Journalists, especially sports journalists, trade on tension, showdowns and life changing sports matches. Every Super Sunday on Sky Sports has to be bigger and more important than the previous one. A title decider or a relegation battle makes a more compelling narrative than mid-table mediocrity. Manchester United’s one truly unsuccessful season in more than twenty is better presented as an existential threat to a city’s way of life rather than a minor blip.
So it was that in Week 5 of this season’s Premier One title race, Hawks and Hawick faced each other in a “must win” match. Hawick had an edge in the 4 bonus points they had picked up in 4 matches and they had been on the wrong side of some marginal matches, Hawks were still looking for that elusive edge which had gone astray since the opening win against Heriot’s,
Hawick had a barnstorming start and looked to certain score very early on as winger Scott Peffer was bundled into touch with some great Hawks defensive tackling. Even in the first 5 minutes the home defence was asked some very testing questions and the answer came when winger Paul Ramsay burst down the far side touchline turning defence rapidly into attack, running out of space he passed inside to Stand-off George Horne in close support. Horne was still a good 20 metres out when he weaved his way past a couple of Hawick defenders and was over for a superb score.
Hawks defence was a hallmark of their early play but as strong as it was it looked edgy playing most of the rugby in the home 22. Yet, time and again, Hawks defence forced errors out of a side who were desperate to put their possession to better use. Hawks were also keen to exploit any and all possession. Paddy Boyer was having a terrific match and he made good headway off a pass from Horne in his own half. Tackled and Horne acted as scrum half. The ball went to Finn Gillies who deftly floated an angled chip over the Hawick defence. The ball was gathered by former Greenock Wanderer, Brendan McGroarty, making his Hawks debut gathered the ball and took the Green’s defence head on, in total he evaded 5 defenders, side-stepping one, evading the grasp of another and more straightforwardly running over yet one more. Going in close to the posts it is hard to remember such a strong and confident score from a debutant in many years. Horne added the conversion and in a little over 20 minutes Hawks were 12 up through the hard work of their defence.
Hawks took the match by the scruff of the neck and their opponents seemed demoralised that all their early effort had led to precisely nothing. The pack had been powerful all half and within minutes of McGroarty’s score were deep in the Hawick 22 with a lineout on the five metre line. The ball was taken sweetly and the catch and drive was moving solidly towards the in goal. Gala coach, George Graham, had said a couple of weeks ago, that if you couldn’t deal with this Hawks’ speciality, you would struggle to win a game. Gillies broke from the back and went for the try which saw Hawks register 17 unanswered points in the first half.
Hawick weren’t poor and it is unlikely that they will play like this again but as half-time approached the seemed edgy and impatient which played into the hands of a Hawks side who were calm and composed. The visitors opened anxiously and forced themselves sharply but they seemed anxious to find the key pass that would get the score rather than build patiently. As they forced the pass McGroarty, read the ball and intercepted about 7 metres from his line running about 60 metres and simply blowing away all of Hawick’s efforts.
Hawks secured the bonus point try before many had re-taken their seats for the 2nd half. From the base of a strong scrum Boyer, Horne, Ramsay and McGroarty weaved some magic before Horne ran onto an inside pass from Ramsay to go in for his second which he goaled himself.
If this gives the impression that Hawick were spectators then that would be unfair, this is a good Hawick side, but as they fell behind they just lost their way. For the Greens Gary Johnstone was unfortunate not to make the pass to Neil McColm which would have seen the winger score. Another lung bursting run from lock, Mike McKee showed a side which had not given in.
Hawks’ forwards could smell blood and in both the lineout and the scrum they pushed home their physical advantage. The 5th Hawks’ try came from the base of the scrum, number 8 Tommy Spinks picked the ball and ran round passing tp Boyer. Boyer put a sharp accurate pass to Tom Steven who acrobatically dived in close to touch beating the despairing Hawick defence.
With only about 10 minutes to go Hawick pulled back a consolation try, when in a rare moment of calmness they pulled a try back through Keith Davies as they put a real drive on working through the stages.
It was then that McGroarty who had already put an indelible stamp on the match turned the screw a little bit more. Hawick were up chasing a second try when they searched again for the golden pass, the one that allows you to evade hard work, as he had before the big centre anticipated the pass and burst through for the interception running more than 80 metres for the score with Jack Steele adding the conversion it was now 36-5 to Glasgow side. It was fitting that the Greenock man won the Man of the Match award on this performance.
Hawick didn’t give in and prop Shaun Muir was over for a late try for Hawick, but it fell, appropriately, to young Andrew Davidson who had done a ton of work all afternoon to score the final try his second in two matches. Steele completed the afternoon’s scoring
No title was won, no relegation avoided it was not a make or break match. It was a perfect example of playing the side in front of you and pulling yourself ahead of them in the league. A repeat of this result at Bridgehaugh next Saturday will allow Hawks to pull ahead of the team immediately ahead of us. No “must win” games, more a case of a “just win” game. Just win and we will see where we are…