Bill Lothian: It doesn’t come bigger than Biggar for Sonians

They meet Biggar at Myreside (2.00pm) knowing victory is required to be sure of a top-four place that would put them in Premiership B for the second half of this season alongside the bottom four in the current top flight.

From there two teams eventually go forward to contest a ten-team league which is where it might just start to get ground-breaking were Scotland to follow the example of Wales in setting up a semi-professional second tier.

Clubs have to apply for the Principality League and require an ‘A’ licence based on facilities, results over the last six years, rugby development, business plans etc. There will be no automatic promotion or relegation and ‘A’ status will be based on an annual audit.

The ten clubs will be linked to the Performance element, i.e their four regional Pro sides, and given substantial investment. Mike Dalgety, Melrose director of rugby, believes that could be £250-300k each.

Rugby in Brewster’s DNA

How do you follow a rugby dad who represented Scotland in two positions?

In the case of Scott Brewster, whose father, Alex, shared in the 1986 rout of England by 33-6, satisfaction comes with captaining Stewart’s Melville on a rampage up the leagues for the past season and a half.

OK, Scott, a 28-year-old accountant, would have chosen a different scenario for his 100th club appearance than a first defeat of the current campaign at Watsonians on Saturday.

But in true family tradition the burly second row is able to see positives.

“At least we have had a reminder about how bad it feels to lose,” said Scott whose team qualified for Premier B with a bit to spare and are now just seven outings away from the club elite.

Aironi’s George McBiagi

A TRIP to Aironi for Glasgow’s professional team on Saturday might afford a bit of talent spotting on behalf of the Scottish national side – and not in the visiting ranks either.

Regular at second row for the Italians has been George Biagi, 26, who was educated at Fettes College, Edinburgh, and born in Irvine.

Adding to the tartan connection, Biagi’s uncle, Willie Gibson, is an SNP councillor in North Ayrshire!

Try chart

Stirling County captain Alex Moffat scored a brace at Currie to move up the Premiership try stakes.

Top try scorers: 11 – Barry Mansfield (Currie); 7 – Grant Anderson (Ayr), Mike Entwhistle (Currie), Alex Moffat (Stirling Co); 6 – Sep Visser, Sean Crombie (both Boroughmuir), Will Wardlaw, Erland Oag (both Aberdeen); 5 – Jake Knight (Edin Accs), Andrew Skeen (Melrose), Fraser Thomson (Melrose); 4 – John Cox (Currie), Greg Campbell (Edin Accs), Euan Dods (Gala), Cammy Wyper (Dundee), Tom Steven (Hawks), Bruce Colvine, Alan Dodds (both Melrose), Kevin Davies (Hawick), Opeta Palepoi (Gala), Stuart Edwards (Stirling Co), Robbie Fergusson (Ayr).

I’ll be Grudged on looks

Now that Tom English’s award winning book The Grudge telling the story of Scotland’s victorious 1990 grand slam decider with England is to become a film, who should play the parts of individual players?

I asked one team member and, as he pondered options . . . “Robert de Niro, Brad Pitt etc, etc”, a by-stander could not resist: “How about Shrek?” Of course, I am sworn to the player’s secrecy!

Quote of the Week

“Confronted by an All Black haka teams should hold up boards as in ice skating and mark their dance out of 10 for artistic impression”

Caller to BBC5 live rightly outrage by the fine imposed by the IRB on France