Currie 12 - 12 Boroughmuir: Battling ’Muir may yet escape the drop

By GARY HEATLY
Published on 24/12/2012 00:59

BOROUGHMUIR may be bottom at Christmas, but if they ­battle as they did on Saturday for the rest of the RBS Premiership season then they have a chance of escaping relegation.

Scorers: Currie: Tries: Fife 2. Con: Forbes. Boroughmuir: Tries: Scott 2. Con: Warnock.

Although neither side will be delighted with a share of the spoils, it was probably the right result given the ­effort they both put in during dreadful ­conditions at Malleny Park.

Credit too must be given to Ivor Santer and his band of hardy volunteers at Currie who managed to get the pitch ­playable for the 3pm kick-off ­despite lots of overnight rain.

For the first 30 minutes the game was quite open after the rain had stopped for a short spell, but as it returned it made the ball very slippery for the final minutes of the first half and the entire second half. As a result it became more of a battle of ­attrition than a free flowing rugby match, and both sets of forwards will have been nursing a few bumps and bruises for the rest of the weekend.

This will certainly have been the case for the ‘Muir pack who, after Currie had levelled things up at 12-12 in the 61st minute, had to defend for their lives in the last quarter, with the likes of Mike Brown, skipper Andrew Rose and Jamie Swanson ­tackling like demons at times.

They, along with Neil Rodger, showed the hard work that will be needed if ‘Muir are to stay in the top flight.

At the full-time whistle ­Currie head coach Ally Donaldson cut a forlong figure and would have been worrying about ­serious-looking injuries that were sustained by key men ­Fergus Scott and Jamie Forbes.

Certainly, he will want them back in the new year as Currie look to secure a British & Irish Cup place, but they may need to be a bit more clinical in attack to make that ambition a reality.

Early on in this one ‘Muir led 5-0 thanks to a try by second-row Greig Scott, before Currie went 7-5 up after a converted try by winger Dougie Fife.

The visitors took advantage of some sloppy protection of the ball in the 32nd minute, a quick turnover seeing Scott grab his second try of the day as they went in 12-7 up at the interval.

Ten minutes of the second half came and went with Scott in the sin-bin before Fife’s second try made it 12-12 and that was the way it finished.

Currie: J Forbes; A Whittingham, J Johnstone, S James, D Fife; G Hunter, R Snedden; J Cox, F Scott, A Hamilton, G Temple, S Marcel, M Cairns, R Weston, M Peacock. Subs used: B Emslie, J Gray, C Leck, C Van der Westerlo, M Erskine.

Boroughmuir: H Leonard; D Hoyland, K Buchan, S Wilson, S Visser; A Warnock, S Johnson; R Hislop, M Brown, J Latta, G Scott, I Moody, A Rose, J Swanson, N Rodger. Subs used: N Fraser, A MacLeod, C Cusiter.

Referee: D Changleng.