After the game, Graham Hogg, the Hawick coach, spoke about his side’s improved performance after their defeat to Currie a week earlier. “We felt we deserved a little bit more than just the one point last week. We played some nice rugby today. To get the five-point win and to come back after a poor start just after halftime, when we went 9 points down, and work hard for each other to get the victory was massive,” waxed Hogg.
He added: “Huge performance from the forwards, especially Shawn Muir and Nicky Little. The amount of times they got off the ground and carried around the corner again. These boys are talismans for our group and boys look up to them.”
As to the significance of the win, Hogg is adamant that Hawick should never have been in a precarious league position but is happy that they’ve made certain their stay in the top flight next season.
“I would say that this year was all about consolidating, and we’ve managed to do that. We’ve still got two games to go and we still want to finish as high as we possibly can. I’ve been on record a few times saying that this club deserves more than just consolidation. So we need to do a lot of work behind the scenes and make sure that transfers on to the pitch so we are looking at more than just consolidation.”
For Watsonians, the result means that their place in the top four is now uncertain and will depend on the remaining fixtures in addition to what happens elsewhere. As to the game itself, head coach Davey Wilson knows that his side were just a whisker away from winning.
“We had our opportunities towards the end but it was about winning those small battles that mattered. We maybe just didn’t get it right: it’s executing under pressure that matters. But listen, I’m really pleased with the effort that the guys put into today. It’s hard to come down here and get a win,” he said.
After a ten-minute period testing each other out, it was Hawick who broke the early deadlock with a penalty goal from Zach Lewis. The Greens’ early advantage, however, was soon washed away after Watsonians drove a penalty line-out to create a try for Stuart Allison, the conversion points supplied by Andy McLean.
Hawick quickly replied, attacking from a five-metre line-out and setting up a sequence of surges at the visitors’ line, culminating in Connor Sutherland diving over for the Greens’ opening try, converted by Lewis.
The lead changed again after the Watsonians forwards laid siege on the Hawick line before releasing the ball wide for winger Harry Fisher to stroll over for an all-too-easy score, McLean adding the extras.
Watsonians’ further progress was hampered by the loss of Luca Anderson to the sin-bin for taking out Armstrong while the Hawick player was still airborne.
Hawick made the best of their one-man advantage, piling the pressure on Watsonians and retaining possession skilfully. Then, when Redpath took a tap penalty, it presaged a long assault on the visitors’ line that ended with Russell Anderson squeezing over and Lewis converting for a 17-14 half-time lead.
The leadometer oscillated once more as Watsonians, through skilful kicking from their young centre Harry Clark, secured line-out ball against the throw allowing Allison to barge over for his second try, McLean again providing the extra two points.
The score quickly morphed into a double set-back for Hawick as Clark’s long pass sparked an attack that ended with Fisher diving over for his second try of the game and the bonus point for his side.
Home fans were soon re-enthused after Hawick moved the ball wide to give teenager Connor McLeod enough room to dash in at the corner, Lewis succeeding with the touchline conversion to narrow Watsonians’ lead to two points.
Sensing a mid-match momentum swing, Hawick worked their way upfield and from line-out possession Andrew Mitchell used his strength and pace to score his side’s bonus point try to take the lead once again.
Watsonians twice had chances to produce the winning score from penalty kicks to the Hawick 22, but each time they were thwarted by their own errors and the Greens’ sheer doggedness to stay in the fight.
Then, with little time remaining in the match, Watsonians launched an attack from their own five-metre line that resulted in stand-off Chris Bell breaking clear, only for Charlie Welsh to stop the move with a quick-engaging tackle, but at the cost of a penalty. The visitors kicked to the corner but lost the ensuing line-out failed to secure possession, and when the ball was kicked out of play, it was all over for the Myreside men, leaving Hawick winners.
Teams –
Hawick: L Armstrong; C Welsh, A Mitchell, G Huggan, C McLeod; K Brunton, Z Lewis; S Muir, C Renwick©, N Little, D Redpath, H Donaldson, R Anderson, M Swailes, C Sutherland. Subs used: F Kinnaird, L Graham, C Cumming, G Welsh, C Riddell, E Hamilton, R McKean.
Watsonians: A McLean; L Anderson, R Kerr, H Clark, H Fisher; C Bell, M Scott; D Voas, B Cooper, C Lamberton, L Ball, K Watt, K van Niekirk©, F Stewart, S Allison. Subs used: T Gray, C Murphy, H McRobbie, J Roberts, L Macpherson, B Young, M Garry.
Referee: Sam O’Neil
Scorers –
Hawick: Tries: Sutherland, Anderson, McLeod, Mitchell; Cons: Lewis (3); Pens: Lewis.
Watsonians: Tries: Allison 2, Fisher 2; Cons: McLean 3.
Scoring sequence (Hawick first): 3-0; 3-5; 3-7; 8-7; 10-7; 10-12; 10-14; 15-14; 17-14 (h-t) 17-19; 17-21; 17-26; 22-26; 24-26; 29-26.
Yellow cards –
Watsonians: Anderson
Player-of-the-Match: Watsonians may have lost but they had some excellent performers on view, notably Stuart Allison in the back-row and teenager Harry Clark at inside centre. The difference was the strength and experience of the Hawick forward pack, among whom veteran prop Nicky Little, playing an inspired game, was immense and as such he deservedly wins the MOTM award.
Talking point: If Premiership rugby can consistently produce close-fought games like Hawick versus Watsonians then the appetite for the game at this level will remain. Certainly the decent-sized crowd at Mansfield Park got great value from the teams on view and, given the significance of the result, went away feeling good about rugby in Hawick.
