Rugby: Smith tips 'Muir for strong finish after Stew-Mel result

Published on Monday 8 March 2010 08:56

BOROUGHMUIR assistant coach Phil Smith believes the Meggetland men can use Saturday's win over Capital rivals Stewart's-Melville to launch a strong finish to the season.

'Muir virtually assured their Scottish Hydro Premiership top-flight safety with the convincing 38-3 success. And, by the end of the week, they may also have booked a place in the last eight of the Premier Cup competition.

Having progressed at the expense of Kirkcaldy after the Fifers were thrown out of the competition for failing to fulfil the much-postponed tie, they face a trip to meet Cartha Queens Park tomorrow night when a win would book a clash with Perthshire on Saturday. With an eye on a potentially busy week, Smith and his head coach Fergus Pringle gave several players a run in the second half of Saturday's encounter.

"We won't have all our personnel available," he explained. "Some are not available Tuesday and some are not available Saturday if we go through."

With that in mind, the visitors shuffled their team once victory was assured. The win was effectively sealed by half time, with the bonus point achieved and little evidence that Stew-Mel were capable of mounting a fightback.

However, Smith conceded that, while his side have continued to progress, they still have some way to go if they are to mount a serious challenge in the knockout competition. "It still feels like a new team," he said. "If you look at our back row, for example, it's like a new unit, especially with Euan Matheson just coming back.

The first of 'Muir's six tries was a penalty award in seven minutes after the hosts, with flanker Andrew Fraser already in the sin bin for killing the ball, illegally halted a 'Muir surge from a close-range scrum.

Graeme Blackhall converted and did so again after No.8 Jamie Doubleday extended his recent scoring run when he emerged from a heap of bodies to claim number two and, although Stuart Ker trimmed the deficit with a penalty, skipper Matheson kept the scoreboard ticking over when he touched down after another powerful surge by the dominant 'Muir pack.

And they secured the bonus point that could be the key to their survival when Tom Bury was involved in a break up the right flank then reappeared on the left to act as link man when the recycled ball was shipped left to send Rob Cairns in at the corner.

Cairns offered further evidence of his pace early in the second half to shred the home defence before freeing Calum Cusiter for try number five, and Ed Mills completed the win when he powered his way over for try number six. Blackhall concluded the scoring when he stroked over his fourth conversion of the afternoon.

To their credit, the home side refused to capitulate and there was no further scoring in the final quarter of Stew-Mel's final home league game of the season.

They will complete their campaign away to Selkirk later this month but could have a further outing at Inverleith if they can see off Ayr in the cup on Saturday.

Their coach Graeme Moffat will head for Canada to take over as director of rugby with Calgary Hornets, where he will have responsibility for rugby across all age groups.

Moffat, who already has a spell playing in Canada on his rugby CV, was offered the job last year but opted to remain at Stew-Mel to sample life in the premiership top flight. He admits the season has been difficult, with an instant return to Division Two the outcome.

But he believes the club has progressed during his period at the helm.

"It's difficult to say that we are better than we were when I came but I do feel that we have moved on in some areas," said Moffat. "We have a lot of good young players who have worked their way into the team."

Moffat sees the move as a chance to develop his coaching career, believing that Canada offers greater opportunity than a system which stifles ambition through having only two professional teams.

"I'll be going out in five weeks and our first league game is in May," he explained. "It's difficult when there are so few coaching jobs in Scotland. I would hope that I can gain some experience at club level and then possibly become involved with Canada at Under-18 or Under-19 level and push through that way."

Scorers:

Stewart's-Melville: Pen: Ker.

Boroughmuir: Tries: Penalty try, Doubleday, Matheson, Cairns, Cusiter, Mills. Cons: Blackhall (4).

Stewart's-Melville: R Borthwick, M Doneghan, H Lingard, C Marshall, C Williams, R Grant, S Ker, J Charles, S Blackwood, A Statham, J Robertson, A Lean, A Fraser, F Lamont, B Tweedie. Subs used: A Duncan, C Mackintosh, R Primrose, A Cox.

Boroughmuir: E Mills, R Cairns, M Clapperton, J Fish, T Bury, G Blackhall, C Cusiter, F Lait, S McMurchy, B Ross, N Patrick, G Scott, E Matheson, P Cronin, J Doubleday. Subs used: N Fraser, J Va'a, M Stalley, M Hare, S McGee.

Referee: A Taylorson (RFU).