THERE IS but one place to be tonight, that's Millbrae, where, at 7.30pm, under the lights, Ayrshire Bulls will face Southern Knights in the most-eagerly-anticipated clash of the FOSROC Super6 season.
This one could well be a dress-rehearsal for the S6 final, at the DAM Health Stadium, on Sunday, 17 October. No question, the two form teams of the six are clashing tonight and, given the history of matches between the sides, either as Bulls v Knights, or Ayr v Melrose, this promises to be a cracker.
About that final dress rehearsal; Bulls will need to take the maximum five points from tonight's match, to take themselves beyond the clutches of Watsonians – whom they meet in next week's final regular game. For the Knights, two points will do to clinch their place in Edinburgh, so both have plenty to play for.
There are also some interesting head-to-heads across the teams announced, starting in the front row where former Glasgow Warriors team mates George Thornton (Bulls) packs down against Euan McLaren. Former Scotland Sevens team mates Bobby Beattie and Nyles Godsmark are also in direct opposition in the centre, while, needless to say, the breakdown battle of the respective back rows will be highly-intense.
As ever, the match will be streamed live on the SRU and BBC websites and on the BBC iplayer.
Interestingly, while the Super6 will go into hibernation after 17 October, Wales' Indigo Group Welsh Premiership doesn't even kick-off until 11 December.
The Welsh clubs are still keen to take on our S6 clubs in the long-delayed cross-border games, and it would seem the WRU has structured their season to mean they will be well warmed-up before any cross-border games take place.
Meanwhile, while we have heard one or two unconfirmed rumours, we have as yet no concrete notion of how our six teams will prepare for the end of season cross-border games – or even which Welsh clubs they might be facing.
I am told, cross-border games will happen, definite dates have still to be decided, however.
ONE OF my favourite Scottish club players is Bruce McNeil, who has this season louped the dyke from Hawick to Kelso. I picked-up, from Stuart Cameron's excellent Facebook page, a wee link to the latest edition of his terrific show: Borders Rugby In Focus, which featured Bruce and an insight into how he plays the game.
Apparently, Bruce will be attempting to wind-up Frazier Climo, when Kelso take on the Ayr Club XV, at Millbrae on Saturday. Should be fun, and, good luck with that Bruce.
I was thinking of taking-in that game, but, instead I have been scheduled for the Marr v Jed-forest Tennent's Premiership match, just up the road at Fullarton.
SCOTTISH Rugby lost another past internationalist at the end of last month, with the death, aged 88 of Keith Macdonald.
Macdonald, a Dundonian by birth, won six caps, out of what was then Daniel Stewart's College FP, in 1956 and 1957. At school he had played in both the DSC first XV and first XI for two seasons. In fact, in 1951 he became the first pupil from the school to be selected for the annual London Scottish v Richmond Schools game, which was then the closest thing there was to a Scottish Schools international.
Unfortunately, the 1951 game, for which he was selected, had to be cancelled with Richmond Athletic Ground unplayable.
He graduated to the FP club, playing for them and winning selection for the Edinburgh Inter-District team, while also gaining selection for the Royal Air Force during his National Service. His strong running in the centre saw him selected for the Scotland XV in both trials in December, 1955, winning his first cap in the 12-0 Murrayfield win over France, on 14 January, 1956.
He retained his place for the losses in Cardiff and Dublin, before injury saw him withdraw from the Calcutta Cup match, the great Geordie Stevenson of Hawick coming in to replace him, for his first cap.
That injury kept Macdonald out of action for most of the first half of the 1956-57 season. He did not feature in either Scotland trial, since he was, in the words of the Glasgow Herald: “Still running himself in after his long absence.”
After Ken Scotland's epic debut in France, the Scotland selectors decided to make changes for the Welsh's visit to Murrayfield on 2 February, with Macdonald recalled at the expense of “Geordie.” A 9-6 win saw him keep his place for the 3-5 loss to Ireland, before he won his final cap in the Calcutta Cup meeting, in front of the Queen, at Twickenham.
There should have been one further cap, he was re-called for the Calcutta Cup match of 1959, but his long-standing injury problems re-surfaced and he withdrew on the morning of the match, with Stevenson again the beneficiary.
Keith Macdonald continued to play for his club, before becoming a well-regarded committee-man. He was also a Barbarian, making his debut for the great invitation club against East Midlands in 1957.
In retirement, Keith Macdonald, who was married twice and a widower once, lived in Elie, where he died peacefully on 20 September.
I NOTICED this week, BT Murrayfield's answer to Jack and Victor, TCD and Chairman JJ have promised their full support to the Scottish Women's team in their efforts to qualify for the Women's World Cup.
Aye Right! As we say in these parts. A qualifying tournament, in Dubai, in January, you bet that pair of free-loaders will be in the first class seats on the flight out and back.
FINALLY, it's getting harder, at times I fear I am fighting a lone battle, but, I will carry-on. In their official preview of Saturday's meeting, at Scotstoun, with the South African team CellC Sharks, the Warriors media team member what wrote it used the expression: “the captain's armband.”
Can I repeat, for something like the millionth time: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A CAPTAIN'S ARMBAND IN RUGBY UNION. RUGBY XV CAPTAINS DO NOT WEAR THIS ARTICLE OF CLOTHING.
THIS IS NOT SOCCER!!!
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