Capital punishment for Biggar

Biggar’s two tries were well taken and promised much more but there were three kicks which went a-begging, the normally accurate Graham Hunter off target with each. These kicks would have made no difference to the final score as it stands but coming as they did in the first half they might well have been a boost to Biggar’s confidence while denting that of Watsons at the same time.

Fielding a pretty much full strength XV save for the absence of winger Jonny Smart whose place was taken by Craig McDonald, Biggar were forced into a change during the warm-up when the luckless McDonald whose season has never really started was forced to pull out after a hamstring pull. His place was filled by Jack Warnock who made his 1st XV debut against Hillhead Jordanhill a fortnight ago.

On the wide Myreside pitch the youngster acquitted himself very well, his first involvement seeing him put in a copybook tackle to thwart a Watsons attack.

In bright but chilly conditions Biggar opened well, taking play to their hosts. Both sides conceded early penalties though not within kicking range. A break out of defence by Mark Bertram who then linked with Giles Boland gave Biggar a fine attacking position and with Watsons creeping offside and providing Biggar with a penalty advantage, Andy King attempted a drop goal but unlike his strike against Peebles this one flew wide of the posts.

This was the result of Hunter’s first penalty kick as well sadly and Watsons escaped with no deficit. This was short-lived however as another penalty award saw Biggar kick to touch at the Watsons 22. Biggar took the lineout well and drove over for an excellent score. Hunter pulled his kick wide but Biggar were on the scoreboard.

Unfortunately an injury sustained just prior to this lineout deprived Biggar of hooker Ewan Stewart who damaged an ankle. Without a recognised hooker replacement Michael Dunlop came on to the pitch to operate as prop with Craig Bachurzewski taking over at hooker and at lineouts.

As it turned out Stewarts injury had a fairly significant impact on Biggar’s play, the scrum coming under severe pressure as Watsons drove strongly while the first lineout aside, these largely failed due to lack of accuracy.

Watsons are renowned as a club for their running and handling skills but in the opening quarter these were absent, their attacks floundering as ball was dropped or as players came under pressure from the Biggar offensive defence. On two occasions when they threatened to open biggar up ball was lost giving Biggar the opportunity to clear their lines which they did safely.

Biggar were in the wars again with Douglas Notman clearly inconvenienced after sustaining a dead leg. He was eventually forced from the pitch with McKenzie Pearce making a return to the field after several months off with a shoulder injury.

A decision at the next scrum, made on the advice of the touch judge, gave Watsons the chance to open their account and this was taken by stand-off Andrew Chalmers who kicked for 5-3.

Worse was to follow however and this from a fairly innocuous position between Biggar’s 22 and 10m line. Initially Biggar appeared to have won the ball cleanly but as Andy Watt prepared to clear the ball a marauding Watsons forward stepped through the ruck to hack the ball clear, Biggar’s protestations to referee John Shaw that this was illegal as he had come in at the side falling on deaf ears. Play was swiftly advanced and with the passes on tis occasion sticking Watsons grabbed a soft try which Chalmers converted well from wide out to put the score at 10-5 - and all in the space of just half a dozen minutes.

Despite some sterling work by Lewis McLachlan, whose work rate is so much higher than anyone else at the minute Watsons scored their next try after ball had been kicked to the corner. Taking ball from the line scrum half Reiss Cullen (ex-Biggar colt) passed the ball to his No 8 Rory Drummond who crashed over for a try which when converted put the home side into the driving seat at 17-5.

With less than 10 minutes remaining of the half Notman returned to the fray. McLachlan again proved how valuable a player he is when he made a couple of crucial tackles to halt the Watsons tide but despite a series of penalties for offside, which might on another day have warranted a yellow so frequent were they, Biggar were unable to add to their tally as lineouts, normally a source of possession were now proving to be a 50/50 at best.

Biggar opened the second half in determined mood knowing that they had to score quickly if they were to entertain hopes of getting back into the match. Happily they managed this from what was virtually their first attack. Another penalty award had many of the travelling support urge the side to take the points but a quick tap saw Notman plunge over from close range for an excellent score. Hunter could not take advantage again however and so Biggar were still a score adrift at 17-10. What was certain was that winger Warnock would be the kicker for the next penalty, the youngster contributing a whole host of points when a Colt. Typically of course that penalty was Biggar’s last kickable opportunity!

It was not to be Watsons last chance of course, they upping their attack as Biggar wilted. A Warnock/King break offered some hope but Watsons were quick to reply as another line drive took them over, Chalmers again adding the conversion.

Notman and Mirosa were replaced by Pearce and Callum Taylor respectively and Biggar managed to stem the tide a bit with the next 10 minutes scoreless. A successful Biggar line did hint at another comeback but while Biggar had a short period of control when they really threatened the Watsons line and forced their hosts into some stout defence there was not the patience or sustained play which might have led to a score. Cullen was as tricky opponent as one would have expected, his persistence in taking the quick tap eventually paying off as he made a very typical burst from some 15 metres out to score Watsons next try. This gave the Edinburgh outfit the 4 try bonus point with the conversion kicked for 31-10.

A fifth score from Watsons rounded things off.

Biggar: Scot Swankie, Mark Bertram, Andy King, Giles Boland, Jack Warnock, Graeme Hunter, Andrew Watt, Donald Voas, Ewan Stewart, Craig Bachurzewski, Craig Simmons, Michal Mirosa, Jamie Orr, Lewis McLachlan, Douglas Notman Reps: Paul Davidson, Michael Dunlop, McKenzie Pearce, Calum Taylor.

On the back of two wins this latest outing was all the more frustrating but the squad were pummelled to defeat by a faster and arguably fitter side who made the most of the opportunities they created.

Biggar’s two tries were well taken and promised much more but there were three kicks which went a-begging, the normally accurate Graham Hunter off target with each. These kicks would have made no difference to the final score as it stands but coming as they did in the first half they might well have been a boost to Biggar’s confidence while denting that of Watsons at the same time.

Fielding a pretty much full strength XV save for the absence of winger Jonny Smart whose place was taken by Craig McDonald, Biggar were forced into a change during the warm-up when the luckless McDonald whose season has never really started was forced to pull out after a hamstring pull. His place was filled by Jack Warnock who made his 1st XV debut against Hillhead Jordanhill a fortnight ago.

On the wide Myreside pitch the youngster acquitted himself very well, his first involvement seeing him put in a copybook tackle to thwart a Watsons attack.

In bright but chilly conditions Biggar opened well, taking play to their hosts. Both sides conceded early penalties though not within kicking range. A break out of defence by Mark Bertram who then linked with Giles Boland gave Biggar a fine attacking position and with Watsons creeping offside and providing Biggar with a penalty advantage, Andy King attempted a drop goal but unlike his strike against Peebles this one flew wide of the posts.

This was the result of Hunter’s first penalty kick as well sadly and Watsons escaped with no deficit. This was short-lived however as another penalty award saw Biggar kick to touch at the Watsons 22. Biggar took the lineout well and drove over for an excellent score. Hunter pulled his kick wide but Biggar were on the scoreboard.

Unfortunately an injury sustained just prior to this lineout deprived Biggar of hooker Ewan Stewart who damaged an ankle. Without a recognised hooker replacement Michael Dunlop came on to the pitch to operate as prop with Craig Bachurzewski taking over at hooker and at lineouts.

As it turned out Stewarts injury had a fairly significant impact on Biggar’s play, the scrum coming under severe pressure as Watsons drove strongly while the first lineout aside, these largely failed due to lack of accuracy.

Watsons are renowned as a club for their running and handling skills but in the opening quarter these were absent, their attacks floundering as ball was dropped or as players came under pressure from the Biggar offensive defence. On two occasions when they threatened to open biggar up ball was lost giving Biggar the opportunity to clear their lines which they did safely.

Biggar were in the wars again with Douglas Notman clearly inconvenienced after sustaining a dead leg. He was eventually forced from the pitch with McKenzie Pearce making a return to the field after several months off with a shoulder injury.

A decision at the next scrum, made on the advice of the touch judge, gave Watsons the chance to open their account and this was taken by stand-off Andrew Chalmers who kicked for 5-3.

Worse was to follow however and this from a fairly innocuous position between Biggar’s 22 and 10m line. Initially Biggar appeared to have won the ball cleanly but as Andy Watt prepared to clear the ball a marauding Watsons forward stepped through the ruck to hack the ball clear, Biggar’s protestations to referee John Shaw that this was illegal as he had come in at the side falling on deaf ears. Play was swiftly advanced and with the passes on tis occasion sticking Watsons grabbed a soft try which Chalmers converted well from wide out to put the score at 10-5 - and all in the space of just half a dozen minutes.

Despite some sterling work by Lewis McLachlan, whose work rate is so much higher than anyone else at the minute Watsons scored their next try after ball had been kicked to the corner. Taking ball from the line scrum half Reiss Cullen (ex-Biggar colt) passed the ball to his No 8 Rory Drummond who crashed over for a try which when converted put the home side into the driving seat at 17-5.

With less than 10 minutes remaining of the half Notman returned to the fray. McLachlan again proved how valuable a player he is when he made a couple of crucial tackles to halt the Watsons tide but despite a series of penalties for offside, which might on another day have warranted a yellow so frequent were they, Biggar were unable to add to their tally as lineouts, normally a source of possession were now proving to be a 50/50 at best.

Biggar opened the second half in determined mood knowing that they had to score quickly if they were to entertain hopes of getting back into the match. Happily they managed this from what was virtually their first attack. Another penalty award had many of the travelling support urge the side to take the points but a quick tap saw Notman plunge over from close range for an excellent score. Hunter could not take advantage again however and so Biggar were still a score adrift at 17-10. What was certain was that winger Warnock would be the kicker for the next penalty, the youngster contributing a whole host of points when a Colt. Typically of course that penalty was Biggar’s last kickable opportunity!

It was not to be Watsons last chance of course, they upping their attack as Biggar wilted. A Warnock/King break offered some hope but Watsons were quick to reply as another line drive took them over, Chalmers again adding the conversion.

Notman and Mirosa were replaced by Pearce and Callum Taylor respectively and Biggar managed to stem the tide a bit with the next 10 minutes scoreless. A successful Biggar line did hint at another comeback but while Biggar had a short period of control when they really threatened the Watsons line and forced their hosts into some stout defence there was not the patience or sustained play which might have led to a score. Cullen was as tricky opponent as one would have expected, his persistence in taking the quick tap eventually paying off as he made a very typical burst from some 15 metres out to score Watsons next try. This gave the Edinburgh outfit the 4 try bonus point with the conversion kicked for 31-10.

A fifth score from Watsons rounded things off.

Biggar: Scot Swankie, Mark Bertram, Andy King, Giles Boland, Jack Warnock, Graeme Hunter, Andrew Watt, Donald Voas, Ewan Stewart, Craig Bachurzewski, Craig Simmons, Michal Mirosa, Jamie Orr, Lewis McLachlan, Douglas Notman Reps: Paul Davidson, Michael Dunlop, McKenzie Pearce, Calum Taylor.