Stirling Wolves hosted Heriot’s Rugby on Saturday afternoon in their second match of the 2022 FOSROC Super6 Championship.
After a back and forth opening to the game, Heriot’s got the first try of the match six minutes in through Lewis Govenlock. Bruce Houston dispatched the conversion. [0-7]
Wolves replied just five minutes later, with Gregor Hiddleston driving over from a line-out maul. The kick from Marcus Holden was just wide off the posts. [5-7]
Jed Gelderbloom made it through for Heriot’s in the 23rd minute to put the ball down under the posts, with Houston again converting. [5-14]
Heriot’s then further extended their lead when Jack Mann split from a line-out maul to put the ball down in the corner after 37 minutes. Houston converted from a tight angle. [5-21]
The away team were awarded a penalty on the stroke of half time, just inside the Stirling half. Houston sent it over to continue his kicking success. [5-24]
HT: Stirling Wolves 5-24 Heriot’s Rugby
Stirling made a double substitution in the 49th minute with John McKenna and Harris McLeod coming on to replace Cameron MacMillan and Hamish Ferguson
Heriot’s had an extended spell of pressure in the Stirling half, with the Wolves defence holding strong.
Gregor Christie was then replaced by Craig Jackson in the 54th minute.
With Heriot’s still applying the pressure, Euan Cunningham picked up a loose pass just inside his own half, running through to put the ball down between the posts and give Stirling a path back into the game. Holden converted successfully. [12-24]
Wolves then made a triple substitution following the try, with 57 minutes on the clock. Gregor Hiddleston, Craig Jardine and Callum Cruickshank all came off, with Rhodri Tanner, Logan Jarvie and Shaun MacDonald replacing them.
Heriot’s killed any hopes of the comeback in the 61st minute, with Jack Mann getting through for his second try of the match after another line-out maul. Houston converted. [12-31]
George Breese and Callum Beckett came on for Wolves in the wake of the try, replacing Lewis Skinner and Marcus Holden. John McKenna then went off injured in the 64th minute, with Cameron MacMillan coming back on as a front row replacement. Wolves’ injury woes continued as Craig Jackson went off injured in the 68th minute, with Stirling having used up all their subs.
A brilliant run from Logan Trotter saw him break through to the last line of the Heriot’s defence, before setting up Logan Jarvie for a free run into the corner. [17-31]
Heriot’s scored one final try as the clock ran over, with Rory Steele getting the ball down in the corner. Houston converted for the fifth time in the match to complete the scoring. [17-38]
FT: Stirling Wolves 17-38 Heriot’s Rugby
HEAD COACH
Ben Cairns was asked his thoughts on the match:
“It’s a sense of déjà vu, I’ve said to the boys we’re just not giving ourselves a chance at the moment with the amount of mistakes that we’re making, especially early on. We got seven passages in their half in that first half and coughed it up within two phases on every one of them. The only time we’ve scored we bypassed that due to a 50-22, then we try to create momentum at half-time and we kick the ball out with the first action of the second half.
We finished the game with 13 men on the pitch, we used all our subs up and then lost another two bodies, so it’s going to be a challenge.
We’ll need to see where we lie on Monday but the guys that have come in will do a job for us. I’ve said to the boys it ain’t going to get any easier. I want us to come in really motivated in terms of our training and make sure we nail it.
Confidence is a funny thing, it’s easy when you’re winning because it can snowball the other way. So it’s important we get the balance right between showing why we’re losing games, but almost use that as confidence to say that if we cut out the silly errors and mistakes we can turn it round pretty quick.”
Match report by Andrew MacInnes
TEAMS
Stirling Wolves: 15. Logan Trotter, 14. Stevie Hamilton, 13. Alex Thom, 12. Marcus Holden (C), 11. Craig Jardine, 10. Euan Cunningham, 9. Gregor Christie; 1. Cameron MacMillan, 2. Gregor Hiddleston, 3. Lewis Skinner, 4. James Pow, 5. Hamish Ferguson, 6. Callum Cruickshank, 7. Connor Gordon (C), 8. Benedict Grant.
Replacements: 16. Rhodri Tanner, 17. John McKenna, 18. George Breese, 19. Harris McLeod, 20. Shaun MacDonald, 21. Callum Beckett, 22. Craig Jackson, 23. Logan Jarvie.
Heriot’s Rugby: 15. Dan King, 14. Rory Steele, 13. Nyle Godsmark, 12. Kyle Browne, 11. Sam Pecquer, 10. Bruce Houston (VC), 9. Jed Gelderbloom; 1. Chris Keen, 2. Cammy Fenton, 3. Dan Gamble, 4. Ronan Seydak, 5. Ruairidh Leishman (C), 6. Lewis Govenlock, 7. Iain Wilson, 8. Jack Mann.
Replacements: 16. Michael Liness, 17. Josh Scott, 18. Struan Cessford, 19. Fraser Hastie, 20. Joey Britton, 21. Murdo McAndrew, 22. Bobby Kay, 23. Ross Jones
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Jonny Perriam
AR1: Ian Kenny
AR2: Alistair Watt
SCORERS
Stirling Wolves: TRY: Hiddleston, Cunningham, Jarvie; CON: Holden
Heriot’s Rugby: TRY: Govenlock, Gelderbloom, Mann 2, Steele; CON: Houston 5; PEN: Houston
FOSROC Player of the Match
Jack Mann (Heriot’s Rugby)
Images: Bryan Robertson Photography
