Marr already relishing Tennent's Premiership title defence - 'club rugby in a great place'

With the celebrations of Saturday’s impressive Tennent’s Premiership play-off victory barely having subsided, Marr coach Craig Redpath is already relishing the launch of his side’s title defence next season.

Marr RFC players celebrate with the Tennents Premiership trophy after defeating Currie Chieftains in the play-off final at Mallery Park.

Several of the squad that triumphed at Malleny Park with a 36-25 win over Currie Chieftans will now bow out, but Redpath is confident that he has able replacements ready to step up. He admits that rising standards at all top flight clubs will make it a tough task to retain the trophy, pointing to the knockout phase of the competition as evidence of the grassroots game’s good health.

“The last two weeks’ games have been at a different level than we’ve played in the Premiership. We just have to hope that it continues that way”, Redpath said. “It will be tougher again next season because I think more teams will be better. The Covid thing was really difficult for all clubs, but I think club rugby is in a great position.”

Redpath was delighted that his men had finally produced the 80 minute performance which had eluded them throughout the regular season.

“I thought we were physically very good and I felt we could score when we got near them – I think both teams could say that. I’m just delighted with how we performed. I knew it was coming”, he added.

Tries from Blair Jardine, Brandon Sweet, Fraser Grant, Craig Miller, and Colin Sturgeon, who also booted four conversions and a penalty made Marr worthy winners, with Cairn Ramsay, Joe Reynolds and Ryan Daley touching down for Chieftains, while Sam Leto and Reynolds shared the kicking duties to contribute the other points.

It was a tricky day for Chieftains, whose coaching team were struck down with Covid, leaving experienced player Gregor Hunter to fill the breach on the touchline. The injured stand-off was magnanimous in defeat, saying, “The coaches have done loads of prep up to this point anyway and the players were ready. It didn’t really impact us too much.

“Full credit to Marr, I thought they were really good with the ball in hand, a really strong forward pack and their defence was really solid.”

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