Currie Chieftains 19 - 5 Edinburgh Accies: Currie secure play-off spot

Currie and Edinburgh Accies battle it out. Pic: Greg Macvean

But it was a victory that felt more like a defeat because Currie lost home advantage in the semi-final, pipped by Heriot’s who will now welcome them to Goldenacre.

However, Currie are the only non-Super 6 club in contention for the 2018-19 Premiership title and would dearly love to have their name go down in history before years of rugby tradition is up-ended to accommodate the new structure.

But they won’t win the title on the evidence of this edgy, anxious performance.

Accies have won only two games all season but the saving grace is the advent of Super 6 means relegation is suspended.

The kick-off coincided with a sudden downpour and Currie quickly showed their title-chasing mindset by passing on an easy penalty under the posts and taking a scrum instead. No 8 Scott McGinley picked from the back of it to crash over for the opening score. Stand-off Gregor Hunter converted.

Accies persevered and when centre Robbie Kent made a clean break in the middle the loose ball was hacked forward for Scotland 7s squad member Mungo Mason to scoop up and dive over. Stand-off David Mill’s conversion attempt into the wind sailed wide.

Accies’ runners kept finding gaps and Currie’s poor handling of the slippery ball knocked all the momentum out of attacking moves but Accies couldn’t profit. Territory was best won by strategic kicking and from one lineout inside the visitors’ 22 the passing was slick enough to allow Hunter to slide in for the try and then convert it himself. Deep into first-half injury time a lineout inside the Accies 22 at the other side of the pitch became a formidable rolling maul heading for the line that was then pulled up for a careless knock-on.

After the break the run of play mostly bunched up in the Accies half and Chieftains carried the greater threat despite the handling errors.

It was a frustrating afternoon for Currie as Accies’ defenders refused to give an inch and move after plays broke down within touching distance of the line.

Inside the final quarter, Accies managed to travel upfield and win a lineout ten metres from the line. It was Currie’s turn to defend and for the frustration to be on Accies part.

The game was held up for several minutes for an injury to Accies replacement Mark Sinclair before a final flourish by Currie then produced a third try for centre Robbie Nelson.

They then decided to try a drop kick instead of a conversion in the hope of having time to snatch a bonus-point try, but time ran out.