Stirling Wolves next up as Southern Knights seek first victory of rugby’s Fosroc Super Series Sprint

He’s warning his players that even though the two teams immediately above them might look less of a daunting prospect on paper than the likes of table-topping Ayrshire Bulls or second-placed Watsonians, it’ll still be a tough ask to pick up points against them, however.

Tait’s Melrose-based club, on one point, are currently propping up the series’ standings after four rounds, with Boroughmuir second bottom on five and Stirling third from bottom on 11.

“Watsonians and Ayrshire are on a different level, it’s as simple as that,” said the 58-year-old.

“They’ve got more experienced players, ones who’ve played in Super6 before, and I think Heriot’s are getting there as well.

“Stirling, Boroughmuir and us have changed quite a lot of personnel from year to year, on the other hand.

“Stirling, to be fair, though, have had some good results so they’ll have their tails up, and I know how Eddie Pollock coaches and he’ll have them fired up to give us a rough ride up there.

“They’re on their own patch and they’ve had a couple of wins, so they’ll have a bit of confidence, whereas we’re still looking for our first win to give our youngsters confidence and lift them a bit.

“I know once they get that win, and it will come eventually, it’ll lift them no end.

“At the minute, they’re panicking a little bit when they go behind and they’re thinking that’s it and they’ve failed again, but I keep reassuring them that that’s not the case and the sprint’s all about finding things out and building on it for the championship.”

Knights’ 45-24 loss to Ayrshire Bulls at home at the Greenyards on Saturday was their fourth defeat on the bounce, but they’ve got three more chances to avert a whitewash – in Stirling on Saturday, May 13, with kick-off at 3pm; hosting Boroughmuir on Saturday, May 20, at 5pm; and a play-off on Saturday, May 27 – and Tait is hoping his team can seize at least one of them.

The hosts’ tries were scored by Ben McLean, Rudi Brown and Clark Skeldon, with Callum Grieve converting all three and also kicking a penalty.

Touching down for the visitors, assisted by a penalty try, were Eli Caven, Jamie Shedden, Grant Stewart, Rory Jackson, Luca Bardelli and Blair Macpherson, with Caven and Melrose’s Christian Townsend converting two each.

Knights’ replacements on Saturday included new recruit Dan Gamble, the former Kelso tighthead prop having been released by Edinburgh after making only three first-team appearances there since signing an academy deal in May 2020, and Tait reckons the 22-year-old will be a valuable addition to a squad left short-handed by injuries to Connor Sutherland and Ryan Cottrell.

“Dan’s a top prospect. He just needs rugby to get going again. He’s not played enough games over the last three years,” said his new gaffer.