Club Rugby Is The Place For Entertainment

DISCLAIMER 1 – Any mentions of Super-6 in this blog post are merely incidentals, today I am in club mode.

I got my season 2019-20 reporting duties off to a pleasant start at Braidholm yesterday, where, having the pesky press around the place for the first time in over a decade, I was made more than welcome by everyone at GHA.

They and Currie produced an entertaining seven-try game of two halves – the more-experienced visitors almost blowing the Tennent's Premiership new boys away in the first half, which saw Currie wrap-up the bonus point inside 25 minutes, en route to a 33-0 interval lead.

But, when Ruari O'Keefe completed a sweeping GHA attack to open their account in 48 minutes, one wag in the Braidholm stand quipped: “Here we go, it's Twickenham all over again.”

Sadly for the home side, it wasn't to be, but, the home side's spirited recovery allowed them to win the second half, 14-5. Both clubs blooded promising young players from their youth systems, they have much to look forward to this season.

Not so promising was the refereeing. Too-many errors were missed and the SRU's referee spotter perhaps took more notes than the press corps – which is never a good sign.

Elsewhere in the Premiership, Selkirk went straight to the head of the table, with a 50-15 defeat of a Glasgow Hawks outfit who have now lost their first two competitive games. It could be a long season at Balgray.

Second spot is currently held by Hawick, following their 50-21 win over Musselburgh, at Stoneyhill. The Green Machine is clearly in good nick early in the season, which, for those who follow the mantra: “A strong Hawick means a strong Scottish Rugby,” is good news.

Third spot is held by Marr, who were the division's top scorers, winning 57-28 at Riverside Park, in the clash of last season's top two in National League 1. Winning at Jed-forest is never a bad way to start a season and this result will surely encourage those who feel, the Premiership trophy could well stay in South Ayrshire at the end of the season.

The fifth winning team was Aberdeen Grammar, who confirmed, it will not be easy to come away from the Granite City with a win this season, by a 30-17 win over Edinburgh Academical.

NATIONAL LEAGUE 1 might well be the hardest division to call this season, with its make-up of established and thrusting club sides, facing the “Club XVs” from the Super-6.

Biggar, promoted from National League 2 at the end of last season, continued their upward trajectory by grabbing first dibs on the top spot after a 53-7 victory over the Boroughmuir Club XV.

But, the wolves are massing behind them, with three Club XVs in close proximity. They are Melrose, who thrashed Kelso 38-8; Ayr, who delighted the 300-plus Bonnie Lassies, who attended Ladies Day at Millbrae with a 48-24 win over Watsonians, and Heriot's Blues, 47-24 conquerors of Dundee HSFP at Mayfield.

The other two winners in the division were Highland, who swept down from the north to beat Cartha-Queen's Park 50-36 at Dumbreck, and Stirling Wolves, 38-25 winners over Gala, at Bridgehaugh.

DISCLAIMER 2 – The above two divisions should, along with the international teams, the two PRO14 sides and the Super-6, be designated as “Performance” leagues. It is below here we get into genuine Community Rugby.

And, topping National League 2 after the opening round of fixtures, we find Hamilton Bulls, who edged-out GHK, 40-36, at Laigh Bent. That win earned the Bulls a four-tries bonus point, a feat also achieved by Dumfries Saints, who edged-out Kirkcaldy 29-26 at Beveridge Park, where a visitors' win is a fairly-rate event.

Peebles lie third, following their 18-10 win over Gordonians, in Aberdeen. Fourth place goes to Stewart's-Melville, who travelled to Falkirk, and won 24-21.

The other two games in this division finished all-square, with Glasgow Academicals drawing 13-13 at New Anniesland, and Whitecraigs and visitors Preston Lodge sharing 72 points after a 36-36 draw.

National League 3 is headed by another team who have got into the winning habit – reigning National Shield holders and East Regional Champions Berwick. They opened their campaign with a 36-7 win over Howe of Fife, to lead the table from Hillhead-Jordanhill, who had a 32-15 win over Murrayfield Wanderers, at Hughenden.

Both Berwick and Hills earned four-try bonus points, as did third-placed Ardrossan Academicals – a good reward for their long, long trek to Thurso, where they beat Caithness 27-22.

The other winning teams in this division were Lasswade, 27-17 winners over Strathmore, West of Scotland, who beat Carrick 25-17 at Burnbrae and Greenock Wanderers, 25-19 victors at Perthshire.

In all, the 23 National League fixtures yesterday produced 1489 points – which works out to 64 points per game. Indeed, in the top two divisions, the games produced a scoring rate of better than a point per minute – which equates to entertaining running rugby in anyone's language.

FINALLY yesterday, Glasgow Warriors were beaten 50-19 by Ulster at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast.

Apparently, after a close first-half, the youthful Warriors' squad were blown away when the Ulster side upped the pace in the second. The sides will meet again, at Scotstoun, on Saturday.