Fettes College 5 Merchiston Castle10
Merchiston again proved themselves masters of the big occasion by retaining the Scottish Schools Cup final at Murrayfield last night.
It was Merchiston's third cup final victory in four years and arguably their sweetest win, having reversed their 22-10 defeat by Fettes earlier in the season. Merchiston produced a display of all-round attacking rugby, marvellous support play and crucially a defence that always kept its shape that Fettes, despite posing a big threat in the forward exchanges, could not match.
Outstanding for Merchiston in defence was Ben Dunnett, who has represented Edinburgh U-18s this season, the No.8 putting the tackle of the match to stop Fettes wing Graeme Tate in the first half.
Both sides had early chances, Merchiston through centre Guy Lavery and Fettes when Ben Angrove made a dash for the line, but it was Merchiston who went ahead with a penalty goal by influential captain and scrum half Brendan McKerchar.
McKerchar set up the first try midway through the second half by moving the ball close to his own line to create an overlap for Mark Towers. The left wing sprinted clear before off-loading the ball to the Jorin Grimsdale, for the full back to score under the posts leaving McKerchar with an easy conversion.
Fettes fought hard and Tate grabbed his side's only points with a solo try in the corner, but it was not enough to prevent Merchiston from lifting the Cup.
Scorers. Fettes - Try: Tate. Merchiston - Try:Grimsdale. Con: McKerchar. Pen: McKerchar
Fettes: C Graham-Brown; B Angrove, G Richmond, A Millar, G Tate; K MacLennan, A Edington; B Fix, A Young, J Thomas, D Oluijc, M Medlock, S Perrott, R Melck, C Latimer. Replacements A Cowie for Perrott 40 mins, J Jackson for Latimer 58 mins, D Riddle for Richmond 61 mins.
Merchiston: J Grimsdale; A Day, G Lavery, C Whalen, M Towers; O Abram, B McKerchar; G Palmer, J Blythe, N Malloy, S Brewster, C Dudar, B Slater, B Dunnett, D Brown. Replacements P Robson, S Hadden, A Powell, D Moussa, R Clark for Dudar 43 mins
Referee J Fleming (Boroughmuir).
l St Columbas, from Kilmalcolm, won the Scottish schools plate for the first time when they defeated Hutchesons Grammar School 25-19 at New Anniesland yesterday.
James Eadie scored St Columbas's first try converted by Calum Brown who also kicked a penalty. Geoffrey Warnock and Blair Carswell scored Hutchesons' tries before the interval with Garry Johnston converting the first. In the second half St Columbas had tries by Cameron McCulloch, Brown and Eadie. Hutchesons's consolation try was scored by Alan Toshner converted by Johnston.
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