Brave Heriot's show cup's worth

Published on Monday 5 May 2008 10:36

HONEST Jim Thompson highlighted a key factor in his Heriot's side's gallant bid to overhaul Melrose from 0-31 in the closing half hour of the Scottish Hydro Electric National Cup Final.

Despite their four-try surge, Heriot's lost out 24-31. Afterwards, Edinburgh Rugby apprentice Thompson volunteered that the victors stand-off, Scott Wight, was worthy of his man-of-the-match nomination.

Nine years ago, a young Borderer came to Murrayfield and gave a virtuoso performance from stand-off in a Cup Final win. His name? Chris Paterson.

It remains to be seen if Wight, at 22-years-old and with a trade in joinery to fall back on develops the same way, albeit from a slightly later stage.

But Thompson insisted: "I thought Scott Wight controlled the game very well. He is a very good player."

Well it takes one to know one, as they say.

Certainly Thompson, 23, ended the game probably the closest of all 44 players on view – seven subs per side were permitted – to using the showpiece event to play his way into a Celtic League debut.

Here Thompson is adamant that despite moves in some quarters to disband the Cup, the tournament should remain.

Acknowledging first of all his own aspirations, he said: "It would be nice to use the Cup Final as a springboard into the Edinburgh side.

"All of us at Heriot's are looking forward to testing ourselves next season," he added, and that means in a national knock-out cup.

Thompson remarked: "I would be very disappointed if the Scottish Cup were to be scrapped.

"It is great for the clubs to have something to aim for once they are out of the title race. Fresh motivation comes from having the Cup and it is a chance for amateur players to play at Murrayfield.

"A crowd of nearly 6000 turned up and that is more that a lot of the players in the Final will have experienced.

"I would definitely say keep the Cup going."

Such sentiments struck a chord in the Melrose camp, where coach Craig Chalmers said: "I can understand what people are saying about (too much] travelling for the Cup.

"(Surely] they could regionalise the qualifying or something like that.

"It has a place in Scottish rugby."

Equally forthright was the magnanimous Chalmers' view that the thrilling comeback based on tries by Cammy Goodall, Innes Brown, Oliver Brown and Thompson owed more to Capital inspiration than Border subsidence.

"Full credit to Heriot's who came back well in the second half," he said.

"When you are so many points up it is always difficult and in the second half we gave the ball away too cheaply.

"But Heriot's were always going to come back and get some well deserved tries."

One view was that the training regime of a full-timer like Thompson, coupled with the conditioning advice available to national sevens squad ace Chris Fusaro and prop Innes Brown, who has represented Edinburgh, began to take its toll.

According to Jim Thompson the comeback was a mainly a matter of pride.

"Our whole team showed that when we got ourselves together Melrose were off their feet late in the second half."

To put matters into perspective, there were still some 32 potentially painful minutes remaining and Heriot's were down by 0-32 when one supporter's cry of "c'mon, show some fight" filled the air.

And show some fight they did, although the damage had been done with the chance to play in front of a crowd larger in numbers than in 2007 – something of a mixed blessing, apparently.

"We were rabbits trapped in headlights through that first half and it could have been down to the occasion," admitted Thompson. His sportsmanship shone through again when he said: "We didn't settle but, at the same time, Melrose kicked well and read our miss-moves in midfield well.

"At half time we said things like pull the finger out, start playing and let's get our of our shells.

"Once we finally started sticking to our game-plan they couldn't live with us."

Acknowledging some mixed emotions that Heriot's resolve enabled them to do themselves justice, the bottom line according to Thompson – whose cousin, Rory Lawson, captained Heriot's to cup glory in 2003 en route to Scotland caps – was that they came up short.

"If we had played throughout like we did in the second half we would have won. Simple as that. Frustration stems from there."

At least Thompson had a try to show for his endeavours, which represented another milestone in the career of the player, who is also the son of racing commentator Derek Thompson and grandson of commentary great Bill McLaren.

Thompson junior had made his only previous appearance at Murrayfield for Royal High colts in a youth cup final.

His touchdown came right at the end and brought the curtain down on proceedings which had begun in circumstances that could not have been more contrasting, as it was Melrose who had made the early running almost exclusively.

The Capital punishment began to be meted out when Jordan Macey went over in six minutes and by the interval others had been added by Derek Whiteford, Callum Anderson and Wayne Mitchell. Scott Wight had added all four conversions as a prelude to a penalty which launched the second half.

Shortly afterward came the turnaround, sparked by steady full back Colin Goudi. He created an opening for the 6ft 2in, 14st 13lb Cammy Goodall to charge through.

Cue further strikes from Innes Brown and Oliver Brown from strong forward surges, with Graham Wilson converting both before his piece-de-resistance – the touchline counter when Thompson went over.

In truth, Thompson's try was too late to have a meaningful influence, though it would have garnered a losing bonus point for finishing within a single score had this been a Premiership clash.

Reality also suggests that it was only Melrose's tie to lose from a long way out, especially given a key line-out edge, and they could have closed the game up if necessary – or could they, in this year of sporting upsets across the board?

Such is the beauty of knock-out competitions, the likes of which Scottish rugby will sacrifice at its peril.

In current circumstances, maybe that was the most vibrant message to come out of Murrayfield. If Heriot's achieved anything with their bravery, it wasn't that they just helped grant the Cup a stay of execution – they gave it a brighter future too.

Porty's Sinclair urges clubs to vote in favour of retaining cups

PORTOBELLO secretary Barry Sinclair has urged fellow clubs to vote against scrapping cup competitions after his own club savoured their day at Murrayfield, despite losing out 27-21 to Aberdeen University in a pulsating Scottish Hydro Electric Plate final, writes COLIN RENTON.

Reflecting on a game that saw Porty concede three tries in the opening quarter before battling back to come within a whisker of snatching the silverware, Sinclair said, "It didn't finish the way we might have wanted but it was a cracking game of rugby from start to finish."

He added: "We gave away too many points early on. That's been the story of our season. We've made it difficult for ourselves all the way through."

After battling back from the quickfire treble by the students, Porty trailed 22-16 at the break, with Chris Davis touching down and Chris Thomas converting then slotting two penalties and a drop goal.

Porty had to survive with only 14 men for a ten-minute spell after their skipper Ed Henderson was yellow carded and, shortly after his return, Graham Porteous dragged the Capital men to within a point with his side's second try.

However, the students rallied and sealed the silverware with a late try that ended a contest which had offered a cracking start to the day's proceedings.

"We've contributed to a smashing atmosphere" said Sinclair, who had his birthday celebrations dampened by the outcome. "It will make for an interesting debate at the AGM whether cups stay or go.

"I just hope they make the correct decision. I hope they take notice of what the players want – they want to come here and have their day."