Club rugby preview

Ayr v Hawick

Venue: Millbrae.

Key clash: Blair Macpherson v Barrie Keown.

Ayr coach Kenny Murray has recalled wing Cammy Taylor for Sylvan Diez and Blair McPherson, the talented lock, for Josh Dunning. Stuart Fenwick will start at loosehead prop if he passes a fitness test. Only Greg Cottrell keeps the same jersey in the Hawick back-line after last week’s heavy defeat to Currie. Rory Hutton is back from Australia and starts at ten and Neil Renwick moving to full-back, while hooker Hugh Scammell wins an opportunity in the pack.

Ayr

G Anderson; S Manning, R Dalgleish, M Stewart (capt), C Taylor; R Ferguson, AJ MacFarlane; S Fenwick, H Wisnewski, G Sykes, B McPherson, C White, J Willis, A Dunlop, G Fisken. Subs: S Fenwick, C Davidson, R Doneghan, S Diez, M McConnell.

Hawick

N Renwick; G Desport, G Johnstone, G Hogg, C Russell; R Hutton, G Cottrell; R Sutherland, H Scammell, S Linton, B Keown, K Davies, N Mactaggart, D Landels, B McNeil (capt). Subs: L Gibson, S Graham, J Tinlin, C Ritson, S Anderson

Currie v Stirling County Venue: Malleny Park.

Key clash: Chris Leck v Sean Kennedy.

Currie are missing Colin Phillips, Adam Best, Ross Weston and Richard Snedden to injury, but Andy Adam, Steve Burton and Malcolm Peacock return and Edinburgh scrum-half Chris Leck steps in to the back line. Unsurprisingly, County coach Eddie Pollock sticks with the same line-up that held on at Bridgehaugh last week for a great win over then league-leaders Melrose and will hope that a good away performance ends with their expected security among the top eight.

Currie

J Forbes; B Mansfield, D Fife, A MacMahon, D Smith; A Binikos, C Leck; J Cox, F Scott, R Merriless, A Adam, G Temple, S Burton, M Entwhistle, M Cairns (capt). Subs: B Elmslie, N Scobie, S Marcell, M Peacock, A Whittingham.

Stirling County

B Addison; G Lindsay, D Gilmour, B Archibald, R Aitken; S Edwards, S Kennedy; M McDonald, A Moffat (capt), G Mountford, C Deacons, R McAlpine, T Clarke, R Boswell, S Swindall. Subs: J Graham, C Hutton, R Leishman, S Robertson, M Doneghan.

Gala v Aberdeen GSFP

Venue: Netherdale.

Key clash: Opeta Palepoi v Murray Douglas.

Summer signing Craig Borthwick comes into Gala’s side at inside centre, while Edinburgh pros Jack Gilding and Gregor Hunter come onto the bench, but Alex Duncan makes seven changes to last week’s winning side, Glasgow centre Alex Dunbar joined by props Nicki Fraser and Richard Allen, openside Tony McGuiness, half-backs Morgan Ward and Rob Aloe and wing Apelu Alapati in stepping into the starting XV.

Gala

B Turner; S Law, C Auld, C Borthwick, C Robertson; L Millar, G Graham; L Bertram, R Anderson, E McQuillin, C Weir, O Palepoi, D Marshall, G Lowrie, E Dods. Subs: J Gilding, G Lowrie, G Hunter, A McLean, A Emond.

Aberdeen GSFP

S Aitken; C Anderson, W Wardlaw, A Dunbar, A Alapati; R Aloe, M Ward; N Fraser, S O’Connor, R Allen, E Nimmons, M Douglas (capt), S Warnock, T McGuiness, G Ryan. Subs: C McConnachie, S Bingham, R Barrie, E Oag, R Lawson.

Glasgow Hawks v Dundee HSFP

Venue: Old Anniesland.

Key clash: Neil Dymock v George Hunter.

Visiting coach Ian Rankin sticks with a winning XV but Hawks make many changes as they gear up for the looming play-off battle to avoid relegation. Only Dylan Karaitiana at stand-off and centre Michael Martin keep their places in the back line, Peter Jericevich going to full-back, Glasgow’s Dave McCall stepping in and Kerr Gossman returning to the wing. Up front, Paul Henderson, Eric Milligan, Rory Hamilton and Steven Leckie all come into the starting line-up.

Glasgow Hawks

P Jericevich; R Hughes, D McCall, M Martin, K Gossman; D Karaitiana, K Hamilton; P Henderson, E Milligan, G Hunter, N Campbell, R Hamilton, A Barbieri, S Leckie, G Strang. Subs: C Taylor, S Findlay, R McKay, R Miller, G Macdonald.

Dundee HSFP

C Wyper; A McLean, R Lavery, H Duthie, J Fleming; C Brown, A Dymock; N Dymock (captain), S Forrest, A Brown, R Hawkins, A Linton, C Cumming, R McIver, D Levison. Subs: D Russell, G Robertson, A Redmayne, R Pitman, T Seabala.

Heriot’s v Boroughmuir

Venue: Goldenacre.

Key clash: Gregor Lawson v Sep Visser.

In an effort to find that elusive win, Heriot’s return to the ever-youthful Gregor Lawson at full-back with Colin Goudie moving to the wing. Struan Cessford steps in at tighthead. ’Muir were delighted to see fly-half Harry Leonard move into the Edinburgh team, and so Ally Warnock reverts back to stand-off for them and Sep Visser to full-back with Ross Bradford in on the wing. Prop Robin Hislop has a back niggle and is replaced by Nick Fraser.

Heriot’s

G Lawson; C Goudie, C Ferguson, J Kohn, M Learmonth; S Hidalgo Clyne, G Wilson; A Dymock, K Bryce, S Cameron, R Martin, M Reid, R Cessford, F Brown, J Hill. Subs: G Cameron, S Mustard, R Wilson, M Nimmo, A Scott.

Boroughmuir

S Visser; R Bradford, S Wilson, M Hare, J Webster; A Warnock, S Johnson; N Fraser, S Crombie, B Blair, G Scott, A Davidson, M Harvey, A Rose, I Moody. Subs: C Mackintosh, J Latta, J Swanson, D Gordon, R Cairns.

Melrose v Edinburgh Accies

Venue: Greenyards.

Key clash: Robin Snape v Ross Miller.

Melrose start pros James King and Scott Wight, while Scott McCormick takes over from Bruce Colvine at scrum-half, and up front Edinburgh elite development hooker Alun Walker replaces Richard Ferguson, Gary Elder and Ross Miller revert to the second row, and Graham Dodds returns at No 8. After losing to Gala, Accies call in Jamie Farndale, Paul Suiter and Tom Stuart, Andy Lamb replaces James Taggart (work commitments) and Robin Snape returns from injury.

Melrose

F Thomson; A Dodds, J Murray, J King, J Helps; S Wight, S McCormick; C Keen, A Walker, N Beavon, G Elder, R Miller, S Johnston, G Dodds, G Runciman. Subs: R Ferguson, R McLeod, R Ovens, A Skeen, C Murray.

Edin Accies

J Sole; J Farndale, P Suiter, I Berthinussen, J Knight; R Bonner, M Campbell; D Morrison, A Kelly, L Niven, G Campbell, R Snape, D Teague (capt), A Lamb, T Stuart. Subs: M Liness, K Blyth, T Drennan, J Taggart, E Bonner.A