Some performances demonstrate the ability of a team, while others reflect the character a team……..yesterday the Greens rolled the two together and laid down a marker for the remainder of the season, as they showed exactly what togetherness and belief in your collective ability can produce.
In what has been a very challenging few weeks for everyone involved at the club, the lads shut out all the white noise, and in horrendous conditions focused on what they do best….producing one of their most complete performances of the season, as they dismantled the Currie Chieftains challenge in this Scottish Cup semi-final tie.
Before the game, a minutes applause was well observed in remembrance of two great Hawick stalwarts, past President Eric Grierson (who passed away at the end of last year), and Match Secretary and Ground Convenor John Andison, whose truly incredible service to the club spanned some 6 decades. Also remembered was Roger McLaren, who passed away on Friday evening. Roger was the last of the six men who were instrumental in the formation of Currie RFC back in 1970.
Playing with the strong wind and in torrential rain, Hawick contested a very physical first ten minutes with a fired up Chieftains side. With the elements in their favour Hawick knew they needed to keep the scoreboard ticking along and with some astute kicking from full back Kirk Ford and Centre Lee Armstrong, and some quite sublime touch finds from stand off Kyle Brunton, the Greens gave themselves good field position throughout the half.
From an excellent 50-22 from Brunton, a Currie infringement followed a Greens line-out drive, and Kirk Ford slotted the ensuing penalty to open the scoring 3-0.
Hawick then pressed on and following a penalty kick to the stand side corner, great line-out ball saw an excellent mall from the Hawick pack with the ever reliable Fraser Renwick scoring the try.
Further pressure from the Greens offered up another two penalty chances for Ford before half time, one of which the fullback gratefully converted, to make the halftime score 11-0.
With a strong wind now at their backs, it was Currie’s opportunity to put pressure on the Hawick defence and when an early foray into the Greens 22 resulted in a drop out from Kirk Ford, it was cleanly caught on the halfway line by the visitors stand off who duly slotted a peach of a drop goal, to bring the scores to 11-3.
However, this only seemed to focus the Greens who ramped up the intensity and desire, and keeping the ball in hand they worked their way up the park time and time again, forcing Currie to dig deep.
From one such move, winger Ronan McKean took the ball deep in his own half, and weaved his way up to the visitors 10 metre line with a fine run. When Currie infringed at the ensuing breakdown, Kirk Ford put the penalty into touch just inside the visitors 22.
An excellent line-out take saw the Hawick pack ‘as one’ drive the Chieftains pack back at a rate of knots fully 20 metres for Fraser Renwick to touch down for his second score of the game, to a great roar from the home crowd.
Although Kirk Ford struck the upright with the conversion Hawick had stretched their advantage to 16-3, and we handling the conditions very well.
What followed for the remaining 20 minutes was a master class in how to manage the game, as Hawick kept Currie pinned in their own half, they smothered any efforts by the visitors to break out, and in reply the Greens retained possession very effectively as they forced every ounce of effort from the Chieftains to stop them from scoring again.
When the final whistle blew….there were no wild celebrations from the Hawick boys…..they know that this win only secures their place at the Murrayfield finale in two weeks time. As always it’s one game at a time for these lads…..who will be relishing the next couple of weeks of training as they will build for two huge weeks in prospect.
The club will now start organising and preparing for our ‘day out’, and we shall advise everyone in due course through our social media platforms of travel arrangements once these are finalised.🏉💚