Stirling County fulfilled expectations to win a second successive RBS under-18 Youth Cup title yesterday at Murrayfield with a 60-12 win over Selkirk YC in a repeat of last season's final against the Borders team.
"This has been a very good group to work with," said Eric Urquhart, the Stirling coach, "They've been together since S1 and for some of them it's a fifth Murrayfield medal."
The strength of the Stirling side, and, in particular, the age-grade international experience throughout the pack, meant the final was a mis-match that never created the conditions for thrust and counter-thrust rugby.
As a consequence, Selkirk had to make a little possession go a long way but in stand-off Callum McEwan, voted the RBS man-of-the-match, they had a player capable of working against the odds.
But Selkirk attacks were rare moments in a game that seemed at times a training exercise for County.
In the end, the power of the Stirling pack and the massive amount of possession was turned into scores that by the end totalled 10 tries, a hat-trick each for scrum-half Ciaran Wood and wing Brodie Clark.
The other try scorers for Stirling came from Ruairidh Leishman, their Scotland Under-20A flanker, Scotland Under-18 flanker Shaun MacDonald, centre Adam Tunaley and wing Stephen Gillies, who contributed further with five conversions.
In the under-16 Youth Cup final, Glasgow Hawks pointed to a brighter future for the club with a 43-29 win over Stirling County.
In an impressive performance, Hawks ran in seven tries, two by stand-off Jamie Loomes, the RBS man-of-the-match.
Loomes also kicked four conversions to finish with a total of 18 points.
Hawks other try scores were Oscar Welch, James Couper and replacement Greg Cunning. For Stirling County prop Adam Wood scored two second half tries, the other touchdowns coming from centre Jacob Adamson, and wing Hamish Innes. Stand-off Gavin Tainsh kicked three conversion goals.
In the other two finals, Boroughmuir defeated GHA to win the Under-16 Bowl and Peebles Colts beat Perthshire Colts to lift the Under-18 Bowl.
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