Peeblesshire News | Sport | Biggar go marching on

Thursday, 21st August, 2008

Published: Friday, 1st February, 2008 12:30

Biggar go marching on

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Musselburgh 12, Bigar 40

AFTER the disappointment of last week when the Biggar XV had one of their poorest games, it was very important that Biggar should bounce back to maintain their promotion bid.

Facing Musselburgh, whom they had defeated by 41-3 earlier in the season, many believed that this would be a fairly straightforward task.

But the East Lothian club are in the relegation mire and were always likely to put up a fight while the Biggar selection had been at its most tricky with several players out and others carrying knocks due to injury.

Indeed this was a much-changed Biggar XV with no fewer than seven personnel changes to the starting line-up (with four of these seeing players returning to top team action) and a further three positional.

All a tad confusing, but undoubtedly, given the result, providing a massive boost (again) to coach Aaron Collins who saw further evidence of the strength in depth within the club.

These changes saw Sam Muir return to stand-off (following his sojourn to New Zealand for a family wedding), Steven Cunningham open at lock in place of Stuart Coubrough and David Robertson start at prop in place of the illness-stricken Kevin Anderson who was forced to call off on Saturday morning.

And perhaps the most significant, the return to the 1st XV of flanker Richard Wood (more of this later) and the selection of Scotland Under-19 hooker Fraser Brown at flank forward.

Jeff Wright and Murray Thomson were both unavailable because of injury while the appearance of Junior Sifa provided testimony of his commitment to the cause following last week when he retired in obvious distress.

Ted Tauroa was another less than 100 per cent, the big man hirpling with an ankle injury, but able to take a place on the bench.

In scoring 40 points, Biggar recorded a deserved bonus-point win against a Musselburgh XV who have struggled to find form and who are also suffering through injury.

Biggar matched their 21-point, first-half total with another 19 after the break, restricting Musselburgh to just two scores.

If there is to be a criticism, it is that for some time the Biggar performance was a little disjointed, their first scores coming early in the game and preceding a low point which saw the home side come back into the game and score a deserved try.

This lack of cohesion was always likely, however,in the light of the changes made.

Junior Sifa scored Biggar’s first try before some on the touchline had realised the game had started, Craig Parker converting this and one form Sam Muir just a few minutes later for a 14-0 lead.

Musselburgh scored their first try from winger Neil Clark, but Biggar had the last word in the half as Michael McKeand crossed for a try which Parker duly converted for a 21-5 half-time lead.

After the break, McKeand scored his second and the bonus point score and may well have recorded a hat-trick bar for the intervention of Parker who popped up to touch down, his conversion taking his personal haul to 15 for the day.

Tauroa bludgeoned over for the sixth Biggar score, Parker again converting for the 40 point tally.

The result means that the side retains third place behind West and Selkirk, but with a game still in hand – although whether an away game to Jed-forest can be seen as an advantage remains to be seen!

Woody

The Tweedsmuir farmer last played 1st XV rugby almost exactly two years ago (February 5 2006) against Glasgow Hawks when his season was cruelly ended with a knee injury which would have phased many a weaker man.

Following an operation and rehabilitation his return to this level is quite remarkable with all present agreeing that he picked up where he left off, plundering ball from Musselburgh on a couple of occasions and making a big impression in the game. Well done.

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