Ayr 'the pride of Scotland' as they make cup history

Head coach Kenny Murray, mastermind behind Ayr becoming the first Scottish club to qualify for the last eight of the British & Irish Cup, has agreed to remain in charge for a further two years.

Murray, one of the most-sought-after young coaches in the game, had been coveted by some big city clubs but, after Ayr's 23-17 win, he said: "I'm staying for two more years.

"I think we showed today we can compete at this level and with our exciting young players such as Robbie Fergusson, who will be back in class at Wellington School on Monday morning, maturing in the heat of B&I battle, I want to stay."

Murray's decision to remain with Ayr was welcomed by Director of Rugby Jock Craig, who said: "Today is one of the best days I've enjoyed in my 50 years at Millbrae and I am delighted that such a talented young coach as Kenny believes there is more to come".

Club president Billy McHarg also welcomed Murray's decision: "(It is] a very positive signal of our continued ambition to take this club forward."

Murray said his side were the "pride of Scottish rugby" after beating the full-time pros of Doncaster. Now they must turn their attention to a quarter-final against Bristol.

The coach declared: "I am thrilled at the way the guys have done Scottish rugby proud. We have played three sides from the English Championship and come away unbeaten - that is quite an achievement.

"We knew that they would give us a really tough time and in the opening minutes. If we had not kept our focus and held our nerve, they could have got behind our defence and they would have made it very difficult.

"As it was, we took the game to them, they started to lose control and we knew that, if we kept our concentration, we could win. Our first-half performance was as good as it gets and the way we showed maturity and control and got so far ahead meant that, when the legs started to go late on, we still had that margin and in the end it was enough."

Knights coach Lynn Howells, - the former Edinburgh coach - had no complaints. He said: "Ayr were very good, just as we knew they would be." Ayr dominated the exchanges before the break and were well worth their clear-cut lead. Mark Stewart made the initial breakthrough before Damian Kelly and Ross Curle added to the try tally. Curle also slotted a conversion, while Christian Lewis-Pratt replied with a penalty.Curle was back in the limelight to add two more pinpoint kicks to close out the Yorkshiremen, who created touchdowns for Ed Jackson and Lewis-Pratt, who goaled them both.

Bristol, meanwhile, went within a whisker of being shocked by Melrose at the Greenyards. The visitors had appeared to be romping to an easy win when they opened up a 19-point interval advantage - and ended up shading it by only 29-26.

The Melrose tries were snapped up by Graham Dodds (2), John Dalziel and Calum Anderson, with Craig Jackson kicking the rest of the points.

Tony Elliot, John Montague, George Watkins and Wayne Thomson pounced for the Bristol scores, Ed Barnes adding the boot points.

Currie's hopes of breaking their tournament duck were shattered at Plymouth as Albion snatched three tries in four minutes to set up a 33-27 success.

Aaron Carpenter, Steve Johns and Tom Kessell went over to give them a 21-0 platform.

But Currie came back and close the gap to 14 at the break with a converted try from Matt Scott.

After the break, they got to within four points with a Mike Entwhistle touchdown and a conversion and penalty from Hayden Abercrombie. Albion, though, added a fourth try through Wayne Sprangle, before an Andy Turnbull try and two kicks by Abercrombie gave Currie fresh impetus. But when Steve Johns went over for the hosts, the Currie challenge was over.

In the Premiership, Edinburgh Accies outgunned Aberdeen GR 20-15 at Raeburn Place to make sure of a return to the top flight. Ruaridh Bonner emerged as the star turn with a try and a series of accurate kicks, the other score coming from Zerzo Ngubani. The Dons can still also earn promotion if future results go their way.

Hawick's revival continued as they pulled off a 25-23 success at the expense of Dundee HSFP at Mayfield. Rory Hutton was the destroyer-in-chief with a try and a spate of points from the boot, while Ryan Hogg and Neil McCombe also broke through.

The home efforts came from Lindsay Graham and Danny Levison, with Jamie Urquhart and Rick McKenna sharing the kicking spoils.

Selkirk hit peak form to snuff out the challenge of West of Scotland by 33-24 at Philliphaugh. Rory Aglen, Darren Clapperton, Fraser Harkness, Ross Nixon and David Cassidy claimed the hosts' tries, Cassidy also converting four.

The West counters came from Mark Davis, Calum Morrison, Matt Horner and Calum McKenzie, with Conor Davis finding the target twice.

In the Premier Cup, Boroughmuir surged to a 37-6 win at Peebles.