Hawick defy formbook to pull off upset v table-toppers Currie Chieftains

Head coach Mark Cairns’ Edinburgh outfit went into that away-day a point clear of Ayr at the top of the table, having lost just once previously this term, with opposite number Graham Hogg’s hosts two points adrift at the foot of the table, having only won once.

A hat-trick from outside-centre Andrew Mitchell and further tries from openside flanker and captain Fraser Renwick and scrum-half Hector Patterson, one of five players in Hogg’s starting line-up drafted in from United Rugby Championship side Edinburgh, plus five conversions and a penalty from fly-half Zach Lewis, saw the formbook go out of the window and the two teams edge closer to each other in the table, however, as the Greens bounced back from going 14-10 down to notch up a 38-26 victory.

Currie drop one place to second, with Ayr reclaiming pole position following a 42-24 win away to Glasgow Hutchesons’ Aloysians on Saturday, and Hawick move up one spot to second from bottom, with Melrose taking over custody of the division’s basement after losing 28-21 at home to Watsonians.

Fraser Sayers scored two of Currie’s tries at Mansfield Park, with Ryan Daley and Ed Hasdell also touching down and Andy Harley kicking three conversions.

Hogg was pleased to see his side chalk up their first win for almost a month, telling Borders Rugby TV afterwards: “I’m really, really happy with the five points.

“I’m absolutely delighted with our performance and those five points are going to be invaluable as the season goes on.

“It’s been a frustrating time after coming back and getting a draw against Heriot’s, then to go into a player welfare break and then having last week’s game against Ayr cancelled.

“The boys have certainly been ready and we put a big emphasis on our performance and our game-plan and they executed it really well.

“This has to be our level now. There was a marked improvement and we need to strive to get that sort of performance every single week.”

Hawick were one of two of the Borders’ four top-flight teams to end up on the right side of their scorelines at the weekend, the others being Selkirk, 46-35 winners at home to Glasgow Hawks at Philiphaugh.

Melrose were one of two to see results go against them, along with Kelso, beaten 40-20 hosting Heriot’s.

Those scores leave all four sets of Borderers in the bottom half of the table – head coach Gordon Henderson’s Selkirk sixth on 14 points from seven fixtures, Nikki Walker and Bruce McNeil’s Kelso seventh on 13 from seven, Hawick on 12 from six and Scott Wight and Iain Chisholm’s Melrose on 11 from seven.

Selkirk’s second win of the season was earned by tries at the double from full-back Callum Anderson and outside-centre Andrew Grant-Suttie, plus others from left-winger Ben Pickles and replacement No 10 Ross Wolfenden, with fly-half Morris Clementson adding three conversions and Edinburgh academy draft addition Wolfenden two and a penalty each.

Hawks’ tries, all converted by Liam Brims, were touched down by Scott Steele at the double, Brandon Sweet, Seb Hastings and Andrew Syme.

It was a game of two halves according to home scrum-half Hugo Alderson.

“In the first half, we kept our shape reallly well and executed simply but effectively and stuck to what we said we were going to do,” he said.

“We did it and everything came off and we couldn’t really complain, but in the second half, we just sat back too much and should have taken a bit more to them and that’s why it got so close, I guess.”

Melrose’s sixth defeat of the season leaves them with only one win to their name this term and captain Angus Runciman blames slow starts for those adverse outcomes.

“It seems to be a bit of bother with us every game,” said the lock.

“Sadly, it takes a bit of a boot up the backside in order for us to try and get going and we could do with resolving that.

“We need to just do what we’ve been doing a wee bit better because, painful as it is to say, we’ve been really close every week, which is a bit of a bittersweet thing.

“We need to nail down our wee bits of problems.

“Nobody wants to be at the bottom of the league.

“Today was a must-win, last week was arguably a must-win as well and we could do with getting another win to keep the ball rolling, so next week is absolutely a must-win.”

Touching down for the hosts at the Greenyards were left-winger Paddy Anderson, replacement Sam Derrick and full-back Finn Douglas, with fly-half Roly Brett converting all three of those tries.

Adam McKenzie, Harry Jackaman, Andy McLean and Boyd Cooper scored Watsonians’ tries, all converted by Harry Clark.

Kelso’s loss to Heriot’s was their first at home at Poynder Park this season and McNeil was disappointed to see that 100% start brought to an end.

“We want to be in this league and we want to be challenging against the best teams,” said the No 8.

“We worked really hard to get here as a club and we want to make sure we give a good account of ourselves.

“If we get beat, we want to make sure that teams have to work really hard, and previously at Poynder, they have had to. That was the disappointing thing, that a lot of their scores they didn’t have to work too hard for.

“We just need to make sure that we enjoy this journey and we keep working hard.

“Hawick have shown that it’s irrelevant where you are in the table – if you put your best foot forward and actually believe in what you’re doing and your structures and your systems, anything can happen.”

Kelso’s try-scorers were replacements Angus Utterson and Dan Gamble, with fly-half and co-captain Dwain Patterson adding two conversions and two penalties.

Noah Sakapaji, Ben Salmon, Henry Kesterton, Hamish MacArthur, Elliot Young and Angus Hunter scored the visitors’ tries, all but one of them converted by Calum Jessop.

Melrose are the only Borderers at home this coming Saturday, to Hawks, with Kelso off to Ayr, Hawick to Watsonians and Selkirk to Heriot’s, all 3pm kick-offs.

Last term’s corresponding fixtures saw Melrose draw 33-all with Hawks in January, Kelso given a 66-7 hiding that same day, Hawick edged out 33-32 in the capital a week prior and the Souters beaten 22-14 in February.