At the first FOSROC Super6 match at the recently named Edinburgh Rugby’s DAM Health Stadium on Sunday it was the Ayrshire Bulls who won the day in a match which had a bit of everything.
The Bulls stand-off Tom Jordan added 16 points for his team and won FOSROC Player of the match, but at the end of the encounter the Bulls lock Tom Everard was given a red card for a dangerous hit on Jacob Henry the Knights full-back.
Bulls began in the sixth minute as they meant to go on with a try set piece. Knights allowed too many penalties in the opening exchanges and with 10 minutes played the scoreline was already 10-0.
By half-time the scoreline had changed to 13-6 in the Bulls favour. Knights began in the Bulls territory in the second half, but Yaree Fantini (Bulls) was given a yellow card for an illegal move just as the driving maul surged into action. Fantini returned to the pitch to see the penalty ping-pong continue, this time Jordan on target (16-19, 57 mins)
Knights threw everything into the final few minutes but the Bulls were resolute and celebrated their success in front of their own ecstatic supporters.
FULL-TIME: Southern Knights 16 Ayrshire Bulls 26
Southern Knights: Jacob Henry; Patrick Anderson, Nyle Godsmark, Billy Wara, Sam Pecqueur ; Jason Baggott, Murdo McAndrew; Grant Shiells CAPTAIN, Fraser Renwick, Euan McLaren, Daniel Suddon, Angus Runciman, Harry Borthwick, Ruaridh Knott, Iain Moody
Subs: Russell Anderson, Shaun Gunn, Calum Crookshanks, Dalton Redpath, Allan Ferrie, Cameron Jones, Cameron Scott and Andrew Mitchell
Ayrshire Bulls: Matt Davidson; Aaron Tait, Robert Beattie, Tom Williams, Elias Caven; Tom Jordan, Jordan Lenac; George Thornton, Alex McGuire, Michael Scott, Edward Bloodworth, Tom Everard, Ryan Sweeney, Yaree Fantini, Blair MacPherson CAPTAIN
Subs: Rhodri Tanner, Ruairidh Sayce, Calvin Henderson, Rory Jackson, Gavin Wilson, Harry Warr, Christian Townsend and Gavin Lowe
Red-card: Tom Everard. Yellow-cards: Yaree Fantini and Jordan Lenac.
Referee: Keith Allen. Assistant referees: David Sutherland and Finlay Brown.
All photos from the Southern Knights v Ayrshire Bulls match in Edinburgh – Ian Jacobs
