Schools rugby: Watson's continue flying start with win over Newcastle visitors

George Watson's College continued what has been an impressive start to the season by extending their winning sequence to three after achieving a laudable 28-10 victory over Royal Grammar School, Newcastle at Myreside on Saturday.

Stand-off Andrew McMillan scored 13 of Watson's points with four conversion goals and a try, the other touchdowns coming from prop Max Johnston, winger Dominic Johnson, and centre Ramsay Young (13). Cup holders Edinburgh Academy made a winning start to their season with a 20-10 victory over Dollar Academy at Newfield. In an exciting game Edinburgh Academy's new skipper Chris Dean scored the decisive try five minutes before full time.

Elsewhere in the capital, Merchiston were too strong for a Stewart's-Melville College side that is rebuilding following the success of last year's team, to emerge 35-8 winners. College's only try coming from scrum half Charlie Taylor. For Merchiston, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne was their top scorer with a 20-point tally.

The result puts Merchiston back on a winning track after their derailment last week by Stirling County U18s at Bridgehaugh in a 31-7 defeat. Stirling's win was their second against an Edinburgh school side, the Bridgehaugh side having defeated Stewart's-Melville earlier in the season.

This Saturday Merchiston play Loretto, who beat Fettes 22-21.

Stirling and Howe of Fife have actively sought fixtures against school sides to provide a competitive season, but with mixed responses. A spokesman for Stirling's youth section said: "We were very keen on the combined schools and clubs league that was proposed, but the big private schools wouldn't join up. If you look at the SRU website under Youth you'll see we're marketing for fixtures, under lights midweek, so not disrupting the traditional schools fixtures.

"The Caley/Midland league is not strong enough and not fair on these clubs to keep playing us and getting cricket scores, so we're pushing our top U18s (Scotland or Caley region players) into the senior set up when we can for games".

Schools counter that they need fixtures across the board from first XV to first year and that Saturday mornings generally don't suit clubs. But, with an elite of schools and a similar sized elite in clubs emerging it seems that schools/club competition cannot be far away.

Meanwhile, in the Brewin Dolphin Cup, George Heriot's School, travel to Perthshire tomorrow for their first round game against Glenalmond. On Saturday Heriot's will play Stewart's-Melville who face Royal High School in the Cup tomorrow.