South Schools 9, SSRU Scottish Schools Rugby President's XV 14

THE President's XV, a team selected from the Scottish public schools,

has been an enigma over the last few years. Many of the outstanding

teams in Scotland have contributed to the President's team but they have

always flattered to deceive. The Bank of Scotland District match at

Netherdale yesterday was no exception, although they did win in the end.

They were a few good individual performances from the visitors but

they continually took the wrong options, and it was only in the middle

period of the second half that they dominated as they should, given the

wealth of experience in the team.

The South led 9-4 at the interval. Their ace kicker, Scott Tait, put

them ahead with a penalty after two minutes and converted a try by left

wing Rowland Fleming 18 minutes later. The visitors' score, an

individual try by stand-off Alistair Morrison, came in 16 minutes.

From a short penalty flanker Casper Cook scored a try to reduce the

gap to 8-9, and a penalty try was awarded when the South's scrum

collapsed as their opponents were going for a pushover. Ronald Eriksson

kicked the conversion.

South -- C Murray (Knox Academy);

A Aberdien (Kelso HS), D Muir (Ross HS), S Tait (Kelso HS), R Fleming

(Berwickshire HS); G Townsend (Galashiels Academy),

S Gilliland (North Berwick HS); J Brown,

S Clapperton (both Peebles HS), A Gilmour (Knox Academy), D Nichol

(Selkirk HS), M McNeil (Ross HS), C Carson,

A Gray (both Galashiels Academy), B Millar (Berwickshire HS).

President's XV -- J W K Anderson (Merchiston CS); O A K Brume (Fettes

College), B R S Eriksson (Merchiston CS), J A G Grant (Loretto), J J

Edmond (Edinburgh Academy); A G Morrison (Loretto), J N K Godfrey

(Edinburgh Academy); A N S Bryce (Glenalmond), M K Rutherford

(Merchiston CS), A Sinclair (Strathallan), R W Cairns (Edinburgh

Academy), G M Chatfield (Loretto), C C Cook (Edinburgh Academy), D Smart

(Strathallan), D C F Wight (Edinburgh Academy).

Referee -- T Storey (North and Midlands).