“WINNING UGLY” in Rugby Union is more-often than not a label attached to a usually efficient side scrambling their way to a narrow victory via a scuffed dropped goal or a fortuitous penalty. The term is seldom applied to a five tries to two win, more-so when that win is over the reigning Champions in a competition.
However, watching the BBC Alba live transmission of the Ayr v Currie Chieftains from Millbrae, I thought it was a classic case of a team “winning ugly”. Knowing the standards he sets, I am sure Ayr Coach Grant Anderson will have a montage of video low-lights ready for his squad this midweek.
Ayr made an awful lot of unforced errors, to continually offer-up opportunities to their visitors, and it is a measure of the continued application of the defensive strength, particularly when scrambling, that Pat McArthur instilled in those players who were Ayrshire Bulls, that so often, now in an Ayr strip – they thwarted promising Currie thrusts.
“Gruntz” Anderson will tinker with the things the team didn't do well on Saturday, and I would suggest, the Millbrae Men are still the squad to beat, but, winning the Arnold Clark Premiership might not be the stroll in the parks some were predicting.
I cannot be wholly-negative about Ayr, however. Yes they made unforced errors, but, their maul was again shown to be a potentially-devastating weapon, while I was delighted to watch, albeit on TV, another rollicking hour from wee Jamie Drummond. Props built like concrete Easter eggs have long been a Cumnock speciality and the wee man is right out of that mould.
I did miss the dulcet tones of the now-retired Hugh Dan on commentary and felt for colour commentator Lee Jones. After talking so-long learning to say Ayrshire Bulls rather than Ayr, on Saturday he was still tending to say Bulls when he meant Ayr – who'd be a commentator.
Just up the coast from Millbrae, Marr are the early pace-setters following their bonus-point home win over Selkirk. The Fullarton Force will doubtless make much of their 13-point points difference lead over “Ayrshire's Evil Empire” in this week's Burns Country banter fest. Glasgow Hawks, courtesy of their home win over Musselburgh. The Balgray Boys, on +21 are ahead of the afore-mentioned Ayr, on +17, with Heriot's, the fourth club to bag a bonus point, on +13.
Obviously, in attempting to forecast the results of the opening games, we professional pundits were perhaps over-influenced by the impact of the returning Super Rugby players. In that respect, Kelso beating Watsonians will perhaps be read as a surprise, but, Poynder Park has never been an easy place to go to and win.
The other surprise win on the day was surely Edinburgh Academical beating Hawick at Raeburn Place. Early days of course, but, maybe the Premiership will not be the two-tier competition some of us have predicted it might be.
IN NATIONAL 1, five clubs posted four-try bonus point wins on opening day, while of the five losing sides, only relegated Jed-forest, who collected two bonus points, from a 28-32 loss at Biggar, got anything from their first fixtures.
Stirling County, courtesy of their big win over Peebles, are setting the early pace, followed in turn by Glasgow Academicals, 52-19 winners over Dundee, GHA, who scored the division's only away win – 48-20 at Boroughmuir and Gala, who saw off the Highland challenge, 31-19 at Netherdale.
THE NATIONAL 2, 3 and 4 clubs were on National League Cup action on Saturday. Maybe I wasn't paying attention, or perhaps Buddy and the Elves did their usual cack-handed exhibition of how not to sell change, but, this has a new format this season.
In a nod to Scottish Fitba, back when that sport was half-decent, they have kicked-off with the teams split into eight groups, from which we will find the clubs to go through to the knock-out rounds in the Spring. There are two x four-club groups and six x three-club ones, clustered geographically.
Pool 1 is led by GHK, who hammered Greenock Wanderers 90-12, followed by West of Scotland, who had a 52-10 win over Cartha-Queen's Park.
Pool 2, the first of the three-club sets, is led by Allan Glen's, who beat Hamilton Bulls 38-12. Hillhead-Jordanhill is the third club here.
Pool 3's opener saw Lasswade crush North Berwick 74-19. Linlithgow was the idle third club here.
Pool 4 kicked-off with Berwick beating Preston Lodge 36-26, while Stewart's-Melville enjoyed a Saturday off.
Pool 5, what I am calling the A75 Pool, got going with Dumfries Saints beating Newton Stewart 22-9. Stewafrtry is the third club here.
Pool 6 opened with a North Ayrshire Derby, Garnock beating Ardrossan Academicals 28-20. Whitecraigs were the spectators here.
Pool 7 produced the only draw of the opening round of games, Falkirk v Kirkcaldy finishing 39-39. Howe of Fife complete this pool.
Pool 8, the second four-club grouping, saw Gordonians thump Strathmore 43-7, while in the other match, Aberdeen Grammar beat Moray 27-20.
THE OTHER meaningful action on Saturday was in Parma, where a very-young Glasgow squad lost 0-31 to Zebre.
Franco Smith will not be too-upset at this result, he deliberately loaded his squad with youngsters and the lesson will be driven home this week and in future weeks in training. The kids now know the standards expected of them, and will be under-pressure to rise to meet those standards.
Sure, it is never nice to lose, and lose heavily, but, this was an out-of-town try-out, a means to an end. I am not reading much into this result.
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