Alasdair Reid

Rugby reporter

Latest articles from Alasdair Reid

Edinburgh's young guns come of age

As it was, Toolis needed just about every inch of grass available to pursue his own charge-down against Newport Gwent Dragons nine days ago to register his first points for Edinburgh. In the context of a 45-16 drubbing of the Welsh side, his try could hardly be considered critical, but it came at a point when the Dragons had been cobbling together a half- decent comeback, so it was arguably the most significant moment in the game that sent the capital side through to Friday's European Challenge Cup final against Gloucester at Twickenham Stoop.

Mark Bennett in race to be fit for World Cup

Bennett, who made his international debut against Argentina last November and who has since won seven caps and has scored two Test tries, was one of Scotland's top performers in an otherwise disappointing RBS 6 Nations Championship this year.

Edinburgh's Sam Hidalgo-Clyne makes perfect nine out of 10

There were some decently combative passages here and there and we had confirmation of the class of players like Mark Bennett, Stuart Hogg and Jonny Gray, but five straight defeats and the low-note ending of a thrashing by Ireland did not exactly encourage positive reflection.

ZZ prop no more, but Cross is still ready to rock

No, it is not the retirement of Al Kellock of which we speak, rather the disappearance of that mighty eruption of facial foliage that had engulfed Geoff Cross's chin over the past year. For the sake of charity - and, more pressingly, domestic harmony - the game's most celebrated beard is no more.

Glasgow Warriors release Shade Munro after 12 years' service

The 48-year-old former Scotland lock is one of three Warriors stalwarts who are set to take their leave of the club. The others are hooker Dougie Hall, who is hanging up his boots to pursue a business career, and prop Jon Welsh, who has signed for Newcastle Falcons.

Travel: Isle Of Man

Because for all that the island has lately become a destination of choice for surfers, kayakers and other such adventurous types, it remains the sort of place where you can potter along life's slow lane for a few days and never feel that you are lagging behind.