17-year-old Jake Dalziel took his Premiership debut in his stride, with an assured all-round performance which included scoring Melrose’s opening try, creating their second with a beautifully delayed pass to Roly Brett and some cool-headed kicking both from hand and off the tee, so he squeezes out the incredibly unfortunate Alex Harley – who was player-of-the-match for Currie Chieftains versus Glasgow Hawks – at stand-off.

Meanwhile, Doug Crawford only played 20 minutes off the bench but his sharpness from the base was crucial to Melrose’s late surge to victory over GHA.

There is plenty of competition in the front-row this week, with both Ayr and Hawick having laid the foundations of their wins on scrum dominance, and each could have supplied all three positions by themselves.  Ayr’s Jamie Drummond edges it at loose-head on the strength of his busy contribution around the park, meaning Shawn Muir of Hawick and Oliver McKenna of GHA miss out. Watsonians try-scorer Bryce Robertson was TOL’s man-of-the-match against Selkirk, while Fraser Renwick grabbed a brace for Hawick, but Joe Roberts of Ayr sneaks it for his two-try man-of-the-match performance against Heriot’s. Nicky Little of Hawick gets the nod at tight-head prop.

The galloping Ali Bain of Currie Chieftains and Hawick youngster Hughie Donaldson – scorers of an eye-catching try apiece – team up in a typically competitive second-row, with Angus Runciman of Melrose, Jack Fisher of Selkirk, Ed Bloodworth of Ayr, Adam Kerr of GHA and Courtney West of Currie Chieftains all strong contenders as usual.

Gareth Welsh is a scrum-half to trade but slotted in at blindside-flanker like a seasoned pro, delivering an all-action performance in defence and attack, which means he edges out Ryan Sweeney of Ayr and Scott Plumridge of GHA in the battle for the No 6 jersey. Archie Fletcher of Currie Chieftains is at openside. And Selkirk’s recent Kiwi recruit Braden Stewart provides real dynamism and aggression at No 8 selected ahead of Hawick’s Connor Sutherland and Glasgow Hawks’ Oscar Baird. 

 

15. Morgan Gabe (Melrose)

 

14. Rory Brogan (Heriot’s)

13. Jamie Shedden (Ayr)

12.Harry Clark (Watsonians)

11. Cameron Gattinby (Currie Chieftains)

 

10. Jake Dalziel (Melrose)

9. Doug Crawford (Melrose)

 

1. Jamie Drummond (Ayr)

2. Joe Roberts (Ayr)

3. Nicky Little (Hawick)

4. Hughie Donaldson (Hawick)

5. Ali Bain (Currie Chieftains)

6. Gareth Welsh (Hawick)

7. Archie Fletcher (Currie Chieftains)

8. Braden Stewart (Selkirk)