Ayrshire Bulls 32 - 27 Boroughmuir: Bulls too strong for Bears

Bulls overpowered the Bears to post their first win in the new Fosroc Super 6 competition, and added a bonus point for good measure.

Stafford McDowall scored the opening try for Ayrshire Bulls. Picture: SNS.

The new tier of rugby is still settling down and this game was at times scrappy – but the intensity and physicality once again was a good level up from last season.

Ayrshire Bulls lost No.8 Blair Macpherson to injury in three minutes, but made light of this when Glasgow Warriors’ Rory Hughes fastened on to a neat grubber from fellow Warrior Stafford McDowall for the first try, after just eight minutes, with Frazier Climo converting.

Almost straight from the restart, Boroughmuir Bears were awarded a penalty, quickly tapped by Tom Wilson, who sprinted home from 35 metres, with Gavin Parker converting. The Bears full back then added a penalty to lead 10-7. But, in 28 minute, a superb driving maul by the home pack saw them charge over from outside the Bears 22, with hooker Sam Kitchen getting the touch down and Climo converting.

The home side then made it 19-10 at the break when Tom Lewis finished off a great drive from half-way, with Climo again converting.

Bears cut the deficit through a Parker penalty, but in 56 minutes, Ayr stretched away when a great McDowall break was finished off by Hughes. Climo then added a penalty before, with five minutes left, replacement Graham Geldenhuys grabbed the bonus-point try.

Ayr then seemed to relax, but the Bears kept going and late tries from George Thornton and Kyle McGhie, who converted both, saw the visitors secure a losing bonus point.