A dry spring day, perfect for rugby on ideal pitch conditions set the scene for Marr Rugby’s final league match of season 2015/16. Inverleith’s playing surface is amongst the best in the league and a backdrop that is hard to surpass provided a wonderful setting for the most important match to date in Marr’s continued climb to the upper tier of Scottish club rugby.

With hard chasing Dundee breathing down Marr’s neck in the race for the play-off spot the pressure was on Marr’s young squad to end their season with an away bonus point victory to secure the points needed to decide the end of the race. This wasn’t a given – Marr hadn’t previously beaten the home side in a competitive league match on their turf never mind scoring four or more tries needed to gain the all-important bonus point.

What followed was one of the highest paced and intensive displays of quality rugby action of the season. Both sides quickly set out their stalls and played to their respective strengths. A flurry of tries followed as Marr’s forwards and backs combined to great effect to exploit the available space. Meanwhile Stewart’s Melville stayed in the hunt with well executed forward’s led moves from the set pieces, in particular the line-outs where they held the ascendency in part influenced by the presence of their 6’8”+ second rower, Swedish internationalist Alex Rappestad. Marr’s squad were playing out of their skins as they used pace and precision to good effect. Ben Johnston (sponsored by Professor Sir James Armour) was in rampant form and the rest of the pack followed his example. In the backs Colin Sturgeon excelled and made superb use of any opportunity to exploit any glimmer of a gap in the home side’s defence.

Marr opened the scoring with an early try followed by a penalty but a quick response from Stewart’s Melville set the tone and pattern for most of the match. In table tennis fashion eight tries were scored in the opening forty minutes to see Marr leading by a solitary point.

Marr got off to a perfect start to the second forty minutes with an early try from Scot Bickerstaff. During the following twenty or so minutes Stewart’s Melville had the best of possession and territory and by the end of the quarter two tries gave them a two point advantage. This included an unstoppable short range charge from man mountain Rappestad.

Stewart’s Melville’s lead lasted only five minutes and was turned when Mackenzie Pearce smashed through a packed defence to score.

In the final ten minutes Marr’s players’ stamina and match fitness came to the fore and a final two tries followed, including Craig Kolarik’s (sponsored by MoveUrWay) second and Colin Sturgeon’s third for the day.

By the end of the match the 120 plus Marr supporters in the 200 or so crowd got to celebrate another milestone for Marr Rugby. This result ends another remarkable season for Marr Rugby as the club continue to improve on and off the field. Their relatively young side has grown and developed under the expert eye and guidance of Craig Redpath, supported by other others in the coaching team, including erudite Paul Burke. Year on year the coaching team has improved the skill set, stamina and self-belief of this growing squad of players, as individuals and as a team. The club knows it is punching well above its weight but is happy to face this challenge head on as it chases the vision and Marr’s mantra that the future is bright…the future is purple and gold!

The spoils for Marr Rugby are a play-off place against Premier league legends Gala - details to follow, see www.marrrugby.com for information.

Marr Rugby man of the match: Colin Sturgeon (sponsored by Bricktrain Ltd)

Marr Rugby scorers
Tries: Craig Kolarik (2), Colin Sturgeon (3), Kyle Vallance (1), Scott Bickerstaff 91) and Mackenzie Pearce (1)
Conversions: Colin Sturgeon (6)
Penalties: Colin Sturgeon (1)