Published: Friday, 3rd March, 2006 13:19
Survival Instinct
Print Article
Biggar 14, Heriot’s 9
IF Biggar is to survive in Division, they will need to lift their game in the final matches against Hawick and Currie as they did at a windswept Hartreemill on Saturday.
And as the dust settled after Scotland ‘s Calcutta Cup success, Biggar supporters were able to look back at similarities between the games.
As far as Biggar was concerned this was the most important win of the day on Saturday.
Whether the two tries to none victory will be enough to avoid the drop to Division 2 remains to be seen, but this was a win born out of guts and passion, commitment and patience, as well as a pride in the face of much adversity.
Again the elements were not conducive to open rugby, a gale-force easterly wind blowing down the field, heavy, squally showers and a pitch, which quickly turned into a bit of a quagmire.
Not surprisingly, the match became a tough forwards’ battle from which Biggar emerged triumphant in that it was from a drive by the pack close to the line that scrum half David Reive, making one of his few first XV appearances, burrowed under for the opening try and prop Elliot McLaren found himself with a clear run to the line for the second. Quintan Sanft converted both to put his side 14-3 clear the interval, James Thompson replying with a penalty for Heriot’s.
That the visitors, even with the wind advantage, managed only two further Thompson penalties after the interval was a tribute to Biggar’s defiant defence.
But at the end, Biggar coach Gary Parker knew this “must win” match only bought some breathing space. “We were the hungrier side. We showed some good appetite when playing into the elements in the second half. It was a great effort and we toughed it out.
“The most important thing was to win and we did that. At this time of the season when Heriot’s are safe and we are not, then we should be hungrier,” he said.
That hunger was epitomised in the first half when, with the wind, unusually blowing the opposite way, Biggar took the game to their opponents and should have been further than 14-3 ahead at the break.
It took them just five minutes to take the lead when Reive, deputising for Drew Moore, was the at the back of the pack as it drove towards the line and was under his own forwards as they pushed for the line.
Sanft needed a colleague to hold the ball and hit it true between the sticks.
Thomson pulled three points back with a penalty. However, in 25 minutes, more Biggar pressure saw McLaren, of all people, out in the threequarters, refusing the option of an overlap to storm over and Sanft converted.
And they should have made the game safe on the stroke of half-time, only for Craig Parker to lose the ball in the tackle as he stretched over the line.
The second half was more even, and while Biggar did not score, they restricted Heriot’s to two penalties.
Now Hawick (away) and Currie (home) stand between Biggar and a third season in the top flight.
Biggar – M. Thomson; G. Walkingshaw, S. Harrison, G. White and C. Parker; Q. Sanft and D. Reive; E. McLaren, M. Rutherford, M. Erskine, A. Cairns, C. Slade, J. Reid, A. Dunlop and E. McAlpine. Subs used: K. Anderson,
Heriot’s – M. T. Perret; C. Bruce, J. Houston, G. Smeaton and S. Manning; J. Thompson and M. Goldie; M. Thomson, F. Bibby, C. Sinclair, J. Orborne, E. Grewar, T. McVie, A. Dall and P. Eccles. G. Dunlop, R. Simms.
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon
Further Details
