Record Breaking Rams Put Shawlands To The Sword
Published on 22 September 2007 at 09:03:00
Shawlands 0 - Moffat rams 76
On a fine, sunny, windy, autumn day perfect for rugby the Rams took the road into the south side of Glasgow to play a team who have proved a bogey in the past. Shawlands have gained a reputation as being poor travellers but very worthy opponents at home.
With some players out through injury, (Hawthorn and Tyler) illness (Murray) and unavailability (Zola, Blackie and Hammy) a reshuffled Rams welcomed back a jet lagged Mike Lockhart, striped legs and all, from his fact finding US tour to slot into his old berth at No 10. With Zola's unavailability the ubiquitous Graeme Gemmell moved to scrum half to partner Lockhart. Stuart Renwick returned at no 15 with the old firm of Smith and Jack in the centres. Calum Jardine (Sammy) also back from an overseas trip (Coll) and Dave Scott took the wing berths.
Up front the Little brothers started at prop with Galloway as always sandwiched between them. Bob Drennan and Captain Jamie McDowall benefiting from some intensive midweek coaching adding the ballast and shove in the 2nd row. The familiar back row of KC and Polly were on the flanks as Matt Wennington returned from his "Shirley Valentine experience" to resume at No.8.
The bench was filled with Craig Currie, Scott Borthwick and Trevor Newport with the unlucky Andy Robb missing out.
Shawlands as befits a side included in the mighty Cartha QP setup fielded a team packed with youth and experience with some good players in key positions. What was obvious from the outset was the older players they had added a streetwise approach and combined with the youth of their Colts they promised to be difficult to break down and so it proved.
The Rams kicked into the wind and soon put the home side under pressure. A Shawlands indiscretion was penalised with Kevin Jack capitalising within minutes. Sustained rams pressure told as Lockhart crossed for the first of ten tries for the visitors. Jack converted. Two further tries courtesy of the Smith brothers were converted by Kevin Jack who added a further penalty into the wind to make the half time score 27-0 to the Rams.
In a one sided second period the rams ran riot due to a combination of their opponents tiring and some sustained high quality incisive running and backing up. Further tries came from Graham Gemmell, Dave Scott (2), Kevin Jack (3) and Sammy (after a "discussion" with Carter who was also claiming the touch down). In the second half Craig Currie came on for Jon Little, Scott Borthwick replaced Jamie McDowall and Trevor Newport replaced Sammy.
On a day when the wind would normally have made kicking a lottery the imperious Kevin Jack (pictured) added all the conversions for a personal tally of 41 points. This result is believed to be the highest Moffat have achieved in a formal league setting and the personal tally for Kevin Jack is also another club record.
Far from being a one man show this was a clinical destruction of what has to be conceded as a relatively weak Shawlands outfit. Using the old adage that you can only beat what your opponent fields the Rams however showed ruthlessness they have not shown in the past. The coaching staff very pleased with the application shown by the players praised their patience. The players in turn stuck to the game plan and executed moves quite brilliantly at times.
Immediately after the game Captain Jamie McDowall said "They were a stuffy, streetwise side and initially hard to break down. However we stuck to our game plan and played with purpose and precision which culminated in a fantastic second half performance to kill them off. This was a whole team display and will give us renewed confidence for the rest of the season
Team
Renwick; Scott; C Smith; Jack; Jardine; Lockhart; Gemmell, C Little, Galloway, j Little; Drennan; McDowall; Carter, P Smith and Wennington
Replacements (all used) Currie; Borthwick and Newport
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