The Heavy Rain Didn't Prevent Some Good Domestic Rugby

SQUEAKY BUM time at the Rugby World Cup means I am running late for my weekly look at the domestic Scottish game. It didn't help either that the horrendous weather meant a number of games were called-off. Any way, here we go:

IN THE FOSROC Super Series, Ayrshire Bulls' win over Southern Knights and the postponement of the Stirling Wolves v Heriot's match has left the Bulls five points clear at the top of the table. However, if The Nails can win their two games in hand, it's a different story.

Watsonians' defeat of Boroughmuir Bears leaves them in third place, but, it will all start to, hopefully, become a bit clearer after Heriot's entertain the Bulls on Saturday.

MARR continue to lead the Premiership, after their win at Edinburgh Academical on Saturday. Defending Champions Hawick are up to second following their big win at Jed-forest, while Currie Chieftains, whose fixture against Glasgow Hawks was rained-off, remain in third place. Their visit to Fortress Fullarton on Saturday is already looking like a crucial match-up.

AYR'S win at Gala on Saturday has seen the Millbrae Men put clear water between themselves and their pursuers in National 1. Ayr are six points clear of Highland, who beat third-placed Melrose on Saturday. Six games into the campaign, this division is now settling down to a top five and a bottom five, but, it is still early days.

IN NATIONAL 2, Gordonians did everyone else a favour, by travelling down to Lasswade and inflicting a first defeat on their table-topping hosts, a win which puts them up to third. Peebles, however, failed to take advantage of Lasswade losing, when they themselves lost at Newton Stewart, to remain in second spot. These were the only two fixtures to be played on Saturday.

THERE were also a mere two of the five fixtures played in NATIONAL 3. Orkney took advantage of the Allan Glen's v West of Scotland game being off to go to the top of the table, after a narrow 20-19 victory over Hamilton Bulls, in a game switched from Hamilton to Strathaven. In the only other game played, Dumfries Saints beat Cartha Queen's Park.

This has led to some cruel social media messages, suggestion that weel-kent man about Dumfries rugby, John Steele, iconic referee and father of international scrum-half Scott, should extend his World Cup trip to France, since Saints appear to be doing better without him there to watch them.

NATIONAL 4 was even-worse affected by the incessant rain, with just one of the five fixtures played. In this lowly Ross High did themselves a power of good, by beating Stewartry 39-26. Garnock, however, still lead the table.

IN CALEDONIA 1, Dundee 2^nd XV took advantage of Panmure's game against Howe Crusaders being washed out, beating Falkirk 2^nd XV 27-24 to go top of the Midlands Conference on points difference. In the North Conference, league leaders Moray saw their game with Ellon rained off, which enabled Aberdeenshire, 46-10 winners over Caithness, to join them on the 25 point mark – Moray still head the standings, however.

EAST REGION 1 was idle on Saturday, which sets things up nicely for this weekend's top of the table clash between second-placed Linlithgow and table-topping Haddington.

ARDROSSAN took advantage of some key home men being absent, when they made the short hop to Cumnock on Saturday to win the second v first clash 43-19 and extend their lead at the top of the table to nine points.

The chasing group is led by Wigtownshire, after their win over Dalziel.

YOU MAY have missed it, but Sean Ingle, in Sunday's Observer and under an EXCLUSIVE strap line, had a story about World Rugby being expected to announce the introduction of “smart technology mouth guards, which will transmit the g-forces of head impact in real time to the watching coaches.

This will mean players being immediately removed from the field for a HIA (Head Impact Assessment) and possible exclusion for the remainder of the game. If this comes to pass, it is hoped it will make the game safer.

However, it comes at a cost, it is believed the latest generation of smart mouth guards cost around £250 each; however, they do appear to herald a new era of greater player safety – something on which you cannot put a cost.

FINALLY, I find myself conflicted somewhat by Glasgow re-signing big Greg Peterson, to replace long-term injury victim JP du Preez.

As I said when the big South African was signed, I'd rather they had given the place to a young Scot and in Ayrshire Bulls' Rory Jackson and Heriot's Charlie Jupp I can think of at least two Super Series Scots who have maybe earned the right to an Ally McCoist movie.

However, Greg now has a chance to remind us what a good lock he is. He never let Glasgow down when here first time round, where he was scandalously under-used and under-appreciated by Dave Rennie. He certainly didn't look out of place when with Newcastle last season.

Last time round at Scotstoun, he mainly played for Glasgow Hawks and Marr, where he was a hugely-popular acquisition, not to mention great company in the club-house; but, he's better than that and he will not let Glasgow down. I think he will also prove a great mentor to that highly-promising lump of Scottish “donkey” Alex Samuel.