Murrayfield Wanderers Seconds 5 Peebles Seconds 75 After beating Kelso second team the previous week at home, Peebles Rugby second team had their first away game of their league campaign played in the shadow of the international stadium on the artificial pitch. Peebles had several changes to the team that demolished Kelso by 81 – 14 but another win was hoped for.

They were pleased to welcome back the two Fijian soldiers and Craig Mitchell recovered from injury to take the No 8 shirt. Playing with bright sun on their backs in the first half Peebles started well and Cameron Pye playing his last game for about six weeks as he heads for the USA on a working holiday took a nice pass from Neil Hogarth on half way and sprinted in to score under the posts.

Murray Brown added the conversion to give Peebles seven points and put them in the driving seat after just two minutes.

In 11 minutes Peebles won a penalty just outside the home 22. Liam Fraser took a quick tap and fed the ball on a short pass to Pye who forced his way to the line but could not get the ball over the whitewash. He set up a ruck and Fraser threw the ball right where young hooker Ryan Stewart drove over for the second try.

Peebles went further ahead seven minutes later when Mitchell drove through the defence inside the home 22. He fed to Hogarth and the captain ran in to score under the posts. Murray Brown’s conversion took the score to 19 – 0.

But there was a wake up call for the visitors as against the run of play Murrayfield’s big scrum half ran in to score from half way.

Murrayfield had a big heavy pack of forwards and they were giving Peebles problems in the scrummage. But when Peebles did win the ball their very keen back division were always a handful for the home defence and they were 33-5 in front at the break after adding two more tries and conversions.

Although not playing so well Peebles piled on the agony for the hosts and by the time the final whistle went they had taken their points tally to 75 with no further points for Murrayfield.

Not a bad afternoon’s work. The scrums and the forward support play can and will be improved but the second string will continue to score tries and keep this team in contention for the league.