Edinburgh Academy 10-19 Stewart's-Melville: Hagart provides the teenage kicks as Stew-Mel triumph

After two successive defeats in the Brewin Dolphin Schools Under-18 Cup final Stewart's-Melville made it third year lucky with a deserved win over the defending champions, Edinburgh Academy, on the international pitch at Murrayfield yesterday.

Rugby fans at Murrayfield are used to seeing exemplary goal kicking but rarely in schools rugby. Yesterday Stewart's-Melville stand-off, Alex Hagart, voted man of the match, did what Chris Paterson has done so often for Scotland by kicking five goals to steer his side to victory.

But the Stewart's-Melville win was not just about accurate kicking. Perhaps because they had more sixth year boys in their side than Academy, Stewart's-Melville were more physical in the forward battle and more aggressive in defence, earning them the penalties which ultimately were converted into points.

"Alex kicked excellently today, but I thought Accies played really well. They put a lot of phases together and we had to defend resolutely," said Stewart's-Melville coach, Chris Spence, adding: "At the interval I asked the boys to be more physical after the break and I think that's what got us the penalties. We had a bit of luck with a second-half try but I'll take that."

For their part Academy, with scrum-half Alex Glashan lively on the break, will reflect that they won the try count by 2-1 yet still lost the game and for the most part were the more inventive side in attack. "Perhaps we tried to play too much rugby in our own 22," said Academy coach, Mark Appleson, whose consolation is that 11 of his side will be back next year for what can be expected to be another serious Cup challenge.

Stewart's-Melville claimed first points with a 45-metre penalty goal from Hagart. The defending champions, however, hit back effectively first with a clever break by stand-off Alexander Muir and then provided ball for Edinburgh district winger Jamie Farndale to sprint to the line for an unconverted try.

Just before half time Stewart's-Melville struck again through the accurate boot of Hagart to give the Inverleith side a 6-5 advantage. The Stewart's-Melville stand-off was on target again when Academy were penalised for handling in the ruck.

Winning sides seem to attract luck and Stewart's-Melville were no exception. From an over-ambitious handling move by Academy the ball spilled loose and when the ball bounced off a defender and sat up for Adam Greig, the wing was able to cruise in unopposed, Hagart converting for a 16-5 lead.

Academy struck back from the restart with flanker Chris Thomson crashing through several defenders to score an unconverted try. But any thoughts Academy had of a late fightback were crushed with a fourth penalty goal by Hagart.

The Stewart's-Melville fly-half then showed his rugby awareness, tracking back to touch down for a 22m drop-out after Academy had threatened to score with a dangerous kick ahead. Academy made one final attack that ended with Glashan making a dash for the line only to be tackled one metre short, leaving Stewart's-Melville comfortable and worthy winners of the 2010-11 Cup.

Scorers: Edinburgh Academy: Tries: Farndale, Thomson. Stew-Mel: Try: Greig. Con: Hagart. Pens: Hagart 4.

Edinburgh Academy: Scott Heaney; Jamie Farndale, Chris Dean (c), Matthew Zegleman, Freddie Smith, Alexander Muir, Alex Glashan, Josh Haining, Tom Normand, Dan Falkner, David Forbes, Angus Inwood, Chris Thomson, Jamie MacLean, Cameron Simpson. Subs: Chris Allan, Ronan Seydak, Jack Hardie, David November.

Stew-Mel: Murray Black; Adam Greig, David St Clair, Jack Hannay, Leo Bargery; Alex Hagart, Charlie Taylor; Hugh Lindsay, Chris Halliday, Ross Mackintosh, Jonathan Morgan, Andrew St Clair, Max Campbell, Ross Mcphail (c), Justin Duncan.

Referee: L Linton.