If Its Purpose Is To Entertain and Interest - The Premiership Delivers

CAN WE put this to bed, once and or all – since I was getting it dragged-up again yesterday, as some of the Ayr “Silverbacks” talked rugby in the lead-up to their meeting with Hawks.

The purpose for which the Premiership was considered unfit was that of keeping fringe professionals up to scratch when not playing for Edinburgh or Glasgow.

IF you think that was its purpose – there is your position.

However: many consider the purpose of the Tennent's Premiership is to be the pinnacle of club rugby – the best club players going head-to-head for the glory of their club. And if you are in that camp, well this 2018-19 season, the final one in which we will have a Premiership, has been a classic.

With one round of fixtures to play – we now know the four sides who will contest the end-of-season play-offs, which will decide the final Champions.

BUT, other than knowing Ayr will finish first, and have a home semi-final, we do not yet know what the play-off fixtures will be.

As things stand: Ayr are home and hosed on 71 points from their 17 games. Regardless of what happens in their final game, at Watsonians, they cannot be caught. Below then, however, it's as tight as a drum.

Currie Chieftains are second, on 63 points, then come Heriot's, on 62, with Melrose fourth, on 61 points. In the final games, due on 2 March, Currie will entertain in-form Edinburgh Academicals, Heriot's travel to Hawick and Melrose are in Edinburgh facing Boroughmuir.

Assuming all three contenders win, bonus-points could come into play – the mobile telephone networks will do some good business on that afternoon, that's certain. Another certainty is, however the head-to-heads work out, those semi-finals will be cracking games, as will the final.

The contenders now have, apart from the Scottish Cup quarter-finals, which include a potential play-off final rehearsal between Ayr and Currie, on 16 February, five weeks in which to rest, recuperate from the accumulated bumps and bruises of the league marathon, and work on perceived weaknesses.

Then, we get down to the sharp end of this great season. Bring it on.

I WAS at Millbrae yesterday, for the Ayr v Glasgow Hawks West of Scotland Derby. Pre-match expectations were for an Ayr win, probably with the bonus point they needed to clinch top spot at the end of the season.

And, as Coach Peter Murchie said post-match, it was a case of: “job done.” However, to be fair to the battling Hawks, they made Ayr fight every inch of the way, and it was notable that all four Ayr tries were created and scored from distance.

Paddy Dewhirst on his way to yesterday's try hat-trick

The first three of these fell to winger Paddy Dewhirst, with his support running to a Frazier Climo break earning him an easy run-in for the first, and similar support running to centre Danny McCluskey providing his third.

The second try, however, was something special, as he picked-up a loose ball, just outside his own 22, then shimmied and sprinted over 75 metres to touch down.

Ayr's fourth try was a particularly bitter blow to Hawks, as Warrior Paddy Kelly, who came through the Hawks ranks, profited from another terrific McCluskey break to touch down. However, the game was the Paddy Dewhirst show.

And that could be significant. In the first half of the season Paddy, on the back of some stand-out displays for Scotland Under-20s in last season's Under-20 6Nations and World Cups, was suffering mental turmoil.

He could not break into the Ayr team, he was even considering leaving. Then, he got in, albeit on the wing rather than at full-back – where near-veteran Grant Anderson is still tearing-up trees, and he has not looked back since.

His talent has also been noticed in higher places, and, it is a fairly open secret in West of Scotland rugby, that he is a genuine contender to be the replacement full-back to the departing Stuart Hogg. Warriors rate him that highly.

Yesterday's genuine hat-trick: three successive tries, was not a case of: “a star is born,” more a case of promise being fulfilled.

Paddy Dewhirst – remember the name.

AS RABBIE said, all those years ago: “An' forrit tho' Ah canna see, Ah guess and fear.” So, we do not know how Super-6 will pan-out, once it kicks off, supposedly in just over 200 days' time.

I suspect, the playing squads will look somewhat different from the current ones which the six franchise-winning entities fielded in the Premiership, yesterday. At least three of the six clubs will have new coaches in-situ, so, can we take anything for granted, other than that Ayr and Melrose still look like being the teams to beat.

Yesterday, I was handed a wee aside which I admit, I had not noticed, when I was asked: “Have you noticed, Boroughmuir have yet to beat a Super-6 club this season?”

I must admit, I had not, so, I went to the record book and checked. What do you know, 'Muir's Premiership record, against the other five franchise-winning clubs reads:

• played 9 – won 0 – drawn 0 – lot 9 – points for 165 – points against 273.

Against the other five clubs, 'Muir have accrued just two losing bonus points at home to Heriot's and at Ayr; while they have only secured two four-point try bonus-points – at Melrose and at Meggetland against Stirling County.

I find that no wins statistic strange, because, for my money Boroughmuir are a very good side, always difficult to beat. I refer to them as the “par” team in the division: beat Boroughmuir, you're in the play-off mix, lose to them you are in trouble.

Clearly new S6 coach at the club, Graham Shiel, (pictured left) has a big job on his hands, once he takes the reins. However, I reckon 'Muir will bounce back quickly once S6 gets up and running.

Shiel will strengthen, however, they have the best facilities of the three Edinburgh-based franchises, they have the best youth development programme and they have the backing of some very generous sponsors, who have put, and are continuing to put, big money into the club.

Boroughmuir won the Shogun Youth Development Conference this season, they are now on-course to add the Under-18 Cup, since they will face Ayr in the final later this season.

And, this afternoon, Boroughmuir's Under-16 team face Stirling County at the Oriam, in the semi-final of the Under-16 Youth Cup; so, further success might be on the horizon.

This season has been disappointing for everyone at Meggetland, but, when you consider things overall, the future looks bright.