Edinburgh Accies unchanged for Aberdeen

EDINBURGH Accies are standing by the team which went down 22-11 at leaders Ayr for a home clash with Aberdeen tomorrow which can preserve their Premiership rugby status.

While a top-four slot and a British and Irish Cup place are very much within Accies’ grasp, such is the competitive nature of things that relegation remains a possibility and avoiding the drop is coach Simon Cross’s priority.

Announcing an unchanged line-up, Cross said: “Two incredibly tough tests over the past couple of weeks have geared us for this winner-stays-up clash. The win in Melrose provided real confidence and if we had managed to breach the Ayr defence at 11-15 things could have been very different.”

Sitting on a bench full of quality will be ex-Under-20 cap Tom Drennan as well as former ­Edinburgh pro Alex Blair, while Russell Laughland is among Accies’ standbys for the first time. It’s Currie’s turn to visit Ayr and their prospects are helped by Edinburgh releasing stand-off Gregor Hunter in a move that allows Jamie Forbes to ­revert to full back.

Coach Ally Donaldson, who leaves a vacancy at hooker, says: “An away trip to the top of the league team who have to win their last two matches for the title is a daunting challenge.

“Ayr have strength throughout and are not top by accident.

“We will need to rectify some of the needless errors from last week [when losing at home to Stirling] to even be competitive.”

At Goldenacre, bottom placed Boroughmuir will be battling for survival against Heriot’s with a team showing only one change with prop Kian Coertze taking over from Jonny Latta.

Heriot’s have sevens cap Mike Maltman in their line-up for the first time this season in a move that sees Fraser Brown move to open side flanker.

National league Watsonians hope to arrest a five-match losing streak at home to Kelso in a match kicking off at 2pm.