STIRLING County are not only top of the national league, but they also

have the luxury of being able to chose their back-row trio from four

district players.

Of course, someone must suffer when all are available and tomorrow,

Gordon Mackay is the unlucky man for the Bridgehaugh match against GHK.

Mackay's omission allows Stirling to accommodate both district No.8

forwards, Jim Brough and Gareth Flockhart, with Brough in his Glasgow

position, flanked by Flockhart and Brian Ireland.

West of Scotland, visiting Currie, keep two Glasgow Under-21 squad

members, Alan Hogarth and David Jamieson, in a team unchanged despite

the 22-21 defeat by Glasgow Academicals at New Anniesland last week.

Hogarth, normally a scrum-half, remains on the left wing in place of

Stuart Munro, and Jamieson is again preferred tight head to Sandy Crear.

Stewart's Melville have dropped their regular full back Murray Thomson

for the visit to Edinburgh Academicals, with Peter Flockhart switching

from centre, a good chance for him to warm up for wearing the No.15

jersey in the Under-21 international against Ireland next week.

Last week Jed brought Alan Dunnett and David Forster into the pack for

the friendly against Hartlepool Rovers, and so well did the pair played

that day that they remain for the home league match against Dundee.

However, a worry for Jed is that Bob Johnstone has a trapped nerve in

his back and now Kevin Barrie has had to shift from hooker to left prop

in a recast front row.

Melrose who have lost four of their nine matches, need a win against

Heriot's at the Greenyards. Robin Craig returns at loose head for

Melrose as Millan Browne is still troubled by injury, and Ian Cornwall,

a schools cap last year, is being rested.

Hawick take on Gala by fielding the team who finished in the 14-10

victory over Stirling two weeks ago, the league leaders' first

championship defeat of the season. Stewart Henderson, an early

replacement in that match, remains in the second row.

* ST Mungo Turnbull, from Bishopbriggs, have been successful in

appealing to the Scottish Rugby Union against a two-point penalty in the

first division of the RMD Glasgow and District League.

The league committee had decreed that the points should be forfeited

as the club, because of suspension, had had to postpone their opening

league game of the season, against Strathclyde Police, in September.

St Mungo Turnbull had been banned for fielding a suspended player in a

match last season, but the SRU ruled that the two-point league penalty

would be a double punishment.