For the third week in succession the Bill McLaren Shield has changed hands and this is testament to the competitiveness of the league so far this season. No team has successfully defended the Shield this season.
Holders, Hawick, defended the prize they took from Ayr last week, in the first Border derby of the year. Gala were the visitors and took the shield back to Netherdale with a last minute drop goal from the boot of Craig Dods. Gala had the early advantage in front of a large crowd as they opened the scoring in three minutes and were ahead 17-11 at half-time. Dods scored another penalty for the Maroons but 2 tries from Scot McLeod and Greg Cottrell gave Hawick a one point lead before Terrie hearts were broken. Stirling Count will challenge Gala next week at Netherdale for the prize.
Gala may be in first place already but Ayr are determined to stay in the mix and a bonus point win over Stirling County at Bridgehaugh. The highlight of Ayr’s 6 tries was a Richard Dalgleish hat-trick. County took two bonus points from the encounter which puts the Bridgehaugh side onto a total of 10 in 7th place.
There were no tries on offer at Meggetland for Currie but they used the boot of Joe Reynolds to good effect punishing Boroughmuir with a total of 7 against the Edinburgh clubs solitary unconverted try and a penalty. The 21-8 away win took Currie up into 4th spot in the league a point behind Heriot’s.
Heriot’s made it three wins in a row since their opening home defeat to Hawks at Goldenacre. They narrowly edged out bottom placed Edinburgh Accies, 26-28, at Raeburn Place in the north Edinburgh derby. The narrow gap gave Accies their first point of the season for a losing bonus point.