It's The Final Countdown As The Big Two Lock Horns

THE Greenyards is the place to be this afternoon, as Melrose and Ayr go head-to-head in the Grand Final of the BT Premiership. Scotland's two leading clubs, reprising last season's final in the battle for bragging rights.

Last season's game maybe wasn't a classic, but, those final few minutes, with Ayr captain Pete McCallum (pictured left) on the naughty step and his 14 team mates left to man the barricades as Merose turned the screw. Then, there was that final cameo as Scott Sutherland stole a five-metre Melrose line-out and allow Ayr to go through a couple of phases, before Frazier Climo booted the ball most of the way to Gala to win the day.

No McCallum for Ayr this afternoon, he was injured in their semi-final win over Currie, and no Climo either, as he too sustained injury in that epic come-from-behind Malleny Park win, but, Scott Lyle has played really well all season at ten, while Scotland Under-20 Captain Stafford McDowall comes in to replace Climo at what is effectively, the way they play, second five-eighth.

Sutherland is on the bench, but will surely come-on for a farewell cameo, today's game is the last hurrah for the now 33-year-old former Club XV internationalist. It is a last hurrah too for Head Coach Calum Forrester, who hands over to Peter Murchie at the final whistle and for George Hunter, who packs down in the boiler-house.

The Ayr squad (1-22) order is: Robin Hislop, Lewis Anderson, Steven Longwell; George Hunter, Rob McAlpine, Tommy Spinks, George Stokes, Blair MacPherson; David Armstrong, Scott Lyle; Craig Gossman, Stafford McDowall, Matt Davidson, Rory Hughes; Grant Anderson (capt). Replacements: David Young, Jonathan Agnew, Scott Sutherland, Michael Badenhorst, Harry Wragg, Paddy Dewhirst and Jamie Bova.

Ayr's regular season effort was compromised by inconsistency, but, that was not a problem for Melrose, who were imperious throughout the regular season, until the Ayr pack over-powered them at the Greenyards.

But, the Borders side set the standard over the season, and a high bar it was too. At times they were scoring tries for fun, and producing a vibrant, entertaining brand of rugby along the way. They know, Ayr have won on their last two visits to the Greenyards, the home side will burst a collective gut to prevent a third straight away win this afternoon.

 Scotland's top try scorer, Melrose full-back Fraser Thomson

The Melrose side which Coach Rob Chrystie is sending out reads (again 1-22): Grant Shiells, Russell Anderson, Nick Beavon, James Head, Angus Runciman, Ruaridh Knott, Grant Runciman (capt), Ian Moody; Murray McAndrew, Jason Baggott; Ross McCann, Craig Jackson, George Taylor, Austin Lockington; Fraser Thomson. Replacements: Ross Ford, Dan Elckington, Ruari McLeod, Ali Grieve, Bruce Colvine, Gavin Wood, Patrick Anderson.

The excellent Keith Allen is on the whistle for this one.

Ayr will have Glasgow Warriors' international winger Rory Hughes on the wing, while, following his somewhat controversial start in last week's BT Scottish Cup semi-final, Ross Ford will start today's game on the bench for the 'Rose.

Two very strong squads there, it should be quite a game.

MIND YOU, the main media focus today will be later on, when, in front of the Sky TV cameras, Glasgow Warriors face the Scarlets, at Parc y Scarlets.

Now, this one promises to crack and sizzle from the start. Because, at their best, these are perhaps the two most-entertaining club sides in Great Britain, and perhaps in Europe. Victory for Glasgow will guarantee them a home semi-final in the Guinness PRO14 play-offs.

The Scarlets will be flying after reaching the Champions Cup semi-final last week-end, but, Glasgow are taking this one seriously, with no less than six Scotland caps returning to the team following a well-deserved rest post the 6Nations. Dave Rennie has named the following squad (again in 1-23 order): Jamie Bhatti George Turner, Zander Fagerson, Jonny Gray, Tim Swinson, Rob Harley, Callum Gibbins Ryan Wilson (capt); Ali Price, Finn Russell, DTH Van der Merwe, Sam Johnson, Nick Grigg, Tommy Seymour; Stuart Hogg. Replacements: Grant Stewart, Oli Kebble, Siua Halanukonuka, Scott Cummings, Chris Fusaro, Henry Pyrgos, Peter Horne, Lelia Masaga.

Scarlets' Coach, Wayne Pivoac has named a strong side for Saturday's game, his squad (again in 1-23 order) reads: Rob Evans, Ken Owens (Capt), Samson Lee, Tadgh Beirne, Steve Cummins, Aaron Shingler, James Davies, John Barclay; Gareth Davies, Rhys Patchell, Steff Evans, Hadleigh Parkes, Scott Williams, Ioan Nicholas; Leigh Halfpenny. Replacements: Ryan Elias, Dylan Evans, Werner Kruger, Lewis Rawlins, Will Boyde, Aled Davies, Dan Jones, Steff Hughes.

The match will be referee George Clancy's 100^th in the Celtic League. Now, George (pictured left) has never been Scottish rugby's favourite official, but, I have to say, I thought he has been a lot better this season. Let's hope he has a century game to remember for the right reasons.

Meanwhile, we have the unusual situation of two Scottish referees in the middle in PRO14 games over the same weekend. In South Africa, today, Mike Adamson has the whistle for Toyota Cheetahs v Cardiff Blues, while Lloyd Linton takes charge of the Southern Kings v Munster match.

EDINBURGH were beaten 20-32 by Ulster, at Murrayfield last night, a result which rather dents their hopes of reaching the PRO14 play-offs, and demonstrates the absurdity of having a single body – the SRU – controlling two rival teams in the same league.

It is a question of sporting integrity, because, Glasgow now has a hugely-significant role to play in how it all works out for the capital side. They still have Ulster to play, and, should they somehow contrive to beat the men from Belfast, then lose to Edinburgh in the 1872 Cup show down on “Silver Saturday”, well, it helps Edinburgh's play-off chances.

The four Irish and Welsh PRO14 sides are all, like our two, effectively Union-controlled, except, the suits in Cardiff and Dublin do not have the SRU's obsessive control freakery, the Ulster committee which runs rugby in the nine counties, has considerable operational freedom from Dublin, plus, there is a long, long history of inter-provincial and inter-club rivalry in Ireland and Wales.

The notion that Murrayfield might instruct Glasgow to: “Just go out there and enjoy yourselves,” against Edinburgh – well, it grates somewhat.