Edinburgh U-18s get the better of Glasgow

EDINBURGH made a winning start to their campaign in the Scottish Districts Under-18 Championship with a comfortable 17-0 win over Glasgow yesterday in a match which has been switched from Myreside to Dunbar.

The capital youngsters used the ball better to make territorial gains and when in possession showed good handling skills and better continuity than their Glasgow opponents. The reward for Edinburgh was three tries, the first from the Stewart's Melville College hooker George Turner from an interception and the other first-half score from Currie prop Andy Philp from a penalty-created line-out.

Then, in the second half, Edinburgh extended their lead with a short-range try from their North Berwick High School scrum-half Jamie Lauder after back row Lawrie Seydak had made the hard yards, George Watson's College stand-off Scott Mullins adding the conversion.

In the other match, switched from Beveridge Park to Stirling, Caledonia defeated Borders 22-8 after dominating the contact area and showing sharper skills in midfield with straight and incisive running. Borders, however, had the satisfaction of winning the set-piece battle but were unable to capitalise on the resultant possession.

Dollar Academy centre Jamie Urquhart was top points scorer for Caledonia after converting his own try, before kicking a penalty goal and then adding the extra points to a touchdown by Dundee High School prop Struan Cessford. The Reds other try came from the Robert Gordon's College winger, Daniel Usogo.

For Borders, Heriot's centre Stuart Hogg, making a return after injury, kicked a penalty goal and Jed-Thistle No8 Andrew Nagle crossed for his side's only try.

• Stirling County and Currie's young players will be feeling on top of the world this morning after they helped their respective sides win the National under-16 and under-15 Youth Cup finals at Murrayfield yesterday. County saw off Boroughmuir 41-7 in the under-16 match while Currie defeated West of Scotland 24-7 in the under-15s encounter in front of an enthusiastic crowd of over 1500.

Coming ten days after the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools finals night, which drew in a crowd of nearly 6000, it has been a good spell for age-grade rugby.

County, who have produced some great young players in recent seasons, ran in four tries in the first-half to all but secure the under-16 title. Captain Stephen Gillies ran in the first try from the full-back position before back-row Joel Fuentes, who was later named man of the match, went over to make it 12-0. Centre Adam Tunaley and then Gillies again – helped by the boot of stand-off Jack Urquhart – made it 24-0 at the interval.

Credit to Boroughmuir for fighting hard, but in the second- half two more tries were added by County. Winger Brodie Clark and Urquhart were the scorers with the latter adding seven further points with the boot.

'Muir deservedly got on the board late on with a try from Claude Millee.

Meanwhile, earlier in the afternoon, Currie had lifted the under-15 trophy with scrum-half Duncan Swanson leading them to a 24-7 victory over West of Scotland.

The Bowl finals on the back pitches were postponed due to frost at the national stadium.