SPRINT 2024 | PLAY-OFFS

We would have obviously loved to have been in tonight’s final however, one of the positives to falling short last weekend is we get to play at Goldie against our nearest rivals in our final ever FOSROC Super Series match. Its been a strange old week but we have tried to enjoy being around each other as much as possible. All our focus has been on this weekend and ensuring we do everything we can to bow out of this competition with our heads held high. Last week was the first time we have been beaten at home by another Super Series side since this group came together in January 2023. We intend to show that that was a blip.

Watsonians will come with a similar motivation – one last opportunity to go out and enjoy playing together – and I am sure they will be highly motivated to come to Goldie and head away with the final bragging rights. They have been one of the most consistent performers throughout Super Series and have shown that form over the last few weeks. We know it will be a much harder contest than Round 1.

I am sure there will be mixed emotions on Saturday – alot of people have put alot of work into making this competition a success. Our starting XV on Saturday has a combined appearance total of 439 for Heriot’s Rugby with another 139 appearances on the bench. Including their appearances for other Super Series sides, our final ever match 23 has 665 Super Series appearances between them which is testmanent to how much the players have enjoyed the product and their commitment to the programme.

Matt Davidson (ALBIE) returns from GB 7s to start at 13 replacing the injured Liam Richman. Jack Blain is unavailable and Sam Pecqueur is injured so Lewis Wells (Not Book Club) starts and is joined on the other wing by Seamus Smith with Sinjin Broad starting at 9.

The pack is largely our tried and tested since I came into post. Chris Keen comes in at loosehead for his first start of the season. Jamie Campbell returns in the 2nd row allowing Charlie Jupp (Morph Costumes) to return to his favoured position at 6. Ruairidh Leishman (Kings Wark) will captain the side in Liam’s absence.

It is a 6/2 split on the bench with Euan McAra (Sheena Holdings) and Fergus Wood returning to the squad as the 2 backline replacements. Young Blues player Lachlan Forsyth is in line to make his debut as he provides emergency cover and is joined by Wallace Nelson (A. & J. Nelson) and Josh Scott who have dropped out of the starting XV.