Opening Match in the Premiership 24/25
Melrose Rugby v Heriots
A view of the Press Box!
Melrose 22 - 35 Heriots
Melrose v Heriots – 31/8/24
The “Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership” for 2024/25 started on the hottest and last day of meteorological summer, and within two minutes Heriots second row forward, Jason Hill, was forced to retire injured. Five minutes later Luke Townsend opened the Melrose account with a penalty, but Heriots reply was swift for, at 10 minutes, they put in a fine passing move for Thomas Glendinning to score to the right of the posts with Ross Jones adding the conversion. Not lying down Melrose re-took the lead at 15 minutes with Roly Brett completing a series of picks and drives for a try to the left of the posts with Townsend converting. Heriots won a scrum on the right, four minutes later, with the ball being passed rapidly left to Glendinning who scored in the Church Corner with Jones, again, converting. Three minutes before the break Melrose won a scrum on the left with the ball being passed wide right to debutant Morgan Gabe who streaked into the Policeman’s Corner for an unconverted try to give Melrose the lead for the last time. From the kick-off Heriots gathered the ball and off-loaded to Noah Sakapaji who raced down the far side to score in the Church Corner with Jones’ conversion ending the half.
Half time – Melrose 15 Heriots 21.
Nine minutes into the second half a fumble at the base of a scrum which Melrose had won allowed Jones to intercept, score and convert the Heriots bonus point try. Four minutes later Brett was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock on and, from the resultant penalty, Heriots laid siege to the Melrose line with Euan McLaren barging over for a try which Jones converted. With nine minutes of regulation time remaining Melrose pressed and Douglas Crawford nipped over for a try converted by Townsend. Brett then made an interception and was clear to the line, but was adjudged to have started his run from an off-side position and Melrose were denied the possibility of two bonus points. With forty-six second half minutes played Rory Kirkpatrick was sin-binned for persistent infringement, but Melrose were unable to find time to exploit their numerical advantage.
Melrose 22 Heriots 35
MELROSE MAN OF THE MATCH: RUAIRIDH LINDSAY
Melrose – Keiran Clark, Morgan Gabe, Chris Thomson, Roly Brett, Robin Sharp, Luke Townsend, Douglas Crawford, Will Owen, Ben McLean, Zen Szwagrzak, Thomas Brown, Angus Runciman©, Will Ferrie, Ruairidh Lindsay, Craig Fairbairn. Replacements – Logan Kirk, Cameron Kirk, Andrew Kirk, Angus Weir, Jack Henderson, Cameron Robertson.
Heriots – Daniel King, Ben Evans, Thomas Glendinning, Kenta Kutsuna, Noah Sakapaji, Ross Jones, Sinjin Broad, Chris Keen, Michael Liness, Euan McLaren, Eamon Moore, Jason Hill, Rory Kirkpatrick, Sam Wallace, Ruairidh Leishman. Replacements – Douglas Westwood, Josh Scott, Struan Cessford, Callum Shand, Zac Gray, Christian Townsend, Angus Hunter.
Referee – Ciaran Stark. Assistants – Bryan Johnson & David Changleng.
