Blairs back at Academy to help prepare for cup clash

INDOOR facilities and artificial pitches have come to the rescue of all four sides involved in Saturday's Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools Under-18 Cup semi-finals, which are due to be played at Newfield and Colinton.

Edinburgh Academy have had the use of the 4G pitch at Murrayfield but, just as important for them, has been the professional input from two former pupils, Scotland skipper Mike Blair and his brother and fellow Edinburgh player, David. "They have been at three sessions offering their advice and have been brilliant," said Academy coach, Mark Appleson.

For Stewart's-Melville, the indoor cricket centre at Mary Erskine has proved an invaluable resource in snow-covered Edinburgh. Last week, however, Stewart's-Melville were able to train outdoors and this week, in the lead-up to Saturday, they will continue to prepare out of the warmth as they concentrate on what their coach, Chris Spence, terms "organisational matters".

The World of Soccer artificial turf has been of considerable help to George Watson's College ahead of their semi-final against Edinburgh Academy at Newfield. "We trained on the seven-a-side pitches," said Watson's coach, Andrew Ker, whose only outdoor training was at Dunbar on Saturday. "It's a forgiving surface and useful for rugby"

Good though indoor training is, there is no real substitute for live rugby to prepare for a cup semi-final. In which context Merchiston, who host Stewart's-Melville at Colinton on Saturday, in the second of the semi-finals, gained valuable match practice with a hard away game against North Berwick High School on one of the few pitches in Scotland that was playable.

Merchiston won 15-0 after leading 5-0 at half-time with a try from full-back Harry Clark. Both sides attempted to play more expansive rugby in the second half, but it was Merchiston, using the wind to their advantage, who profited with tries by winger Guy Skivington-Jones and stand-off Sam Hidalgo-Clyne.

Prior to the match against North Berwick High School, Merchiston, too, were forced out of the cold, but were fortunate to have the use of Heriot-Watt's excellent indoor facility and were able to work well there in between Hearts and Falkirk's training sessions.

Elsewhere this weekend, Dollar Academy travel to Tayside to take on Dundee High School while, in the west, Hutchesons' Grammar School take on St Columba's school and Glasgow High School are at home to Heriot's.

In the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools Under-15 Cup, Hutchesons' face George Watson's College at Auldhouse while Edinburgh Academy host Stewart's-Melville at Newfield.