BT Reserve National League 2: Marr Rugby 50 – Biggar RFC 19
Friendly: Marr Rugby 3s 12 – Kilmarnock RFC 2s 10
1st XV match away v Watsonian FC postponed – frozen pitches at Myerside

See 2s match photos here

Marr Rugby’s 2nd XV end the year as league leaders after their bonus point win was enough to leapfrog Hawick and take the top spot by a single point. With both sides now having played the same number of matches and both enjoying good and consistent winning runs their meeting at Mansfield Park on 20 January is shaping up as even more significant in the run in to the end of the season.
It was an impressive performance from Marr as they ran in eight tries against a strong Biggar side who worked hard throughout. The visitors bigger pack had the edge in the set-piece scrum and won several turnover balls at the breakdown but were mercilessly punished as Marr made great use of any and every opportunity to launch attacks from all over pitch.

Marr’s opening score came in five minutes after Danny Clark (sponsored by Callachan’s Health & Therapy) burst through tackles and made a 30m break into midfield. He was tackled 15 m short of the line but quickly recycling saw the ball spread wide and Ry McInnes flew into score in the corner. Biggar bounced back and they were rewarded with a converted try to claim the lead.

On the quarter hour mark Marr added try two scored by Jack Scott who was in close support of Andrew Mill (sponsored by James Kenneth) who made a great midfield line-break to open up the defence. Once again Biggar quickly hit back and regained the lead with another converted try following a clever kick and chase got behind Marr’s defence. In a ping-pong affair Marr claimed their third try just on the half hour Mark as replacement prop Marr Allison bulldozed his way through from short range as Marr made good use of a close range attacking lineout and this time Rory McGee added the extra points. Just before half-time Marr added the bonus point try, this time the score coming from Max Freydell who chased down a deft chip through from Danny Clark.
Scoring in the second half started on four minutes as Rory McGee added try five and then converted for the extra points. As Biggar started to tire Marr opened up play scoring a further two tries in quick succession. From a scrum midway inside Biggar’s half Marr spread the ball wide and Murray Beckwith picked a great angle for his run to slice through to score. Try seven was scored by Josh Evans who had made several rampaging midfield breaks and on this occasion was unstoppable as he swatted aside defenders to power in to score.

On the hour mark Biggar got their third try to set up a frenzied final quarter. Within a minute Marr added their eighth try as replacement hooker Curran McMillan blasted his way through close defence to score after a Marr attacking line out. The remaining twenty minutes was exciting as re-energised Biggar tried to chase a bonus point try. They pressed home waves of attacks but Marr’s defensive work held up to the test and the game ended with no further scoring.

Marr’s 2s now go into their winter break but have early action in the new year when they travel on 6 January to play GHA in a re-arranged fixture.

Marr Rugby 2nd XV man of the match: Rory McGee

Marr Rugby 2nd XV scorers
Tries: Ry McInnes; Jack Scott; Mark Allison; Max Freydell; Rory McGee; Murray Beckwith; Josh Evans and Curran McMillan
Conversions: Rory McGee (5)

Marr Rugby's 3rd XV ended up having to play a 'friendly' against Kilmarnock's 2s after the referee failed to arrive at Fullarton. The league fixture will be re-arranged but the 'friendly' was a good hit-out for both sides and an a close contest Marr had the edge courtesy of the boot of Thomas Watkins who converted one of Marr's brace of tries.

Marr Rugby's 1st XV had to make do with an additional training session after their match away to Watsonian FC was postponed due to frozen pitches. This fixture is likely to be re-arranged to 6 January - watch Marr Rugby website and Facebook for confirmation.

Marr Rugby - next fixtures - 6 January 2018

2s - away v GHA
3s = away v Whitecraigs 2s