Dundee High secured their place in the semi-finals of the national schools cup competition at Mayfield yesterday in a tense encounter.

Alan Campbell, Dundee's director of rugby, acknowledged: "It could have gone either way. Fotunately, we took our chances and were able to close out the game." while Rob Moffat, the former Edinburgh head coach, now on the teaching staff at Dollar, commented: "It was essentially our forwards against their backs, which resulted in us having 70% of territory and possession. We were very close to scoring on several occasions; it was a frustrating afternoon for us."

Dundee had the satisfaction of outscoring Dollar by two tries to one, their touchdowns coming from left-wing Ronan Joy and full-back Blair Cochrane. The Dollar centre Jacob Adamson crossed for a try, converted by stand-off Alan Sutherland.

Dundee warmed up for their cup-tie by beating a Glasgow Academy side weakened by injury 29-10.

n Hutchesons' Grammar face a difficult test on Friday when they travel east to play George Watson's College in the last of the cup quarter-final ties under the lights at Myreside.

Watson's won 35-15 when the sides met earlier this season but Ally Donaldson, the Edinburgh school's head coach, is not being complacent. "It was a tough match until the last 10 minutes when we scored a few tries," he recalled. "Hutchesons' will be fielding a side that contains several of their players who won the under-15 cup three years ago," added Donaldson, whose side was barely tested in their 76-0 win over St Aloysius College on Saturday.

Hutchesons', meanwhile, suffered a slight confidence knock when they were beaten 23-22 at home by George Heriot's, despite tries from flanker Scott Young, winger Leo Milton and stand-off Max MacFarlane, two of them converted by George Swankie, who was also successful with a penalty.

Another quarter-final goes ahead today when Stewart's-Melville College face Edinburgh Academy at Inverleith. Edinburgh Academy, the holders, were beaten 31-7 by Merchiston, who have already secured a place in the last four of the competition, on Saturday.

Marr College, just back from a successful tour of Ontario, secured a place in the final of the Brewin Dolphin Glasgow South Plate with a 83-10 win over Wellington and will now face St Columba's. They followed their plate success with a 48-8 defeat of Queen Victoria School on Saturday.

Carrick Academy, last season's beaten finalists in the under-18 plate, may be out of the running for such honours this season but the Ayrshire school has consolidated its rugby foundations. "We have our own development officer and three full-time modern apprentices," said Gordon Brown, a faculty head at the school and the driving force behind rugby at Carrick. "We are now fielding an under-16 side on a Saturday, making a total of five sides playing regular rugby. We have 47% of our boys playing rugby and our under-15 girls' side are in the Scottish Cup semi-finals."