Playing badly does not mean losing for Boroughmuir

WEST OF SCOTLAND 6 BOROUGHMUIR 37 This was all very strange. Boroughmuir's flanker and outstanding player Chris Capaldi was flown up from a modelling engagement down south to play, West put a back row man on to replace a hooker and we then had non-contested scrums.

A veritable legends get-together of former West players turned up to have a night out, and it seemed to me that the Boroughmuir coaches weren't happy that they were penalised for "crossing" four times. Paxton and Lineen were very, very cross.

Actually I don't think they really were, as it looked like a bit of a game in the press huddle after the match as both had impish grins lacing their criticism of referee Mr Martin Valentine of Stewartry.

The first thing you have to say is that aside from model Capaldi, who made a try with one bridging ruck that was hugely influential, the Edinburgh mob took their time getting into their stride.

"I was glad it was uncontested scrums in the end," said their captain Ben Fisher, "because it was hard work chasing our backs all over the pitch as you never know where they are going."

The reality is that Boroughmuir were always going to win, with Ross Cook, Charlie Keenan, James Reilly with his hand-off, Lindsay Graham and Alastair Warnock all just too fast and furious for West to contain.

Up front Richard Cochlan had a storming game at hooker, Olo Brown batters at wing forward, and Mike Blair, although not wholly on fire, provides a more than able link between forwards and back.

It's their softness of passing and running from depth that can impress, as in Reilly's try on the left wing that went through every back's hands securely.

My man of the match though was Nicky Walker, the hugely brave and capable West scrum half who made some storming breaks, and alongside Graham Thomson in midfield and Mark Pope in the back row formed part of an immensely brave West rearguard action.

Their rucking technique, with real "wipe out", was superb, and they just lack maturity and a match winner. West really were brave.

The home side, urged on by coaches Dougie Livingston and Matt Duncan, actually got to the break 6-3 in the lead thanks to two Kenny Barclay penalties.

This was in front of a spectator base which included Peter Wright, who had played for both teams, Derek Stark, West being one of the few teams he didn't represent and big David Gray of West and Scotland fame many years ago.

Even Edinburgh manager Ian Rankin was out to watch his son Calum playing for West - and getting sin-binned for a high tackle.

But the truth is that West's scrum was creaking, their line was under siege, and Boroughmuir were straining at the leash.

Sure enough two minutes after the restart Boroughmuir were over the line as a simple switch in the centres provided Lindsay Graham with a gap to barge through.

West then had bad luck at the start of a counter attack, the up- and-under tapped back by Barclay only for Boroughmuir hands to seize it and Blair to cross the line.

Then, not content with banging up the opposition physically in tackles - he got at least one player carted - Capaldi, the male model, bridge rucked as Boroughmuir looked to have lost momentum and the ball hurtled right for Ross Cook, whose power took him over.

A minute's fun and games ensued as West, who had a front row replacement, said he couldn't hook so big Chris Gilmartin came on as hooker and both packs agreed to uncontested scrums, which left everyone with more energy so Cook produced a blazing, dancing break, as did Richard Cochlan, but the referee pulled up Boroughmuir for crossing and, hand on heart, something funny was going on in one of the moves, with at least a blocking runner. But Rory Cooper blasted over on the left wing and big Roddick waltzed in for a score.

We should all remember that Boroughmuir are beating everyone even though they're probably playing as badly as they have ever done, and when you win when you're struggling then someone is going to cop it when things click.

West of Scotland Williamson; Lothian, G Thomson, Rankin, Barclay; Bashford (Boschoff 67mins), Hastie (D McKenna 81mins), F Thomson, I McKinnon, Livingston, Goddard, McLeod, Pope (Smith 72mins), Sheridan.

Boroughmuir Cook; Keenan, Clapperton, Graham (Roddick 72mins), Reilly (Cooper 67mins); Warnock, Blair; Rutterford, Cochlan, McGee, Sorenson, Pike, Capaldi, Fisher, O Brown (K Brown 70mins).

Copyright 2001
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