The RBS Under-18 Youth Cup has reached its penultimate stage with semi-finals being played tonight at Bridgehaugh and on Sunday at Philiphaugh, a week before the competition reaches its climax at Murrayfield.
At Bridgehaugh, Stirling County, the defending champions, will be favourites at home against previous winners, Gala Wanderers, despite having had a paucity of competitive games this season. "We've played only 12 matches this season," said Eric Urquhart, the County coach, who added: "The lack of matches probably showed in our quarter-final against Hamilton.
"We've had to play a few of our players at senior level in Stirling County's second XV, just to give them meaningful games but that's been good experience for them."
What makes Stirling favourites tonight is their forward strength. Prop Jamie Bhatti played for Scotland Under-20 this season while on the other side of the front row Ross Murray is a Scotland Under-18 cap.
Their other national representatives are in the back row where flankers Ruraidh Leishman and Shaun MacDonald played for Scotland Under-20A and Scotland Under-18 respectively. Behind the scrum Archie Russell played for Scotland Under-17 while stand-off Jack Urquhart, who played in last season's final, was a reserve in the Scotland Under-18 squad.
Gala come into this semi- final on the back of 22 matches in the Borders Semi-Junior League in which they finished runners-up. More recently they have been involved in sevens rugby and currently top the Borders table in the short game.
Two of the Gala side, Gregor Mein and Jamie Parker have both played for the senior side in this season's Kings of the Sevens tournaments. Sunday's semi-final is between Selkirk YC and Boroughmuir.
Stirling County M Hall; B Clark, A Russell, A Tunaley, A Innes; J Urquhart, S Gillies; J Bhatti, S Govan, R Murray, G Anderson, J Fuentes, R Leishman, S MacDonald, C Arnold. Subs tbc
Gala Wanderers A Williams; F Welsh, J Parker, G Mein, M Lemon; R Jeffrey, G Hamilton; K Austin, K Bennett, J Hernden, B Reevley, M Howarth, H Brown, J Irvine Subs R Paterson, R Horsburgh, G Millar, K Young, L Armstrong, C Hancock, S Anderson
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