Borders’ Southern Knights notch up first win of rugby season away to Heriot's

The Borderers claimed a 36-15 bonus-point win at their Edinburgh hosts’ Goldenacre ground to put them in pole position in the Super6 table as they prepare to host Ayrshire Bulls this coming weekend.

A rolling maul from a lineout near the Heriot’s line got the scoring under way approaching the quarter-hour mark as a side entry by hosts’ hooker Michael Liness saw him yellow-carded and the Melrose side awarded a penalty try.

A try followed four minutes later as Heriot’s were shunted off their own scrum ball, allowing man-of-the match Jacob Henry to go on the run down the left-hand side and over in the corner for an unconverted try.

A penalty by Jason Baggott on 22 minutes added to the Borderers’ lead, and another unconverted try, by Russell Anderson from a maul, followed on the half-hour mark.

Heriot’s managed to get on the scoresheet with five minutes of the first half left, though, thanks to tries by Callum Young and Stuart Edwards, with Bruce Houston adding the extras after the latter.

Penalties aplenty followed in the second half, with Houston doing the honours for Heriot’s on 48 minutes and Baggott replying for the visitors on at 53, 58 and 60 minutes.

A bonus-point try on 72 minutes wrapped the game up for the Knights after they won a scrum on the right-hand side of the pitch, with the ball then being passed left and back right to Patrick Anderson to carry over the whitewash in the corner.

That try was converted by Baggott to take the scoreline to 36-15.

Next up for the Knights is a speedy return to the Greenyards for Ayr’s Bulls just three weeks after they were beaten 31-28 there in a pre-season friendly.

That game kicks off at 3pm this Saturday, August 14.

Sunday’s victory was welcomed by Knights board member Mike Dalgetty, saying: “Our first Live TV debut of the season saw a much-improved performance and a great result. It’s not often you leave Goldenacre having been dominant for large parts of the game.”

“This coming week brings Ayrshire Bulls to the Greenyards on Saturday at 3pm. It will, as always, take a further improvement to get the better of our old foes, who also had a good victory at the weekend.

“The attitude and effort being put in by all is great to see and is worthy of support.

“At the end of the day, after having missed so much over the last 18 months, just to see good open rugby being played with ambition, both personal and team, with a desire to keep improving is surely all that those of us who love the game could ask for.”

Teams

Heriot’s: Ross Jones, Rory McMichael, Robert Kay, Stuart Edwards, Callum Young, Bruce Houston, Lloyd Wheeldon, Chris Keen, Michael Liness, Dan Gamble, Ruairidh Leishman, Ronan Seydak, Iain Wilson, Jack McClean, Jason Hill. Replacements: Cammy Fenton, Struan Cessford, Andrew Nimmo, Callum Marshall, Adam Sinclair, Alex Ball, Nathan Chamberlain, Jack Mann.

Southern Knights: Joe Jenkins, Patrick Anderson, Billy Wara, Nyle Godsmark, Jacob Henry, Jason Baggott, Murdo McAndrew, Shaun Gunn, Russell Anderson, Mak Wilson, Angus Runciman, Daniel Suddon, Dalton Redpath, Harri Morris, Iain Moody. Replacements: Fraser Renwick, Grant Shiells, Euan McLaren, Harry Borthwick, Allan Ferrie, Cam Jones, Cammy Scott, Keiran Clark.