Scotland domestic game update

Tristan Gray sends us the latest from the women's domestic game in Scotland.

Published by Alison Donnelly, November 15th, 2014

6 minute read

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Scotland domestic game update

This weekend brings us the second round of the Sarah Beany Cup as round 1 victors Stewartry, Broughton, Cartha, Lismore, Ayr and Aberdeenshire are joined by bottom-two Premiership sides Kirkcaldy and Stirling.

Having graduated from the first round these sides will be keen to claim a couple of major scalps on Sunday on the way to challenging the top-four Premiership sides in the New Year.

The first round involved some tough matches.

National 1 side Broughton defeated National 2 leaders Oban in a high-scoring 56-22 match in what proved part of a comeback series of wins for the Edinburgh side. Ayr welcomed another National 2 hopeful, Glasgow Uni in a surprisingly close 15-10 game which brought Glasgow close to a cup upset over the side competing for Premiership promotion. Aberdeenshire Quins pulled off an unexpected 30-22 win over fellow National 1 side Watsonians, overturning a previous league defeat, and Stewartry saw off Garioch away 17-59. Lismore advanced automatically as Dundee University withdrew and Cartha Queens Park demolished league strugglers Morgan 70-5 away.

This round sees solo N2 side Lismore welcome N1’s Aberdeenshire Quines, Broughton challenge relegation-threatened Premiership side Kirkcaldy at home, a N1 leaders clash between Ayr and Cartha in Ayr and Borderer’s Stewartry welcome the Premiership’s Stirling County.

Round one defeated sides Watsonians and Glasgow University, and Grangemouth and Morgan, will compete in the Bowl quarter finals.

Premiership

Following the league break, the Premiership kicks off again on the 30th November. RHC travel to Kirckcaldy on a high after their first back-to-back wins of the season resulted in a huge upset, defeating previously undefeated league leaders Murrayfield Wanderers 7-0 at home. Kirkcaldy need a win to turn around their fortunes, sitting 5 points and 400 points adrift at the bottom of the table with only two league rounds to go.

Melrose welcome a resurgent Stirling home, needing a win to close the gap on Murrayfield Wanderers and overtake 2nd-place competition Hillhead Jordanhill whilst staying ahead of RHC. Stirling arrive following their first win of the season over Kirkcaldy with the chance to secure league survival.

The big match off the weekend is a top-two clash between Murrayfield Wanderers and Hillhead Jordanhill. Hills haven’t lost since the sides last met at the beginning of October and look to follow up their tight win over RHC with another at Murrayfield. The Wanderers look vulnerable for the first time this season, deprived of an early league win in their loss last week. However, a win on the 30th would put them out of reach of chasers Hills and Melrose, with only a final round match against Kirkcaldy left to go. Should Hills win the league goes wide open, with both themselves and Melrose still able to claim the title with Hills sitting a game-in-hand.

National 1

Last week a shock win by 6th-place Stewartry over leaders Cartha Queens Park opened the race for Premiership promotion to challengers Watsonians and Ayr, who themselves claimed heavy 33-12 and 70-0 wins. An injury-strewn Cartha side welcomes a Watsonians side only behind by points difference on the 23rd, which could throw the recent Premiership side into the lead. Dundee University will also welcome Morgan in a bottom-two battle.

On the 30th the league proper will return. Broughton will look to upset the top three with a win over Watsonians, arriving after five successive match wins in the league and cup. Ayr travel to the threatening Stewartry looking not to follow the fate of Cartha and stay in reach of the top spot. Cartha will travel to Aberdeen with one eye on the chasing sides and Dundee University will play their return fixture against Morgan.

National 2

In National 2 a two-horse race is emerging. National 1’s relegation side Oban Lorne battling with Glasgow University for the top spot, 6 points clear of third-placed Lismore. Both sides registered convincing wins last weekend, 47-7 over Lismore and 20-5 over Garioch respectively and will look to further strengthen their grip on the league with wins on the 30th over Garioch and Royal Dick Vet College.

Lismore look like a resurgent side this season, registering just one win in the previous two seasons, but two dominant performances against Royal Dick Vets and Garioch so far. On the 30th they welcome bottom league side Grangemouth to close the gap on the league leaders. Grangemouth themselves are looking to leapfrog fellow stragglers Royal Dick Vets, who they lie just one match point adrift of, as the latter face a very tough visit from Oban.

National Development League

After the success of the September National Development League in Broughton, Greenock stepped in to host the second day on 19th October. Fifty four players from eight sides took part, including hosts Greenock Wanderers, Annan Warriors, Clydebank Diamonds, Edinburgh University, Howe of Fife Harlequins, Inverness Craig Dunain, Stirling University and Strathclyde University.

The sides worked together to field four sides each playing three games in what was considered an extremely productive day for developing the skills of many players and teams looking to compete in the league next season. The next development day occurs alongside the league games on the 30th November, hosted by Inverness Craig Dunain in the north and Annan in the south.

Many thanks to Roz Galloway of http://scottishwomensrugby.wordpress.com/ for her work documenting the leagues so far and for her image used here.

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