Ex-Scotland star heaps praise on red-hot Ash

Published on Monday 26 October 2009 10:23

WHILE Watsonians departed Myreside with a precious four-try bonus point from their 27-42 Scottish Hydro Premiership rugby defeat by Melrose, home centre Ashleah McCulloch, arguably, finished even better off.

The up-and-coming centre earned warm praise from visiting coach Craig Chalmers, who also has a key role to play in developing the Scotland under-20 team in which McCulloch is expected to figure.

"I thought Ashleah McCulloch was outstanding – and Stuart McInally (another 'Sonian under-20 cap at No 8] was pretty good too," he said.

"Ash has good feet and he was always a danger. I was a bit worried about what he could do given space. We were slack in defence at times but, to be fair, McCulloch asked a few questions and we did not have the answers."

It may be said that Chalmers could afford to be magnanimous given his side romped into a 17-0 lead after just 11 minutes and even home coach Bruce Aitchison acknowledged Melrose took their foot off the gas.

But that would be to do less than justice to the patriotism of 1990 grand slam hero Chalmers, who is as keen as anyone to see the next generation emerge. So far as McCulloch is concerned, it could be a case of watch this space.

Clearly, too, Watsonians were generating more front-foot possession than in recent weeks given the way McCulloch was able to orchestrate attacks and he had a direct hand in three of the four 'Sonian tries – by Jonny Pelter (2) and Duncan Finnie.

As for the other, that was a case of McInally picking up and driving round the side of a ruck from 15 metres out, Chalmers admitting: "I thought (No 8] Stuart Johnston had a good game but on that occasion he went in too high to stop Macca."

It's taken a few weeks for medical student McCulloch to settle into rugby life in the Capital after moving from Aberdeen but 'Sonian coach Aitchison reckons a special talent is starting to blossom.

"Ash has been one of those who have probably been a bit below par recently but today he was doing work that was not his to do," he said.

"He was clearing rucks, making great tackles and his work rate was excellent, especially after taking a knock to the head in the opening ten minutes.

"He was certainly a shining light and we gave him a wee bit too much to do by defending so narrowly that he had to do a lot of covering. With ball in hand Ash is so elusive, so sharp. Changing direction at top speed is a particular asset that not many players in Scotland have.

"Now it is a case of managing his abilities because he has the potential to go the whole way to the top."

Another 'Sonian player being 'managed' is flanker Duncan Finnie, who scored the pick of the nine tries overall after coming off the bench.

Finnie is heading to New Zealand to play for Auckland University at the end of this month and Aitchison said: "You wouldn't have thought Duncan was just out of school and when he mentioned he wanted to play abroad I called a contact at Auckland University to ensure he would be going to somewhere guaranteed to bring the best out of him.

"Edinburgh's Roddy Grant has been there and while we are sorry to lose Duncan, in the longer term it will be good for Scottish rugby."

While McCulloch and Finnie have been tracked through school and age-group rugby, substitute 'Sonian full-back Nick Montgomery arrived unheralded from England and against Melrose provided neat touches.

"Nick would have debuted earlier but for sustaining a hernia problem cycling home from training," said Aitchison. "He is unassuming but very keen to learn and while (Melrose flanker] John Dalziel doesn't miss many tackles, Nick got round him once."

'Sonians did go down to a team who scored tries from wingers Calum Anderson (2) and Ben Allen as well as centre James King and stand-off Scott Wight, whose intercept effort in 69 minutes not only concluded the scoring but was the killer blow.

But reasons for optimism were understandable provided they are tinged with realism that this weekend's visit to an increasingly desperate – and winless – Stewart's-Melville is fraught with danger.

Aitchison admitted: "Our visit to Stewart's-Melville is massive but whereas in the past we might have waved the white flag, nowadays we dig in and show a bit of fight."

At one stage, 'Sonians closed the gap from 5-23 to 17-23 and they might even have gone in at half-time ahead.

"I'm not entirely sure how you can have the ball slapped down a yard from their line and not get a penalty try," said Aitchison, recalling how Melrose got off the hook and up to the other end for another try.

It was an untypically sour note perhaps borne out of frustration because, with nine tries, this was a thoroughly entertaining, if slightly error-strewn, contest which reflected credit on the premiership.

Far better 'Sonians eliminate elementary penalties for playing the ball in offside positions after it has been spilled; twice they succumbed to that type of infringement which was a more plausible reason why they did not get back on level terms and in truth, despite some extremely notable cameo displays, they were always chasing after initially flattering to deceive.

Scorers:

Watsonians: Tries: Pelter (2), McInally, Finnie. Cons: Martin (2). Penalty: Martin.

Melrose: Tries: Anderson (2), King, Allen, Wight. Conversions: Wight (4). Pens: Wight (3).

Watsonians: M McKee, G Somerville, A McCulloch, D Brown, M Learmonth, R Martin, J Blackwood, D O'Connell, G Wood, K Coertze, captain, R Dean, T Weizman, J Pelter, S McInally, M Fedo. Subs: G Holmes, N Tunnah, H Grant, D Finnie, N Montgomery.

Melrose: F Thomson, C Anderson, J Murray, J King, B Allen, S Wight, captain, S McCormick, K Cooney, L Gibson, R Higgins, B Runciman, G Elder, J Dalziel, S Johnston, N MacTaggart. Subs: R Ferguson, A Gillie, T Miskelly, C Jackson, A Dodds.

Referee: I Heard (Galashiels).