Rugby: Hutton is one to watch

Published on Monday 7 December 2009 08:43

Watsonians 13 Heriot's 39

MARK LEE cast a professional eye over the performance of Heriot's colleague Rory Hutton in a 39-13 Scottish Hydro Premiership rugby win at Watsonians and predicted the young stand-off can make the grade at the top level.

Former Scotland Commonwealth Games sevens captain Lee, who has played 15-a-sides for Edinburgh, Borders, London Welsh and Newbury, returned to Heriot's just two matches ago and has been impressed by the quality that spilled out in a match where the eventual scoreline did few favours to an enterprising 'Sonians side.

"Rory Hutton has good vision and he has the ability to exploit that," he said. "He can see a gap and has the ability to go for that as well. It's lovely, for a back row player like me, to play with someone who has the ability to hold up the ball, allowing you to run off him. Also, Rory is skilled at putting the team in the right part of the field and he is definitely one for the future."

Late Scotland captain Pringle Fisher, of Royal High, once attributed many of his 25 caps in the back row to following in the slipstream and carrying on moves created by his highly regarded (but uncapped) club-mate, Jimmy Blake, during the 1960s.

The same thing could be happening at Heriot's, where openside Chris Fusaro was never far from Hutton's shoulder and Myreside perhaps had a glimpse of the Edinburgh Rugby future.

That is not to underestimate the tackling power of Peter Eccles at blindside flanker, however, while 31-year-old Lee's experience showed firstly by using upper body strength to twist in close contact and send over Graham Wilson for the opening try while, later, it was his reverse pass from a back row move that led to Colin Goudie crossing.

Heriot's scored five tries through Goudie (two), Hutton, Wilson and David McCall and Watsonian coach Bruce Aitchison attributed the visitors' superiority to the fact they were coming off two British and Irish Cup ties. "Heriot's have benefited massively from the British and Irish Cup," he said. "It has been a break from the league and the stress that can bring. They have had to raise their performances against pro teams as well as having a chance to bond."

At the same time, Aitchison, whose side notched touchdowns from Michael Fedo and Max Learmonth, was able to temper his disappointment.

"We shot ourselves in the foot at times but there were positives as well," he said. "Michael Fedo was outstanding with his high work rate including when he had to switch from flanker to the wing because of injuries, Harris Grant tackled his heart out and Mark Rennie is so talented at the line-out.

"We also had Niall Dennis make a debut in the back row under a dual registration scheme involving Murrayfield Wanderers and he fitted in well."

Watsonians never looked more dangerous than when Jamie Blackwood was getting up into the threequarter line while Gregor Wood carried ball well and Dougie Brown looked more like the Scottish club international centre he is than of late. Aitchison's point about foot shooting was well made and perfectly illustrated by an incident at 0-10 approaching half time when Mike Ker took a tap penalty and fed out, only for possession to be carelessly spilled under the Heriot's posts.

By contrast, a similar act of spontaneity by Graham Wilson in front of the Watsonian posts led to the score by Hutton that virtually sealed victory after 63 minutes.

Heriot's coach Bob McKillop said: "We had an intensity and physicality that wasn't there before playing in the B & I Cup."

Fusaro, Hutton and Lee provided a solid core and McKillop, whose side led 13-5 at the interval, added: "Having these three involved has allowed others like Alan Dymock and Max Nimmo, who have been thoroughly dependable all season, to express themselves more. As for Chris Fusaro, he was all-action while Hutton made a couple of tries through being very smart and intelligent."

Scorers: Watsonians: Tries: Fedo, Learmonth. Penalty: Ker. Heriot's: Tries: Goudie (2), McCall, Hutton, Wilson. Conversions: Wilson (4). Penalties: Wilson (2).

Watsonians: J Blackwood, M Learmonth, D Brown, A McCulloch, C Sorbie, M Ker, P Lafayeedney, K Coertze, captain, G Wood, G Holmes, M Rennie, T Weizman, H Grant, N Dennis, M Fedo. Subs: D O'Connell, N Yunnah, C Masson, J Pelter, G Somerville.

Heriot's: N Alston, C Goudie, D McCall, R Mill, M Nimmo, R Hutton, G Wilson, captain, A Dymock, D Mason, W Blacklock, P O'Connor, M Reid, P Eccles, M Lee, C Fusaro. Subs: J-P Ward, J Syme, R Tran, J Alston, K Bryce.