10:47 AM, Mar 20 2008
Scottish Schools Bowl
Dunbar Grammar School won the under-15’s Bell Lawrie Bowl in a fiercely contested final against local East Lothian rivals Preston Lodge High School.
The game was played on Monday 17th March 2008 at Haddington’s Neilson Park, kick-off 4.15pm. Both sides turned out a large support and with little wind and a reasonable playing surface the scene was set for an excellent game of rugby.
A nervous kick-off by Dunbar saw the ball fail to go the requisite 10-metres and PL elected for the scrum. From this possession PL had Dunbar under the cosh for a sustained period until being turned over in mid-field. Dunbar were able to counter attack down the left wing until prop-forward Mark Reid was held up just short of the PL line. Dunbar camped in the PL 22 until PL’s Fullback Paul Glynn broke out and carried the ball back to the half way line before being caught.
The first try of the game came from a Dunbar counter attack. PL centre Jonathan Sked kicked ahead and just as Dunbar’s Fullback Gary Peebles looked like he was going to be taken man-and-ball he volleyed the ball deep in to the PL half. He chased hard, got a kind bounce and scored under the posts. Fly Half Ross Charlton added the conversion to give Dunbar a valuable 7 – 0 lead.
The next try also came from a counter attack. PL Centre Liam White cut through the Dunbar defence deep into the Dunbar 22. Possession was lost in the contact and Dunbar’s Centre Fraser Maddox broke back up field before popping the ball up to Winger Luke Baker who was made good ground before being brought to ground. From the ruck that followed Mark Reid picked up and was driven over the line to make the score 12 – 0.
Preston Lodge were never going to be out of this game and they roared back all the way to the Dunbar 22. There were try saving tackles from Will Atkin, Lewis Richardson and Luke Baker but PL kept up the pressure. From a scrum PL executed a back row move that sucked in the Dunbar defence and using quick hands PL shipped the ball to Paul Glynn to score a well deserved try. Half time score was 12 – 5.
Just after half-time Paul Glynn made another storming run but PL lost possession and Luke Baker ran the ball back into the PL half. Dunbar then went through a number of phases before their Captain Robbie Wilson capped a fine display with a try in the corner.
By this stage of the game the Dunbar pack were starting to disrupt the PL scrum and were getting good go-forward from pick and drives. PL switched tactics and started to play the wide game. Ironically, Dunbar were driven off the ball in the next scrum and Hooker Sam Stewart won an excellent strike against the head. After sustained pressure No3 Raymond Mackie scored just outside the posts – he converted his own try to make it 17-12 going in to the last quarter.
With key strike-runner Sandy Thomson heading for hospital with a suspected broken wrist and Gary Peebles hobbling the Dunbar coaches moved players around and brought on fresh legs. The Dunbar pack were starting to run out of steam and it looked like PL might come from behind as they probed and probed for a way through.
Dunbar clung on and eventually turned PL’s defence with a kick and chase. Dunbar were stopped just short of the line but determined defence saw PL win the put-in to the scrum. Pressure from Flanker Niall Spowart caused the ball to be spilled and Fraser Maddox reacted quickly to jump on the lose ball and score the try that sealed the result for Dunbar.
Final score was a 22 – 12 victory to Dunbar but both sides can be very proud of their performance in a highly entertaining game.