Callum Kerr

Yesterday afternoon the Ayrshire Bulls missed out on securing top seed in the FOSROCSuper6 with a 26-29 loss at home to Watsonians. The visitors held a commanding 17-point lead at half time, but a rampant Bulls did all they could to diminish the gap after the break. Pete Horne’s men held Watsonians to no second-half points, but inevitably fell just three points short to the league leaders.

 

Despite the loss, losing bonus and try bonus points for the Bulls cemented their place in the top-half of the table ahead of the league split. A win for Stirling County swaps the sides, with the Bulls now holding third.

The league split comes into effect this weekend, meaning the Bulls will play second seed County and first seed Watsonians to conclude the sprint series. County are up first this Friday at Bridgehaugh, before Watsonians return to Millbrae on Friday 3rd of June.

 

At full-time yesterday Head Coach Peter Horne admitted that the various permutations of yesterday’s result wasn’t on his mind during the match: “Nah I wasn’t thinking about it. I was fully focused on just winning the game. Right till the end I thought we were going to.

 

“Aaron Tait and Blair (Macpherson) came up with a great turnover late in the match – unfortunately we went to the corner and got nothing”.

 

Despite visually disappointed his team couldn’t secure top seed, Peter Horne was quick to compliment the performance of Watsonians, who further extended their lead at the top with the result: “There wasn’t too much between the teams, they were just extremely clinical. Their set-piece was excellent, the line-out in particular was brilliant. Ultimately them taking their chances was the difference”.

 

Horne also had praise for his own men, in particular how they managed to almost overcome a commanding Watsonians lead at half-time: “What a reaction I got from the boys in the second half, I thought they were excellent. Everything we asked for at half time we got.

 

“You know what, it was a brilliant game. That is the best and most physical game we’ve had. That’s the highest standard of rugby from across the competition so far”.

 

The focus now shifts to Friday’s must-win match against Stirling County at Bridgehaugh. The game kicks-off at 19.45 and will be broadcast live on FreeSports.