North and Midlands 15,

Glasgow 5.

NORTH and Midlands, gathering impetus in the second half, defeated

Glasgow in a lively, often entertaining under-19 district match at

Kirkcaldy last night. Yet it was a game the visitors ought to have won

if they could have maintained their first-half pressure.

Glasgow held a slight advantage in the lineout before the interval,

and Craig Sangster impressed with ball in hand, as did the aggressive

wings, Tyron Greenshields and David Riding, both difficult lads to put

down.

It was, however, Alan Featherstone, the North and Midlands scrum half,

who latterly emerged as the game's most promising back.

Glasgow's early pressure produced nothing. Instead, Alan McGregor

scored for North-Midlands by running 60 metres from his own interception

after 10 minutes.

Gerry Tosh converted, and only nine minutes from half-time did Glasgow

reply. It was a bizarre try, the ball squirting out of a goal-line scrum

as if shot from a gun for Scott Hutton to pounce.

Glasgow lost their lineout edge in the second half but, more important

for North and Midlands, Featherstone took charge of the game in liaison

with his breakaway forwards. The Dundee scrum half belied his slight

build with forceful running.

Once he made four hand-offs in quick succession, swopping the ball

from one arm to the other as he deflected opponents off alternate

flanks.

That run took him into the Glasgow twenty-two, where Tosh kicked a

penalty goal, and midway in the second half John MacDonald finished off

a lineout peel by barging over for the second home try.

By then North-Midlands were well in charge, and Gavin Scott, the home

hooker, was denied a try only inches from the line as he supported

McGregor. But the Glasgow hooker, Gordon Bulloch, not to be outdone,

joined company with Greenshields and Scott Anderson in a final flourish

that was typical of the spirit of the contest.

North and Midlands Under-19 -- K Oddie (Aberdeen GS FP); J Goldie

(Glenrothes), A J A McGregor (Aberdeen University), I Watson

(Dunfermline), C M Wilson (Aberdeen GS FP); G G Tosh, captain, A

Featherstone (both Dundee HS FP); G McAndrew (Edinburgh University), G

Scott (Harris Academy FP), G Lambie (Howe of Fife), K Anderson (Morgan

Academy FP), C Roemmelle (Aberdeen GS FP), J McDonald (Dundee HS FP), S

D Adam (Aberdeenshire), G D Burton (Strathallan).

Glasgow Under-19 -- D MacArthur (GHK); T Greenshields (Clarkston), C

Sangster (Stirling County), G McLeod (GHK), D Riding (West of Scotland);

M I Hosie (Wigtownshire), M McFarlane (GHK); A Patterson (West of

Scotland), G C Bulloch (Hutchesons'/Aloysians), captain, G Johnstone

(Clarkston), N Adams (GHK), S Anderson (Garnock), A Riddell (Stewartry),

S C Hutton (GHK), S Allison (Kilmarnock).

Referee -- J L Bacigalupo (Edinburgh Wanderers).

* SCOTTISH Schools' under-16 squad for matches against their

counterparts from Lancashire (at Selkirk on Monday, April 4) and the

North of England (at Newcastle Gosforth two days later):

R B Chassels (Glasgow Academy), D J Mackay (St Columba's School), J A

Philip (Edinburgh Academy), G Ross, D T N Simpson (both George

Heriot's), C D Steven (Fettes), S J Ruthven (Earlston HS), C H Black

(Carnoustie HS), A D Green (Trinity Academy), A A Lawson (Eastwood HS),

G E Hoyle, C C Calpaldi (both Stewart's Melville), I A White (North

Berwick HS), J P R White (Cults Academy), F A J Middleton (Merchiston),

G J Howieson (Hutchesons' GS), G I Mason (Dollar Academy), M Loakman (St

Aloysius'), R S Chrystie, K Nicholson (both Hawick HS), B Allan

(Hamilton GS), P Ritchie (Paisley GS).

* STAND-OFF Stuart Barnes is out of the England squad for Saturday's

Five Nations decider against Wales after damaging a groin muscle during

goal-kicking practice yesterday. The new man to sit on the replacements'

bench will be named today but the favourite must be Bristol's in-form

Paul Hull, who can play in most positions behind the scrum -- as can

Barnes's Bath colleague, Mike Catt, who is already among the

replacements.

Barnes has been struggling with a groin problem all season while

piloting Bath to within a handful of games of another cup and league

double.

Ironically, Barnes twice declined to sit on the England bench -- in

1987 and 1989 -- first deciding that he wanted to play rugby rather than

watch others and then because of family and business commitments. He was

due for his twenty-eighth spell on the bench this weekend, mostly as Rob

Andrew's understudy.

* IRISH prop Nick Popplewell, who played in all three Tests for the

British Lions against New Zealand last summer, yesterday ruled himself

out of Ireland's tour to Australia in May and June.

''I've been playing more or less continuous rugby for three years

without a break,'' said Popplewell. ''This season I have had continual

hamstring trouble and I just feel that I need a rest from the game.''

Popplewell won his twenty-third Irish cap in the recent match against

Scotland. The squad will be named next week.