A Worthy Clash for the Capital as Perthshire Secure the Five Points

/in /by

Royal High 21 – 46 Perthshire

After a positive week of training Head Coach Alan Clark’s men were ready for the trip to the capital to take on Royal High. Confidence levels were high and the boys were well prepared. After a last minute decision to change pitch, the stage was set, nice surface and the sound of aeroplanes flying low overhead. It was time for kick off, with Perthshire opting to wear their red & black strips.

Royal High got the game under way with Perthshire gathering the kick off and stringing some early phases together. Progress was hindered with a slight lack of discipline and a few penalties were award against the men in red & black. James Mair had his forwards organised with lineout defence and were causing some real problems for Royal High, who could not get clean ball from the set piece. The first 10 minutes was awash with knock-ons and penalties which whilst frustrating didn’t stop both teams trying to execute their game plans.

Royal High struck first with a few successful crash balls, finally breaking through and getting their reward, a successful conversion and it was 7-0 to the hosts. Captain Mat Rae rallied his troops under the posts and urged calm heads and a reaction. After some more dominant phase play from Perthshire, the effect of his words becoming evident, and a great lineout steal from Simon McGarry gifted Perthshire an opportunity. A monstrous carry from Dan Rae had High on the back foot, quick ruck speed released the backs and with slick hands winger Ross Goodison broke down the line, with an inspired basketball ball off load, Jonny Armitt was free and clear under the posts. AJ Guthrie made a successful conversion and it was all square 7-7. Contender for try of the season for sure.

It carried on to be a bit messy with handling errors, however, it was clear Perthshire were in the driving seat. Royal High showed a strong maul defence, turning the Eagles over and opted to box kick, only to find the safe hands of Jonny Armitt. Spotting the space the experienced fullback sent a chip over and winger James Armstrong plucks the ball from the air and with some hard running bundles over in the corner. A tough kick to add the two points fell slightly short. Another potential try of the season nominee?

Some more controlled play and with lineout dominance it was only a matter of time before Perthshire struck again. Ewen MacDonald like a charging bull broke the line, with a perfect offload to Simon McGarry who was hauled down just short of the try line. A super quick ruck saw number nine Lewis Murrie feeding Calum Chalmers and nobody was stopping him. Another tricky kick which drifted slightly wide, 7-17 to Perthshire.

More dominant play for the team in red & black, a great driving run from the towering Matt Stevens provided Perthshire with an excellent platform. Again quick ruck speed and some slick offloads proved fruitful and Ewen MacDonald crashed over the line for Perthshire’s bonus point try. The conversion hit the post and the referee signalled for half time; the score 7-22.

The start of the second half was much the same as that of the first, errors from both sides made for a scrappy affair. Rory Bayne was at the receiving end of a yellow card for a swinging arm and this provided the hosts with a bit of drive. Moving the ball through the hands and splitting the ‘Shire defensive line, to take a converted try, 14-22.

A late shot on James Armstrong and the numbers were balanced once again as a Royal High received their own yellow card. At this stage ‘Shire really began to take control of the game, albeit still a bit of a scrappy affair. A penalty awarded for diving over and AJ Guthrie slotted it over to extend the lead to 14-25.

Perthshire would strike again, this time with Rhys Darlington making a superb break , trundling towards the Royal High line, only to ground it on the five metre line thinking it was the white wash. Captain Mat Rae continued the charge with a sharp offload he sent, Man of the Match, Simon McGarry over. AJ Guthrie adding the extras, 14-32.

Strong carries and some good handling work was the theme for the Perth outfit. A piercing run from Simon McGarry, covering around 30 metres, to finish under the posts put the game out of reach of the hosts. Successful conversion and it was 14-39.

‘Shire were not done yet and a scintillating dummy pass from AJ Guthrie provided Lee Graham with the easiest of finishes between the posts. Successfully converted, the score was 14-46.

The hosts would have the final say in the match. After some strong runs, they approached Shire’s line, a great turnover from the visitors proved costly in the end as the clearing kick was charged down in-goal and grounded by Royal High. Conversion made and the referee blew for full time, 21-46.

Thank you to Royal High and the referee for providing an excellent afternoon of rugby. Supporters encouraged to come down to the North Inch next weekend as it is a double header with the 1XV playing Hillhead and the 2XV going up against Strathmore 2XV, both kick-off at 3pm. The Bowling Club will be open from 1:30pm.

Photos by Jazmine Tomlinson.

Fractious, Frustrated and Furious

/in /by

Perthshire 7 – 17 Strathmore

Unedifying spectacle on the North Inch in ill-tempered defeat.

Local derbies can be keenly contested affairs and the largish crowd that came to the North Inch were not short-changed on drama. Just as kick-off loomed the drizzle came down to wet the pitch & ball and would make handling difficult for both teams.

Strathmore kicked off and Perthshire made little headway with the first few carries before clearing to touch. The initial exchanges were tight and short, punctuated by knock-ons or successful ruck turnovers.

An early penalty allowed Strathmore to break out of the midfield deadlock and gain a lineout in the ‘Shire 22. The following maul was stopped but Perthshire had edged offside. Quickly tapped, after a couple of phases Strathmore burst over the line, the referee judging the ball grazed the grass before Dan Rae held the carrier up. Strathmore added the conversion.

The game soon returned to a war of attrition in between the 10m lines. Both teams could only put 2 or 3 plays together before dropping, spilling or turning over the ball, killing dead any momentum. Centre pairing, brothers Mat & Dan Rae, were highly effective as a solid wall; no Strathmore player could get a millimetre through them.

Eventually ‘Shire got a break spearheaded by strong carries from Calum Chalmers and James Armstrong. Numerous short phases got the North Inch team close but the play ended when the referee blew to penalise a blatant tip tackle. No advantage nor yellow card given Perthshire, somewhat aggrieved, elected to take the 5m scrum.

The pack heaved and got the nudge on, James Mair picked from the base and came close. More short picks by the forwards eked ever closer until James Mair finished what he started and squeezed over the line. Aidan Watson added the conversion to level the score, 7-7.

Strathmore immediately pushed back wining a penalty and kicking for a lineout 10m out. This was stolen & successfully cleared. Simon McGarry and Tom Colvin in the line asserting their claim to the ball which would be a feature throughout the match.

A stalemate followed for most of the rest of the half. Neither team able to make any meaningful headway. Handling errors, ill-discipline and ferocious defence ending any attacks.

A needless late tackle on the kicker gifted Strathmore a double penalty taking them deep into the Perthshire 22 for the first time in ages. Perthshire were up to defend and stopped the attack but had crept offside. The Forfar men took a short tap and then switched direction hitting a narrow tight line down the blindside to score in the corner. A well kicked touchline conversion added the extras, 7-14.

Immediately Strathmore turned over Perthshire from the restart and pushed forward into the 22. Working up to the line they looked on for another score but knocked on and the referee called for halftime.

Coaches Alan Clark and Kenny Christie asked their players to stay calm and play rugby. The conditions were brightening up and with patience opportunities would arise. There were frustrations with the officiating but antagonising the referee further would not yield fruit.

The mood on the pitch only got worse in the second half. It was a fairly even start but niggles from both teams crept in as the referee failed to control the play. Adrian Venter made immediate impact with some solid tackles and big hits, to the obvious displeasure of Strathmore who singled him out regularly for “extra attention” on the deck.

Running back a loose kick Aidan Watson had one defender left to beat, he was stopped by a shoulder rammed into his face. A minor altercation ensued and the referee decided that no card was warranted for the dangerous tackle and to reverse the penalty.

Perthshire stole the lineout back then once the play stopped, maybe realising the heightened emotions from the earlier injustice, the referee called both captains and asked for improved discipline and calm heads.

A positive spell from Perthshire followed as they pressurised Strathmore. Carries backed up with offloads or quick picks had the visitors backpedalling. Rhys Darlington and Ewen MacDonald especially effective in their support and barging runs.

Perthshire came close after Simon McGarry charged down a clearance kick in the Strathmore 22 but the ball bounced out before Rory Bayne could reach it. Minutes later James Armstrong took the ball on the wing, turned on the pace and chipped over the defence. He was taken late off the ball, but unlike the double penalty from the first half, play continued without sanction. The referee then penalising Perthshire for offside in the next phase.

Sadly, the remaining positivity ended there. Indiscipline, off-the-ball incidents and flagrant high-tackles occurred every phase of play, both teams guilty but the referee unable to assert any authority.

The lineout continued to be a highlight for Perthshire and, as they were now in the receiving end of many penalties for backchat, this saved them from further pressure. It was clear the referee was not going to take any advice from players but still the Eagles could not help themselves and continued to hamper any chance of escaping their half.

Eventually things got out-of-hand. A melee in the centre of the pitch saw players from all directions running in. Incompetent and enfeebled, having directly facilitated this scenario, the referee judged that Perthshire were the aggressor and showed a yellow card to James Armstrong as an additional insult to the punch in the face he received. Strathmore elected to kick for goal and extended their lead, 7-17.

Nothing of note happened in the remaining 15 minutes. For the 10 minutes down to 14 men Perthshire matched Strathmore and the turgid trench warfare in muddy no-man’s land continued. The lineout dominance and Rory Bayne’s probing attacks the limited highlights.

Discipline did not improve and it was a relief when the fulltime whistle sounded. Much longer and further unpleasant incidents could have occurred. Not a good day for rugby, both teams and the referee need to look back with cooler heads and consider what they did wrong and how they can improve their game in the future.

Head Coach Alan Clark will want to see a positive reaction from his squad in training over the week as next up, the 1XV travel to Edinburgh to face struggling Royal High. Kick-off will be 3pm and supporters are welcome on the team bus departing from Bell’s Sports Centre.

 

Damp, Cold, Muddy a game for the Purist……Not a Chance

Perthshire 2XV 15 – 8 Bannockburn

With conditions overcast and drizzle, the crowd expected a forward heavy game, however this was not the case. There was plenty of running rugby by Perthshire 2s and Bannockburn on display in this thrilling encounter.

The match began with Bannockburn taking an early try, the signs were it was going to be a long afternoon for Perthshire. However, Perth dug deep and defended for a long spell on their own try line, yet Bannockburn could not break through the line again.

Big power runs and tackles by Garry Coull on his return, defying his youthfulness, supported by his back row colleagues Shaun Barton & Matt Jenns made the hard yards and moved Perth up the field. Aided by the front five: father and son Stevie & Konner Willke, Mike Ryan, Lee Graham and Ryan Beaton; quality attacking ball was secured in the rucks and from their scrum domination all afternoon. However, after many pick up and drives near the posts, it took the power house scrumhalf Andy Sanderson to show the forwards how to drive over from close range to put Perthshire in the lead.

The game turned into arm wrestle, not only in the forwards, but the back line as well which consisted of John Kelly and Mikey Evans, pushing hard through the middle, tackling anything that came within a metre of them. This led to one of the biggest cheers of the game, when Mikey Evans decided to test his metal and run into three forwards hanging about on the wing, with only the young winger Blake Laidlaw for support. The three forwards licked their lips at what they thought was going to be an easy turn over. Young Blake had other ideas, and clamped on to the ruck and ensured “none shall pass”, until support arrived and the ball was recycled cleanly.

By this point, Perth had already accessed the bench, with Hector Inglis coming on as a blood sub twice, and the front row being swapped to maximise their “energy” for the match; with Calum Robertson (his newborn baby watching on), Allan Guild and Tom Sinclair slotting in and continuing Perthshire’s scrum dominance.

The half time score was 7-5. Campbell Watson and Dave Lewis, the Perthshire coaches, urged their team to stay focused and trust each other – this was game that would require them to fall back on their fitness and training. With a rejig of James Marley into second Row and Lee Graham moving to inside centre, the 2nd half started.

By this time Calum Bruce, Rab Pittendreigh and Angus MacPherson had been eyeing space behind, and kept Bannockburn pinned back in their own half. Bannockburn eventually managed to escape and received two penalties, missing one then scoring the other, to take the lead 7-8.

Once again an end-to-end affair, with Perth appearing to have the better chances throughout the match. Finally Perth responded with a well-executed move that was honed in training. Starting with No. 8 pick up from Garry Coull, it ended with Rab Pittendreigh romping home into the corner to extend their lead to 12-8.

A few minutes later, with Perth thinking they could put the game to bed, Calum Bruce put in a lovely cross-field kick which was grounded, but the referee deemed it out of bounds. However, the play was brought back for a penalty under the posts, which was successfully converted. With the score 15-8 in Perthshire’s favour Bannockburn, would need a try and conversion just to draw.

Bannockburn put heavy pressure on the Perth line for the final stages of the game, but the defence held strong. After repeated waves of big runners, Matt Jenns finally broke the siege by securing a valuable turnover in the dying minutes of the game allowing Perthshire to clear their lines.

The final act of the game was a scrum and a misplaced kick which ended the match; Perthshire 2s emerging as the victors.

Overall, it was an intense match that showcased both teams’ determination and skill. It was Perth’s well-executed moves and solid defence that ultimately secured them the win with all 20 players playing to the whistle and digging deep. The 2s now await the league split for the next list of fixtures to complete Caledonia Midlands 3. They take this victory as stepping stone for a strong finish to the season.

Photos taken by Peter Wilkinson.

Draw as Perthshire Entertain Pontarddulais

/in /by

Perthshire 26 – 26 Pontarddulais

Classic Tour fixture returns after 3 decade absence.

Not since 1993 had Pontarddulais RFC and Perthshire met. Previously there were regular matches between the 2 Clubs over a 25 year period starting on 31st January 1969. Most years the Clubs would visit one another while following the Five Nations Championship’s, Scotland v Wales matches.

Pontarddulais, or Bont as they are also known, took a 50+ strong touring party up with them from South Wales. Well lubricated and energised they took to the warm-up first before the Perthshire players had arrived and assembled. After a brief warm up the teams were marched onto the North Inch behind piper Arran Sheach, a welcome that was greatly appreciated by the Bont players and supporters who were cajoled out of the Bowling Club Bar by the skirl of the pipes.

The match was played in the spirit of friendship and free flowing exciting rugby over 3 periods of 20 minutes. The early exchanges were even, with both teams testing each other out. Perthshire scored first after an Aidan Watson break with support readily there John Kelly took the final pass to touchdown, the conversion scored by Calum Bruce.

Bont hit back within a few minutes. Perthshire were guilty of giving away penalties and the Welshmen took up the field, won a lineout and the forwards did the rest for an unconverted score. Perthshire were hit with early injuries and, with players yet to arrive, regular linesman Niall Menzies put down his flag stepping up for the first time in a Perthshire shirt since he played in the Tilburg Tour 2018, acquitting himself admirably until new substitutes came on.

Meanwhile Perthshire had survived after Bont came close and following an intercept & break by Calum Chalmers, the home team built the momentum; Jack High burst over from close range for ‘Shire’s second try before the end of the period, Calum Bruce again adding the extras.

Pontarddulais came out transformed in the second period. The mistakes and miscommunications corrected they put in quality phases. Strong running in the centres had the Eagles backpedalling on numerous occasions. Only some desperate last ditch tackles by Mikey Evans and Ross Goodison helped to keep them out. Further forays from the Welshmen were successful and Bont scored 2 tries to take the lead, 14-19.

Perthshire had gained some reinforcements and started to play more cohesively. Bont scored one more try before Rory Bayne finished off a flowing move & some deft passing to score a try converted by Calum Bruce, 21-26.

In the final period Perthshire continued to grow into the match as Pontarddulais tired. An unconverted Aidan Watson solo effort levelled the scores with 5 minutes left. Perthshire continued to pile on the pressure, the forwards taking on the ball and winning the hard yards.

In the final play Perthshire breached the Bont wall on the try line, however referee Craig Halley judged the ball held up and blew for fulltime. It was a draw 26-26, somewhat fitting for a friendly match played at pace and in good nature between two equally matched teams.

Rugby is about more than the sport, and friendships were made in the Bowling Club afterwards as players and supporters joined each other for a drink. The Welsh sang loudly and proudly the songs of their homeland. In a token of friendship Perthshire Club Captain, Ewan MacKessack-Leitch, presented the Pontarddulais Man of the Match, Josh Goss, and President, Darryll Howells, with Perthshire ties to take back to Wales with them. All being well, they will be wearing them next year when Perthshire look to the return fixture.

Then it was time for the Bont tour to depart, with a rousing rendition “Land of my Fathers” all 50+ shook hands and thanked their Perthshire hosts before stepping onto the bus.

League action returns to the North Inch this Saturday, with both Senior Men’s teams in action. The 1XV face local rivals Strathmore while the 2XV take on Bannockburn, both kick off at 2pm. These teams are close in the league tables, so it’s set up to be an enthralling afternoon. It will be a triple header on the North Inch as at 1pm the Colts will face Glenrothes U18s in the Saltire Energy Caledonia Youth Cup. Come on down and support all 3 teams.

Notice – James Yule

Perthshire Rugby is saddened to announce the death, on 1st February, of former President James Yule.

Jim was President during a golden period for the club during the seasons 1976-1977 and 1977-1978 which was shortly after the unofficial championship ended and Perthshire entered the new National Leagues. Adrian Dissell and Harry Lynch captained the club during Jimmy’s presidency and under his leadership the club fielded an impressive 5 senior teams.

Ably supported by his wife, Frances who predeceased him 2 years ago, Jim was a constant supporter at the North Inch and could be seen cajoling and encouraging the 1st XV from the touch line at every home match until ill health prevented him from attending.

His funeral will take place at Perth Crematorium on Wednesday 22nd February at 10:30am.

Perthshire take the fight to Gordonians

/in /by

Perthshire 21 – 38 Gordonians

Captains lead the scoring as ‘Shire stress the league leaders

Recent weather has frustrated Perthshire with matches called off. For this match, the conditions were perfect and the North Inch welcomed a healthy crowd to watch an enthralling and quality display of rugby. At the away fixture, Gordonians swatted away a depleted injury-riddled Perthshire 104-5 at Countesswells. Head Coach Alan Clark, with a near full squad to select from this time around, put out a much stronger team and asked his players to believe in themselves and take the game to the high-flying league leaders.

The opening minutes saw ‘Shire defending; conceding a scrum in the 22 after failing to clear. Gordonians took their first real chance and hit up before the ball was spun out to wing to outrun the defence and score a converted try.

The Eagles hit back with multiple phases of quick attacks. Aidan Watson at scrumhalf varying the attacking lines from shorter to longer balls keeping Gordonians on their toes. Strong picks and carries from Calum Chalmers and Rhys Darlington earned hard yards and good field position. With momentum building the ball was passed wider but the Gordonians line-speed forced Shire to drop it, then the defence hacked the ball downfield. Winning the foot race the Aberdeen men were under the posts for their second try, 0-14.

Undeterred Perthshire rebuilt their attack. More quick phases, with Tom Colvin and Angus Walker key in creating ruck speed, forced Gordonians into conceding a penalty. From the lineout, a driving maul started, once stopped, the forwards continued the hard work edging closer to the line. Rory Bayne added dynamism by bringing the backline into the attacks at a wider position. Gordonians successfully defended the line but conceded a penalty in the process. Perthshire took a quick tap on the 5m and after a quick recycle of the ball Vice-captain James Mair squeezed over for the well deserved try. Jonny Armitt made the conversion from a difficult angle, 7-14.

An even affair followed with the momentum ebbing & flowing between the teams. Neither able to break down the other, despite some hard running lines and slick hands, both defences held firm. Dan Rae was determined & unbreakable in defence while Ewen MacDonald carried & battered forward remorselessly. A faltering Perthshire lineout was the breakthrough Gordonians needed earning cheap possession deep in the home team’s half. Hammering up the middle they came very close, before a looping run to the left flank outmanoeuvred the ‘Shire defence to get a try in the corner. The conversion fell short.

There was still more action to come before halftime. A sweetly weighted kick from AJ Guthrie was collected by John Kelly who got in behind to create front foot ball. The whole team then seemed to get a carry as the Black & White shirts bludgeoned their way up to the try line. The excitement was too much and Perthshire were penalised for sealing off the ball from an intense defensive jackaling effort.

Perthshire immediately stole the lineout and were back on the line within a minute. This time Gordonians were penalised at the ruck. From the short penalty, the pack punched through and then created the space for James Mair to claim his second try in the corner. Jonny Armitt had his kicking boots with him as he slotted the ball from wide. The referee blew then for halftime with the score 14-19.

The second half started but now it was Perthshire who were guilty of giving penalties away. Gordonians took their chance to score an early try out wide, in the process Tom Whamond came off injured in another blow as he had been very influential on the breakdowns up to that point.

Penalties continued to hurt Perthshire and they swiftly returned to defending their line. The referee’s patience then wore out and Arran Sheach, freshly on the pitch, was sent back to the touchline for 10 minutes in the Sin Bin. It was a harsh call and lit a fire in the North Inch team. Immediately they turned the ball over and winning 3 penalties in a row were soon stressing the Gordonians defence.

Now in the 22, a lineout maul formed and shoved Gordonians over the line, the referee judged neither Angus Walker nor James Mair had grounded the ball, believing it to be held up instead. Gordonians were penalised for collapsing this maul and reduced to 14 men as well. Perthshire hit up again, inches short on the forward carries, Angus Walker coming close again. Having sucked the defence in the ball was handed out across to the wing but the final pass was dropped and the opportunity lost.

Despite their best efforts Gordonians could not escape from their own half. Repeated & relentless Perthshire attacks were all repelled but only ever to the halfway where they would begin again.

Simon McGarry took a carry that broke the deadlock. Staying big and earning extra metres in contact, Gordonians were sent reeling backwards; Lewis Murrie at scrumhalf saw space in behind and boxed kicked over. Perthshire chased and were quicker to it, the bounce going into the arms of Rory Bayne who, skilful as he was all day, immediately stepped a player then passed to the onrushing Captain Mat Rae, who dashed the final few metres to score by the posts, despite the best efforts of the scramble defence, for a converted try, 21-24.

In the final 15 minute Perthshire tried to go again. The momentum swung back to Gordonians who showed their resilience and started to take control of the ball. Penalties from ‘Shire sent them back and a striking run through the midfield allowed space out wide for the Gordonians winger to run in and restore their 10 point led.

Aiming for at least one more try to get a bonus point ‘Shire continued to press. Uncharacteristically, they lost a scrum against the head and taking advantage of a misaligned defence, Gordonians secured their final try, 21-38.

The final minutes came, Aidan Watson found space and made a break from his own half. The support players were there and the try was on, however, Gordonians managed to intercept the offload pass and within a few phases the ball was kicked out to end the match.

This was a performance from the 1XV that has been coming, a loss, yes, but huge progress compared to earlier in the season. Alan Clark knows he has the players and the mentality to compete with any team in the league. This could be the turning point as Perthshire look to work up the table. There is a 2 week break now for the 1s until they welcome Strathmore on 18th February.

The 2s had no fixture but return to action next week with an away trip to Dunfermline 2XV to eventually get their first match of 2023. Then on Friday 10th February, Perthshire are pleased to welcome Welsh touring side Pontarddulais for an afternoon match to restart an old Touring friendship between the 2 clubs.

Photos taken by Peter Wilkinson.

Outscored but not Overcome

/in /by

Perthshire 7 – 36 Allan Glen’s

Perthshire battle but unable to capitalise on opportunities.

Despite the cold there was a good crowd down at the North Inch to support the 1XV in their first home match of 2023. Buoyed by a win away to Greenock last week, the Eagles were aiming to make it 2 in a row. Allan Glen’s sit near the top of the table so it was a good chance to measure progress from the defeat in Bishopbriggs a the beginning of the League season.

The home team kicked off and were immediately under pressure as Allan Glen’s brought their running & offloading game. The ‘Shire defence held on the line and forced a knock on to relieve the immediate danger. A brief foray into the other half followed but Allan Glen’s soon turned it over and on the front foot managed to work up the pitch to score under the posts.

For the next 10 minutes it was Perthshire’s game. Tackles from Calum Chalmers & Ross Goodison stopped dead any Allan Glen’s attack. James Mair & Angus Walker were securing rucks and winning penalties; and Aidan Watson was good with the boot to make the territory. However, the lineouts faltered gifting Allan Glen’s some easy escapes.

The scrum was a different matter, the Perth men with the upper hand all game. Calum Chalmers had a surging run to set up a strong attack from midfield and ‘Shire looked to be building momentum towards the line. Allan Glen’s took advantage of some slow support to turnover in their own half; and, with some direct running and offloads, a break through the centre took them the distance to score a second converted try, 0-14.

There was more consistent Perthshire pressure, slowly and patiently grinding the way in to the visitors’ 22. Each time the final pass was inaccurate or support too slow and the Allan Glen’s line was not breached. After a few near strikes, Simon McGarry and Dan Rae both inches short of the whitewash, Glen’s won possession back and their fullback ran most of the way before the cover could reach him, the offload was good to make it a third try under the posts, 0-21.

Halftime came with no more scores but plenty of intent until the whistle. Perthshire had Allan Glen’s in all sorts of bother, the lineout was back working, scrums pushing forward but still ‘Shire were repelled on the line.

The second half started just as the rain came on and wind got up. The next 20 minutes was a tight affair. Perthshire were barging their way up the pitch, but still to no avail. On the counter, a direct run from Allan Glen’s saw them cross for an unconverted try and the bonus point, 0-26.

The match became a war of attrition. Ferocious defence kept it in the midfield, again Calum Chalmers & Ross Goodison led the way with the tackles while forward carries by Ewen MacDonald, James Mair and Dan Rae would earn hard yards.

Come the final quarter the rain lifted and ‘Shire had an attacking lineout within the 22. Taken cleanly by Tom Colvin, the maul set and rumbled up to within 3m. Stopped, a series of short picks again just missed despite the efforts of Mat Rae & Simon McGarry who both went incredibly close.

Allan Glen’s escaped and upped the tempo. On the front foot, they rolled ‘Shire backwards in defence and struck under the posts seizing the opportunity when it came, 0-33.

With less than 10 minutes to go and the full bench on ‘Shire got their try. Aidan Watson moved to 9 and spotted a gap to break clear from around the back of the lineout. Getting quick ball he brought the forwards in to hammer the line. Allan Glen’s infringed and with the advantage the ball went to the back line, but Glen’s defended it and ‘Shire returned for a penalty scrum.

This went forward and nearly every player in the team seemed to have a go to cross the line before James Mair squeezed it over at the post. Jonny Armitt took the conversion quickly, 7-33. Perthshire were looking to get a second score but Allan Glen’s had different ideas, they slowed and controlled the ball, winning a penalty in the final minute which they kicked over to end the match, 7-36.

This was an 80 minute performance from Perthshire and each player knows they gave their all but has areas to improve upon. Coaches Alan Clark and Kenny Christie will use the week ahead to address these before ‘Shire travel to Newton Mearns and seek to amend the agonising 2 point defeat by Whitecraigs on the North Inch in October.

Flooding in Dunfermline cancelled the 2s fixture so the team have to wait to next week to start 2023, with a home match against Bannockburn. Kick-off is 2pm, supporters welcome to cheer on the 2XV and join them in the Bowling Club after.

Photos taken by Peter Wilkinson.

Perthshire Start 2023 with a Bang

/in /by

Greenock Wanderers 15 – 37 Perthshire

Eagles take their chances to secure win on the road.

Bright sunshine greeted Perthshire’s arrival in Greenock where both teams were looking forward to some rugby following the pre-Christmas postponements.

Perthshire were able to name a strong side and they started well, receiving kick-off and setting up a ruck where Ewen MacDonald picked through the middle and offloaded to Simon McGarry, who sprinted 60m and deep into the Greenock half. Desperate Greenock defence conceded a penalty, however Perthshire opted not to take the points on offer and kicked to the corner looking to build pressure. Despite winning the lineout, an error a few phases later allowed Greenock to clear and the chance was gone.

Greenock were soon building pressure of their own and Perthshire gave away penalty after penalty. Pinned in their own 22, the referee’s patience eventually gave out and Angus Walker was sent to the sin bin for holding-on. Greenock opted to take the points from out in front and their stand off made no mistake from the tee.
Greenock 3 – 0 Perthshire.

Despite being a man down Perthshire earned themselves a scrum in the Greenock half. The scrum was dominant throughout the first half, and after a good scrum powerful carries from Matt Stevens and Will Campbell provided the platform for James Armstrong to pick and crash over. An act that left this finely tuned athlete cramping and requesting a packet of salt and vinegar crisps to cure his ills! Despite the tricky conversion, Jonny Armitt made no mistake.
Greenock 3 – 7 Perthshire.

Perthshire were soon back in the Greenock half, the forward pack were making great yards and a good kick chase provided the Eagles with an attacking lineout in the Greenock 22. Jack High’s darts were on point and after hard yards were made through the middle, James Armstrong again spotted a gap to crash over with Jonny again adding the extra 2 points.
Greenock 3 – 14 Perthshire.

Perthshire were now back up to 15 players… however they were unable to maintain the equilibrium for long. Greenock attacked and put a kick through into the Perthshire 22. Aidan Watson covered the kick well, but when a local cameraman put his foot on the ball to prevent Aidan taking a quick lineout Aiden took exception and decided to bounce the ball off his very expensive looking camera. A scuffle followed and when the dust settled Aidan has been given a yellow card and 10 minutes on the touchline himself. This time Greenock were able to take advantage of the extra man, passing the ball out to the right where a grubber through allowed the Wanderers centre to collect and score. Jonny Armitt charged down the attempted conversion.
Greenock 8 – 14 Perthshire.

Perthshire reacted well to this score and when Jonny Armitt’s deep kick bounced favourably into touch 5m out for a 50/22 Perthshire made no mistake in converting the opportunity. The lineout was brought to the ground and the maul proved too strong for Greenock to keep out. Will Campbell controlling, then grounding the ball through a forest of legs as the pack crashed over the line. This time the conversion from the touchline proved too tricky with the kick drifting left of the posts.
Greenock 8 – 19 Perthshire.

Perthshire were well on top by this stage and after winning a penalty in the Greenock half a shot at goal was called. Jonny Armitt’s kick looked good off the tee but curled left and struck the upright and bounced back into play. Although the Wanderers originally claimed it, the Perthshire defensive pressure forced an error and Lewis Murrie was able to capitalise dotting the ball down over the try line and wrapping up the try bonus point before half time. The conversion was again missed but an impressive first half showing had Perthshire well in command at the break.
HT Greenock 3 – Perthshire 24.

The more observant spectators may have spotted an ominous black cloud making its way up the Firth of Clyde during the latter stages of the first half. It arrived at the start of the second half bringing torrential rain and a gloom that almost merited the use of floodlights! Unsurprisingly the heavy rain had a massive impact on the match with a battle of attrition now being fought up front and the halfbacks attempting to secure field position with clever kicking.

About midway through the half Perthshire secured some field position and won a penalty under the posts. Aidan Watson was now on kicking duties and made no mistake.
Greenock 8 – 27 Perthshire.

Aidan was soon afforded another opportunity after James Mair won a jackaling penalty in the opposition half, again he was able to convert, stretching Perthshire’s lead further.
Greenock 8 – 30 Perthshire.

The rain eased slightly and Greenock were the first to take advantage. From a scrum 40m out Greenock’s pack got a shove on a provided excellent ball to the backs. They attacked with pace and a switch move allowed their centre to break the line and scamper deep into the Perthshire 22. Although the cover tackle was made the offload could not be stopped and another pass allowed a walk in try underneath the posts which was subsequently converted.
Greenock 15 – 30 Perthshire.

As the game neared its conclusion, it looked as though no team was going to allow any further scoring. However in the final play a loose ball was kicked through by Aidan Watson. Andrew Guthrie (returning to Perthshire to play against his former club) looked like he was going to kick through and score only for his kick to shoot off sideways. Fortunately, Simon McGarry was on hand to win the race and dive on the loose ball for a further try. Aidan Watson converted to seal an impressive win on the road.
FT Greenock 15 – 37 Perthshire.

A fantastic start to the year for Perthshire who will look to replicate this performance on the North Inch next weekend when Allan Glens will be the visitors. Kick-off 2pm and the North Inch, supporters welcome to cheer on the Eagles in their first home match of 2023.

Photos taken by Arran Sheach.

Burns Night Bingo

/in , /by

Your Invitation to Perthshire Rugby Burns Night – Saturday 28th January 2023

Happy New Year! Perthshire Rugby invites you to join us for Burns Night Bingo at The Mexican. Doors open from 6pm with the first games played at 6:30pm. There are prizes to win and in between games there will be a few Burns recitals for your entertainment provided by specially selected members & players from across the rugby club.

This is a whole club social event and everyone (members, players, supporters from all sections) is welcome to attend. Tickets cost £10 and include the 2-course meal: haggis, neeps and tatties (vegetarian alternative available) and chocolate fudge cake. Bingo tickets sold separately on the night.

Sales are open now via the web shop or from Club Captain Ewan “Macker” MacKessack-Leitch in person or e-mail: clubcaptain@perthshire-rfc.co.uk please get your order in by Monday 23rd January. Any questions or special requirements please e-mail.

See you there!

For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
It’s coming yet for a’ that,
That Man to Man, the world o’er,
Shall brothers be for a’ that.

Plane, Bus and Ferry but Fail to Launch

/in /by

Orkney 50 – 12 Perthshire

Eagles travel by all means to Orkney but come away empty handed.

Travelling to Orkney always produces logistical nightmares for Team Manager Mark Coupar. In December, the weather can postpone a match so there’s a lot at stake to get the transport & accommodation right. With plans set in motion most of the squad travelled overnight by coach to a hostel in Wick then caught the ferry across the Pentland Firth, while some others took the early flight from Edinburgh to Kirkwall to join the main squad for an earlier 1:15pm kick-off.

At the beginning Perthshire held their own but Orkney opened their account after around 10 minutes of play after ‘Shire were reduced to 14 men, due to repeated penalties while defending their line, and would score twice more a for a 19-0 lead at halftime.

Orkney scored early in the second half then a bad situation became worse as a tackle judged high by the referee warranted a second yellow card for James Armstrong, so he was shown red and ended his match early.

With the man advantage and in control, the Kirkwall team built up a 43-0 lead before Ewen MacDonald could grab a consolation try after a series of drives. Calum Bruce added the extras.

Moments later a mistake on their own lineout throw had ‘Shire defending their try line again from a repeated Orcadian onslaught. This time Aidan Watson read the play and intercepted breaking through and dancing up to halfway before passing to Simon McGarry who sprinted the remaining distance. Caught and stopped just short he stretched to score in the corner.

There was time for one more try by Orkney to end the match 50-12 on the final whistle. Perthshire can take heart from the resolve at the end to score 2 quick tries but will rue the missed opportunities and indiscipline which ultimately were their undoing.

Next week, it’s an away trip to Milngavie where high flying West of Scotland will be looking to continue their winning streak. It’s up to Perthshire to cause the upset, supporters welcome on the bus departing from Bell’s.

The full match recording can be watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7p2T5GMrZA

Outnumbered but not Outgunned

Aberfeldy 79 – 22 Perthshire 2XV

Perthshire put in gutsy performance.

Injuries and last minute call-offs again gave Coach Dave Lewis a nightmare trying to put together a team. Taylor Mair came across from Glasgow to make it a squad of 13 that travelled upstream to Aberfeldy.

Despite being 2 men down it did not show. Aberfeldy had the lion’s share of possession but determined defence and line speed caused no end of trouble for the Home team with multiple knock-ons killing their momentum. Underpowered in a 7 v 8 scrum ‘Shire still held their own throughout.

Aberfeldy tried to speed the game up and utilise their 2 man advantage with quick tap penalties. Wise to this Rab Pittendreigh and Liam Flavell covered back often stopping any break. Ultimately speed & numbers counted as ‘Shire could not contain the attack and the hosts ran in their first 2 tries under the posts.

Eventually ‘Shire got a bit of possession and into the opposition half, when a neat ball went to Jack High who burst through splintering the Aberfeldy defence. Hauled down just shy of the line, ‘Shire controlled it with a few short phases before Jonny Armitt squeezed over. He then converted his try from a difficult angle, 14-7.

The Boars hit back quite quickly; then on the half hour mark bad went to worse as Taylor Mair left the field with a dislocated shoulder. Perthshire had 12 players and 50 minutes of the match to play. Aberfeldy soon scored again to make it 26-7.

With commitment and determination tackles from Shaun Barton, Jonny Armitt and Angus Macpherson pinned Aberfeldy in own half. The pressure was too much and Jonny Armitt won a ruck penalty which he elected to kick and claimed the 3 points, 26-10.

Perthshire’s attack yielded some more penalties as half time approached; a high tackle on Mikey Evans as he jinked through numerous defenders and an offside at the ruck. These were within range for Jonny Armitt but missed both by fine margins. On the counter Aberfeldy managed another try just as the half ended.

Dave Lewis asked for continued determination from the team. Captain Angus Macpherson urged his players to keep up the pressure in defence and force Aberfeldy into errors.

To a large extent Perthshire heeded these calls. Aberfeldy were all over the place in possession. Shaun Barton chief amongst the Black & White shirts in disrupting their flow. He was unlucky not to score next, the referee disallowing the try for a double movement.

With another try in the bag leading 38-10, Aberfeldy sent 2 players across to Perthshire to make it 15 v 14 players.

The game opened up a bit as ‘Shire upped the intensity, however, this was a high risk strategy and when turned over Perthshire were vulnerable with the Aberfeldy fullback in particular taking advantage of the space offered to him as the hosts ran in a further 3 tries, 57-10.

All day, Jack High was hitting his man at the lineout. Following a strong defensive effort again, Perthshire set a lineout in the Aberfeldy 22. Secured ‘Shire played it simple; carries from Angus Macpherson and Bruce Campbell bringing it close to the line before Shaun Barton dived over from short range. Jonny Armitt converted, 57-17.

Aberfeldy hit straight back with a try but then were reduced to 14 men as a yellow card was shown for foul play. Jonny Armitt missed the shot at goal but solid cover defence from Mikey Evans stopped them leaving their own half. Kicked to clear, ‘Shire caught then ran it back but knocked on in the tackle. Determined, Stevie Wilkie & Mark Morgan walked their opposite props back as ‘Shire won this scrum against the head. From the base No. 8 Shaun Barton picked, drew the defence and offloaded to Jonny Armitt to score an unconverted try in the corner.

Unbelievably there was still 13 minutes left for ‘Shire to try and secure the bonus point try. Exhausted from playing numbers down for so long but undeterred they pressed on. Michael Gratzke and Ryan Beaton covered the pitch as between them they seemed to get to most rucks first, providing the platform for attack. Mikey Evans had another break but was caught just as it seemed to be on.

The last say went to Aberfeldy who had little possession this period but would counter effectively to score 3 more tries and leave it with a 79-22 score line at full time.

Perthshire despite always down 1, 2 or 3 men gave Aberfeldy a game for 80 minutes. Every player in Black & White put in a performance and with a full complement the result would have been very different.

There’s one more 2XV match before Christmas, as Bannockburn visit the North on Saturday. Supporters welcome to cheer on the 2s, kick-off is at 2pm.

Photos taken by Chloe Billimore (Aberfeldy RFC).

End-to-End with Eleven Tries

/in /by

Perthshire 33 – 34 Murrayfield Wanderers

Perthshire’s second half slump allows Wanderers to sneak it.

A large crowd descended on the North Inch for this hotly anticipated fixture, with only a point between them in the table it was set to be a close match – and it proved to be. The support was also swelled by the friends & family of Adam Pattinson who had come down to watch, as this fixture would contest the Adam Pattinson Memorial Cup for only the second time in Perth.

The conditions were near perfect for November, soft underfoot but dry and remarkably still. The initial 10 minutes were an even affair both teams getting opportunities but defences holding.

Perthshire then broke through into the Murrayfield 22, stopped illegally they maintained the pace with a tap penalty. After multiple phases the ball was grounded across the line but the referee disallowed it judging there a knock-on at the ruck. Murrayfield then got an easy out with a penalty from the scrum and then the subsequent lineout.

Now on the back foot, Perthshire’s defence creaked as Murrayfield sliced through, only a last gasp tackle and turnover from Mat Rae prevented a score. Perthshire cleared but had to absorb more pressure as Murrayfield struck right back.

Regaining the ball some patience saw the Eagles slowly work into the Murrayfield half. The sustained pressure overcame resolute defence and Rory Bayne grabbed a team try after multiple phases, the conversion hitting the post, 5-0.

The Edinburgh outfit hit back immediately. In a theme for the match a hole would appear in the ‘Shire defensive line and allow a runner through. The scramble would catch up, but this time Jonny Armitt was penalised for pulling the tackled player into touch. From the 5m lineout a few quick short phases of play and Wanderers bundled over to level.

A soft tackle later and they very nearly grabbed a second, only denied by the referee who adjudged a double movement in the grounding of the ball. Following this reprieve ‘Shire woke up and came on to the front foot; charging runs by James Mair and Rhys Darlington building the momentum. A quick tap at caught Murrayfield on the hop, Jack McIntosh was getting quality ball, Angus Walker & Matt Jenns key in delivering ruck speed, and Aidan Watson could distribute as he saw fit. Going wide created the space in the middle which Aidan Watson exploited to race under the posts.

A temporary replacement, saw Aedan Milne come on for Jack McIntosh and what an impact this made. Simon McGarry burst through and ‘Shire gleefully flooded the space. The ball worked out to Aedan Milne who was stopped from scoring by a high tackle. The referee deemed it a yellow card offence and awarded the penalty try, 19-5. Jack McIntosh returned and Aedan went back to the bench.

Despite down to 14 men the momentum shifted to Murrayfield. ‘Shire were holding them back but a lapse in concentration gifted a huge blindside for Murrayfield to exploit. Out to the wing then back inside for a converted try.

With minutes left to half time, the defence well led by Dan Rae effected a turnover. The ball went out to Simon McGarry who scorched the earth as he sprinted down the wing, beating 2 defenders for pace. Snared by the fullback, and despite a heavy contact, he managed an offload to Mat Rae, the Captain finishing the try out wide to secure the bonus point. Jonny Armitt struck the conversion sweetly to make it 26-12 as the half time whistle blew.The second half kicked off into a flurry of activity. Wanderers went close, a maul pushed all the way to the line only for Perthshire to smuggle the ball out and escape. Restored to 15 the visitors needed all their men to stop a sustained Perthshire attack as the Eagles marched from their own 22 up to their opponents. ‘Shire looked good to score but were denied as the move was called back for obstruction.

Unrewarded it was the Home team’s turn to defend. Soaking up the pressure it was a stalemate around halfway until Aidan Watson picked his moment darted froward for the intercept, plucked the ball out of the air and weaved his way under the posts. Jonny Armitt converting to establish a healthy lead, 33-12.

It then started to unravel for Perthshire. Jack McIntosh was injured in a massive collision forcing him off the field and discipline left ‘Shire. Penalty after penalty allowed Murrayfield to build momentum and score twice. Perthshire were lucky not to lose a man to the sin bin.

Despite efforts from Matt Stevens and Gavin Hegarty, Perthshire were stuck in their own half defending a 33-22 lead. Panic set it and poor decisions, forced passes and frustrating penalties put Murrayfield in complete control. On the 65 minute mark after numerous phases Wanderers crossed the whitewash to put them in sight, 33-27.

Perthshire woke up. Solid tackles and carries from Dan Rae, Matt Stevens, James Mair and Angus Walker put ‘Shire back on top. When given space Rory Bayne and John Kelly could eat up the yards, ably supported by Mat Rae and Gavin Hegarty. The lineouts were solid all day and provide a platform but the accuracy was not there when needed. Aedan Milne breezed down the touchline creating a 2-on-1, but could not get the ball away to release Mat Rae screaming for it in support.

Instead on a counter play, Murrayfield sent to quickly to the right wing then ran in into space and under posts, converting the try to take a 1 point lead, 33-34 with only 6 minutes left on the clock.

There was time for Perthshire to save the game and forward they pushed. Reclaiming the ball and getting close but not quite into the 22. When it looked to be over one final attack and the referee awarded a penalty. It was kickable but a difficult angle.

With 30s left this was the final play. The wind seemed to pick up as Jonny Armitt went to strike the ball. It drifted wide and the final whistle blew. Defeated and deflated, ‘Shire know they let it get away from them. A 21 point lead surrendered in under 30 minutes and Murrayfield Wanderers retained the Adam Pattinson Memorial Cup by the finest of margins.

Next week is the long away trip to Kirkwall to face Orkney. Planes, trains, ferries and buses required to get the squad there, for the first time since 2018.

 

A Game of Four Halves

Perthshire 2XV 12 – 34 Carnoustie

Strong start but finishing touches elude Perthshire.

With no league fixture the 2s had a run out against a Carnoustie XV featuring some of their fringe and less experienced players. As a development match it was split into 4 quarters of 20 minutes. Perthshire had their brightest parts in the first & last periods.

Stevie Wilkie taking a slick ball from fly half Calum Bruce covered the ground required to score the first try of the match. The set piece was strong throughout the match, Mike Ryan at hooker taking 4 against the head as well as retaining all his own ball; in the lineout no matter who threw in, Tom Colvin got his hands on the ball and won it back for ‘Shire. As the match progressed Carnoustie’s more established players took control and orchestrated 3 tries before Rabson Chipakupaku could pull one back for ‘Shire. This was following a 40m dash to the line as the space opened up for his dancing feet.

At 12-22 there was a chance for the Home team to push on, Mikey Evans and Ross Goodison to the fore with strong carries and providing go froward ball. Instead ‘Shire were frustrated by their own mistakes despite these good attacking positions. Carnoustie made no mistakes with their chances to score twice more for a 12-34 win by the full time whistle.

The league returns next week with an away trip to Aberfeldy.

Photos taken by Peter Wilkinson.

Depleted Perthshire Struggle to Gain Form

/in /by

Hillhead Jordanhill 59 – 15 Perthshire

Sparks from Perthshire but injuries and unavailability hamper efforts.

A depleted Perthshire headed to Hughenden to play against high flying Hillhead Jordanhill. A strong home support were there to witness what became a one-sided affair on the scoreline.

First half tries from John Kelly and James Mair gave Perthshire a chance to at least take a try bonus point once it became clear Hillhead’s lead was too great to claw back. There was hope this may come after Aedan Milne went over, but the injuries to Bruce Campbell and Mat Rae and took their toll and the final 10 minutes were played with 14 men.

It was a tough day on the pitch, but heart was shown with strong performances from Dan Rae in defence and Arran Sheach named Man-of-the-Match for the Eagles.

As with the previous match at Howe of Fife, scoring 3 tries gains no reward for Perthshire. Bonus points will be critical come the end of the season when the league is restructured. To take nothing from those 2 matches may hurt Perthshire at that time. That’s for the future, with a break this weekend the squad can regroup and rehabilitate the injuries ahead of an exciting clash with Murrayfield Wanderers on Saturday 26th November on the North Inch. The teams will once again contest the Adam Pattinson Memorial Cup and a large crowd is expected to be down to support the Eagles. All welcome to come and support, kick off is 2pm.

There are still spaces at the Friends of Perthshire Lunch being held at the Mexican Restaurant from 11:30am, for more information see here: www.perthshire-rfc.co.uk/friends-of-perthshire-lunch

Tight All the “Waid” to the End

Perthshire 2XV 17 – 24 Waid Academy FP

Fifers steal the win in the final play.

With injuries and unavailability affecting both senior squads Coach Dave Lewis had a difficult job constantly juggling and rearranging the 2s for the Waid match; but he put together a viable team ready for the challenge. The teams were level in the table and this was a great opportunity to seize some momentum with half the matches now completed before the league splits.

It started with Waid on the front foot. For the first 20 minutes Perthshire defended and defended some more. At times soft tackles allowed Waid deep into Perthshire territory then some great defence, especially from Hector Inglis & Shaun Barton, would win a turnover and clear the lines. Inevitably it would revert to defence as in possession ‘Shire were readily lost the ball. Waid were persistent and determined in their attacks, and impatient breakdown penalties also hampered Perthshire’s ability to advance beyond the halfway line.

Eventually Perthshire got a break. Some aggressive defence pushed the Waid attackers into their own half and further pressure won an attacking scrum on the 22. From this position, the ball was sent along the hands drawing in the defenders and creating the space for Liam Flavell to dive over in the corner for an unconverted try. Despite 25 minute of defending, with their first real attack Perthshire were up 5-0.

The rest of the first half returned to the original pattern. Solid defence was undone by a few holes readily exploited by the Waid fly-half & back rows. James Armstrong chased back the large second row and wrestled him onto his back to hold up a certain try over the line. Sadly, this effort went to waste as from the following goal-line dropout Waid ran it back seemingly untouched by a Perthshire defender to take the lead with a converted try.

Penalties were racking up and the referee’s patience wearing thin as he took issue with the volume and amount of “advice” players from both teams were giving him. Having brilliantly won a turnover James Armstrong took a quick tap and was brought down by defenders who had not retreated the required 10m. Complaining & appealing to the referee won no favours, instead the penalty was reversed and James was shown a yellow card. Waid, who were having a good time up front, opted for a scrum and soft tackles allowed the Fifers to extend the lead with a converted try as half time arrived, 5-14.

A frustrating first half, the team had the ability to overcome the opponents but were not connecting. Dave Lewis encouraged his players to stick to their structure and take opportunities when they arise.

The second half kicked off at a blistering pace. After taking a boot to the face in a tackle, centre Shaun Barton briefly went off then returned to the field at No. 8 as a rejigging of the scrum was necessary with other injuries. This added some much more dynamism off the base, scrumhalf Jonny Armitt linking well and creating fast attacking ball.

Not long after, Cammie Rennie received the ball and surged forward as tacklers fell off him, charging 30m to take possession in to the 22. An offload to Jonny Armitt and he took it all the way to the line. Nearly but not close enough, the ball was knocked on in the next phase. However, Waid were judged offside and taking the penalty tap quickly, Andy Jack barrelled forward, stopped just short he stretched his arm out and pushed the ball into the base of the post to score. Jonny Armitt added the extras and it was a 2 point game, 12-14. In a further boost Perthshire were restored to 15 as James Armstrong’s time in the sin bin was over.

The momentum slowly swung back to Waid. Taking a lineout 5m out they set a maul but were stopped illegally. Opting for the scrum they controlled the ball holding the forwards in. With the defence stretched Mikey Evans saved the day winning a great turnover to kill off the move.

‘Shire were then guilty of getting too excited in attack. A good chip & chase seemed to be on but a needless obstruction gifted Waid a penalty which they aimed at goal, slotting it over to extend their lead, 12-17.

The game reverted to the pattern of the first half, ‘Shire forced to defend and mistakes preventing any meaningful attack or relief of pressure. Yet more injuries occurred and the squad was reshuffled further with Graham “Smudge” Smith coming off the bench to lend his considerable rugby brain & experience to the proceedings.

With yet another scrum in their own half ‘Shire through James Armstrong created something out of nothing. Taking the ball standing still at fly half, he picked off his opposite man then beelined for the touchline. Keeping just in field and out-running the cover defence, he dived over in the corner to level the match, 17-17. Jonny Armitt came close but couldn’t add the extras.

The final 20 was an edgy affair. Neither team had the upper hand, lineouts were unreliable, Andy Jack using his stature to steal a few against the throw but ‘Shire could not hit their mark either. More runs by James Armstrong, Reece Brown and Shaun Barton came to nought as the pack tired and failed to secure rucks.

Waid were using all they had to break the deadlock, and remained determinedly camped in the ‘Shire 22. Defence was desperate and winning a penalty Waid opted to go for goal but missed. The final play was near. Jackaling for a turnover ‘Shire broke the siege and stormed through into the Waid half, only again the pack could not keep up and the play ended.

Tired bodies were obvious and now ‘Shire were too slow and without the urgency needed. Quick penalties in succession had the men in Black & White backpedalling while Waid flooded the space behind and went in under the posts. Converted as the referee blew for full time, the Anstruther team took the victory, 17-24.

This was a tough defeat to swallow. With 2 evenly matched teams it could have gone either way. The slow start and scrappy ending were the undoing of ‘Shire. The middle was good and plenty to build on. A thanks to Reece Brown for coming in to the team and also to Cameron Archibald & Arran Rex borrowed from Panmure; hopefully they’ll come back to play in Perthshire colours soon.

Photos taken by Peter Wilkinson.