and Stirling County lock horns at Millbrae. Boroughmuir are at Glasgow Hawks and Heriot's entertain Edinburgh Academical at Goldenacre. In the other game, Currie Chieftains take on Hawick.

IN NATIONAL 1, GHA lead the table from Gala – they are the only two sides to have posted five-point wins in each of the first two fixtures. “The Mexicans” had a good 37-19 win at Dundee HSFP, while the Braw Lads emerged victorious, 30-18, from a somewhat tousy encounter with Cartha-Queen's Park, at Dumbreck.

Two red cards – one each side, following a spot of “handbags”, with the protagonists seen buying each other pints post-match: “old school,” as one veteran SRU man quipped.

Musselburgh, the only other side with a perfect, two from two start, lie third, following their 25-27 home win over first week table-toppers Aberdeen GSFP. The other three fixtures saw Kirkcaldy beat Kelso 41-14 at Beveridge Park; Jed-forest bounced back from last week's big loss in Aberdeen, to beat Marr 29-22 at Riverside, and, in the final fixture, at Laigh Bent, Hamilton beat Selkirk 23-14.

NATIONAL 2 is led by Biggar, who have a better points difference than Falkirk and Peebles – all three clubs having nine points. Biggar beat Stewart's-Melville 36-3, while Falkirk just edged-out Highland, 20-19 and Peebles had a 14-5 win at Lasswade.

In the other three fixtures in this league, the winners each clocked-up over half a century of points. Dumfries Saints were the division's biggest winners, thrashing Glasgow Academicals 64-12 at Old Anniesland, while Preston Lodge beat visitors GHK 56-19, to ensure tears either side of the Anniesland hedge, and, in the final fixture, 98 points were scored as Whitecraigs beat the visiting Howe of Fife 52-46.

NATIONAL 3 is the tightest division – with four clubs vying for top spot after back-to-back bonus-point wins. Gordonians top the table, following their 42-8 home win over St Boswell's. Second place goes to Newton Stewart, 46-7 winners at Haddington, with Ardrossan Academicals in third spot, after their 26-12 win at Caithness.

West of Scotland lie fourth, after beating Murrayfield Wanderers 34-25 at Burnbrae. In the other two fixtures in the division, Perthshire beat Orkney 34-19, while Carrick, who had shot straight to the top of the table by winning their first National League game, had a reminder of how hard it can be at this level, when they went down 35-22 at Hillhead-Jordanhill.