Tough task for County

Dec 19 2008 by Alan Rennie, Stirling Observer Friday

HOW fortunate Stirling County have been this season to have such an abundance of quality scrum-halves.

Graham Lindsay had already defected to the wing to allow Graham Calder to play at No 9 at the start of the season. Since then, however, injuries have hit hard.

Calder was sidelined and young Gordon McRorie grabbed his opportunity with some style before he too joined the list of crocks.

This meant that, last week, Alan Robertson (right) was given the chance to re-claim the jersey that looked like being his long-term, exclusive property just a few seasons ago.

His Premiership debut for this season couldn’t have been more arduous against a bang-in-form Currie side for whom scrum-half Ryan Reeves was a star.

And Robertson won’t get it any easier tomorrow (Saturday) when County travel to play the runaway league leaders Ayr.

They have a big, physical pack supplying good ball for their jack-in-the-box scrum-half AJ McFarlane. In the backs, ex-Taranaki stand-off Frazier Climo links well with those flashy Frenchmen Julien Montoro and Flo Marin.

However, County had them on the rack in the closing seconds of this season’s match at Bridgehaugh. With Ayr winning 22-16, County almost snatched it when Aca Ratuva was brought crashing down inches from the line by Richard McCallum.

Looking to this Saturday’s game, County will again be leaving it late before announcing their side, due to injuries.

Prop Wilba Davies has just a 50-50 chance of making it but at least Ross Logan is available again to give front row cover.

Doubts also surround locks Bruce McFarlane and Paul Wilson but thankfully winger Graham Lindsay will be back.

Nine points ahead of their closest rivals Selkirk with a game in hand, life is good right now for Ayr coach Kenny Murray.

In the Ayr website, he describes tomorrow’s match as a “huge” game.

“If we don't do well then a lot of the good we have achieved in earlier matches will be undone,” he said.

“But I have to say that we will have to play poorly and Stirling will have to be very good if we are to lose at Millbrae because of the lift the players get from the crowd. The whole atmosphere on match day is superb.”

Table-topping opposition and a partisan home crowd – it’s another monumental task for County!