We report from the FOSROC Super6 match at Goldenacre…
Watsonians Rugby's unbeaten start to the FOSROC Super6 2021 season came to an end on Saturday as Heriot's Rugby triumphed 26-8 at Goldenacre.
The sides had met a few weeks ago in a pre-season friendly and that was a tight affair, so this was always going to be a tough away match - and so it proved.
Heriot's started strongly and never really looked back although 'Sonians did pull things back to 10-8 behind early in the second half.
Heriot's got themselves on the scoreboard after just three minutes, a neat team move setting up Captain Ross Jones who burst into the line from full-back to go over for the try. Stand-off Bruce Houston converted.
Houston's penalty then made it 10-0 to Andrew Kelly's men before Fergus Pringle's charges got on the scoresheet in the 20th minute thanks to a penalty from stand-off Marc Morrison.
In a full-blooded affair the half hour mark came and went and it was still 10-3 to the hosts.
That was the way it stayed until the interval, but with Heriot's loosehead prop Andrew Nimmo yellow carded in the 39th minute, 'Sonians knew they had a chance to start the second period strongly against 14 men.
And they did just that, skipper Cal Davies going close to a try before tighthead prop Steven Longwell backed up his score versus the Boroughmuir Bears last week with another. Crucially, Morrison's conversion hit the upright and it was 10-8 to Heriot's.
Just before Heriot's were back to 15 men, they scored a second try while they were shorthanded. It came through centre Robert Kay and when Houston converted it was 17-8, the home side were back to 15 men and had their tails up.
Watsonians then made the first of seven replacements in the last half an hour as they tried to get back into things, but the Heriot's defence stood firm time and time again.
Houston added two more penalties and the first drop goal in Super6 history to make sure that Heriot's won 26-8 and that he was named FOSROC Player of the Match.
For 'Sonians the positives were few and far between, but it was good to see young front-rower Thomas Jeffrey making a debut and the side will no doubt be very keen to bounce back next Friday, August 27 against the Southern Knights at home.
Match stats
Teams:
Heriot's Rugby: Ross Jones (C); Rory McMichael, Robert Kay, Stuart Edwards, James Couper; Bruce Houston, Lloyd Wheeldon; Andrew Nimmo, Michael Liness, Josh Scott, Ronan Seydak, Adam Sinclair, Ruairidh Leishman, Jack McClean, Callum Marshall. Subs: Chris Keen, Duncan Hood, Archie Bogle, Lewis Govenlock, Fraser Hastie, Matt Russell, Alex Ball, Ben Evans.
Watsonians Rugby: Harvey Elms; Lomond Macpherson, Lewis Berg (VC), Dominic Coetzer; Ru Smith; Marc Morrison, Murray Scott; Harrison Courtney, Cal Davies (C), Steven Longwell, Kwagga Van Niekerk, Michael Badenhorst, Luis Ball, Campbell Wilson, Sam Daly. Subs: Ross Graham, Thomas Jeffrey, Matias Sonzogni Argiro, Kieran Watt, Karl Main, Harry Fisher, Reiss Cullen, Scott King.
Scorers:
Heriot's Rugby: Tries: Jones, Kay. Pens: Houston (3). Cons: Houston (2). DG: Houston.
Watsonians Rugby: Try: Longwell. Pen: Morrison.
Referee: Graeme Ormiston.
Words by Gary Heatly
Images by Graham Gaw, more here
Watsonians Rugby’s next game in the FOSROC Super6 is at home to the Southern Knights next Friday, August 27 at 7.30pm
