No trip to Murrayfield this year. Stirling County Under 18’s exited from the National Youth Cup on Saturday when a highly combative Currie youth side visited Bridgehaugh.
Perhaps the writing was on the wall when earlier in the week, with promising number eight Adam Ash and prop Neil Leeson joining Ciaran Anderson on the injury list. This definitely stretched the County squad however good preparation during the week had established confidence that they could defend the National title successfully.
The ground conditions were surprisingly good as the match started. Receiving kick-off, County were immediately under pressure as the powerful Currie pack drove forward. Pressure in the contact area saw County fail to release the ball and a Currie penalty score was registered within two minutes. County responded positively and the next period of the match saw an ’arm-wrestle’ between both sets of forwards with the lighter County pack fronting up successfully but without either team dominating. When County did get clean ball it looked as if the back-line could be productive, with wingers Jamie Anderson and Robbie Stevenson looking dangerous. However, opportunities to run the ball were rare. On twenty minutes centre Robbie Hogg levelled the score with a well struck penalty after Currie had infringed in contact.
Just before the half hour mark, Currie again took advantage of a County infringement and eased ahead 3-6. Almost immediately after this County were again struck an injury blow when stand-off Finn Russell suffered an arm injury, subsequently diagnosed as a broken wrist. County had quickly to re-organise with full-back Craig Robertson slotting in at stand-off and Stefan Yarrow making his debut at full-back.
County had good possession and momentum for the first time in the match and a fine break by scrum-half Lewis Coutts was almost rewarded by a try as he broke from the twenty-two and appeared to have touched-down in the corner as he was tackled only to have been adjudged to have knocked-on in the process. Just before the break County again drove at the Currie defence and a across-field kick saw winger Jamie Anderson in space to score in the corner to take County ahead 8-6 at the interval.
The match resumed with a similar pattern. The Currie side were happy to keep the ball tight to their strong pack and County desperate to get the ball moving to their threatening backline. Twelve minutes into the second period, the Currie powerful number eight made a telling break through the inside channel. A quickly re-cycled ball was spun wide on the right and Currie eased ahead 11-8. County reacted and after a break and off-load it looked as if centre Robbie Hogg was under the posts only to be called back for a forward pass. The County support on the sidelines were adamant that the ball had been passed legally. Almost immediately the County response was compromised with dynamic second-row Adam Sinclair having to leave the field with a shoulder injury. This was further exacerbated when live-wire scrumhalf Lewis Coutts tore a calf muscle. Jake-Yuill-Kirkwood coming on in the pack and Harry Cordiner at scrum-half.
With time running down County upped the effort but Currie were street-wise at the contact area and on too many occasions the home side could not get the ball away quickly and momentum was lost. The day was complete when County winger Robbie Stevenson who had a highly effective match, suffered a head injury as the final whistle blew. The match ended County 8 Currie 11.
This was always going to be a tight match and County did not have good fortune the week before and on the day with key injuries hampering their efforts. Nevertheless the squad cannot be faulted on effort and with a break of the ball may have taken this match. The squad will now re-group and consider the injury situation, before focussing on development for the rest of the season.
