North and Midlands 15,
Glasgow 5.
NORTH and Midlands, gathering impetus in the second half, defeated
Glasgow in a lively, often entertaining under-19 district match at
Kirkcaldy last night. Yet it was a game the visitors ought to have won
if they could have maintained their first-half pressure.
Glasgow held a slight advantage in the lineout before the interval,
and Craig Sangster impressed with ball in hand, as did the aggressive
wings, Tyron Greenshields and David Riding, both difficult lads to put
down.
It was, however, Alan Featherstone, the North and Midlands scrum half,
who latterly emerged as the game's most promising back.
Glasgow's early pressure produced nothing. Instead, Alan McGregor
scored for North-Midlands by running 60 metres from his own interception
after 10 minutes.
Gerry Tosh converted, and only nine minutes from half-time did Glasgow
reply. It was a bizarre try, the ball squirting out of a goal-line scrum
as if shot from a gun for Scott Hutton to pounce.
Glasgow lost their lineout edge in the second half but, more important
for North and Midlands, Featherstone took charge of the game in liaison
with his breakaway forwards. The Dundee scrum half belied his slight
build with forceful running.
Once he made four hand-offs in quick succession, swopping the ball
from one arm to the other as he deflected opponents off alternate
flanks.
That run took him into the Glasgow twenty-two, where Tosh kicked a
penalty goal, and midway in the second half John MacDonald finished off
a lineout peel by barging over for the second home try.
By then North-Midlands were well in charge, and Gavin Scott, the home
hooker, was denied a try only inches from the line as he supported
McGregor. But the Glasgow hooker, Gordon Bulloch, not to be outdone,
joined company with Greenshields and Scott Anderson in a final flourish
that was typical of the spirit of the contest.
North and Midlands Under-19 -- K Oddie (Aberdeen GS FP); J Goldie
(Glenrothes), A J A McGregor (Aberdeen University), I Watson
(Dunfermline), C M Wilson (Aberdeen GS FP); G G Tosh, captain, A
Featherstone (both Dundee HS FP); G McAndrew (Edinburgh University), G
Scott (Harris Academy FP), G Lambie (Howe of Fife), K Anderson (Morgan
Academy FP), C Roemmelle (Aberdeen GS FP), J McDonald (Dundee HS FP), S
D Adam (Aberdeenshire), G D Burton (Strathallan).
Glasgow Under-19 -- D MacArthur (GHK); T Greenshields (Clarkston), C
Sangster (Stirling County), G McLeod (GHK), D Riding (West of Scotland);
M I Hosie (Wigtownshire), M McFarlane (GHK); A Patterson (West of
Scotland), G C Bulloch (Hutchesons'/Aloysians), captain, G Johnstone
(Clarkston), N Adams (GHK), S Anderson (Garnock), A Riddell (Stewartry),
S C Hutton (GHK), S Allison (Kilmarnock).
Referee -- J L Bacigalupo (Edinburgh Wanderers).
* SCOTTISH Schools' under-16 squad for matches against their
counterparts from Lancashire (at Selkirk on Monday, April 4) and the
North of England (at Newcastle Gosforth two days later):
R B Chassels (Glasgow Academy), D J Mackay (St Columba's School), J A
Philip (Edinburgh Academy), G Ross, D T N Simpson (both George
Heriot's), C D Steven (Fettes), S J Ruthven (Earlston HS), C H Black
(Carnoustie HS), A D Green (Trinity Academy), A A Lawson (Eastwood HS),
G E Hoyle, C C Calpaldi (both Stewart's Melville), I A White (North
Berwick HS), J P R White (Cults Academy), F A J Middleton (Merchiston),
G J Howieson (Hutchesons' GS), G I Mason (Dollar Academy), M Loakman (St
Aloysius'), R S Chrystie, K Nicholson (both Hawick HS), B Allan
(Hamilton GS), P Ritchie (Paisley GS).
* STAND-OFF Stuart Barnes is out of the England squad for Saturday's
Five Nations decider against Wales after damaging a groin muscle during
goal-kicking practice yesterday. The new man to sit on the replacements'
bench will be named today but the favourite must be Bristol's in-form
Paul Hull, who can play in most positions behind the scrum -- as can
Barnes's Bath colleague, Mike Catt, who is already among the
replacements.
Barnes has been struggling with a groin problem all season while
piloting Bath to within a handful of games of another cup and league
double.
Ironically, Barnes twice declined to sit on the England bench -- in
1987 and 1989 -- first deciding that he wanted to play rugby rather than
watch others and then because of family and business commitments. He was
due for his twenty-eighth spell on the bench this weekend, mostly as Rob
Andrew's understudy.
* IRISH prop Nick Popplewell, who played in all three Tests for the
British Lions against New Zealand last summer, yesterday ruled himself
out of Ireland's tour to Australia in May and June.
''I've been playing more or less continuous rugby for three years
without a break,'' said Popplewell. ''This season I have had continual
hamstring trouble and I just feel that I need a rest from the game.''
Popplewell won his twenty-third Irish cap in the recent match against
Scotland. The squad will be named next week.
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