HERIOT'S coach Bob McKillop has insisted that several members of the weakened Goldenacre side that were thumped 64-14 by Stirling County at Bridgehaugh last night have done enough to come into the reckoning for a place in the 22-man squad for next weekend's Scottish Hydro Electric Cup final against Melrose.
With the Murrayfield encounter in the offing, McKillop sent out an under-strength team, believing that some of his fringe players and those who have served his second team well would relish the opportunity to experience top-team rugby and to stake a
claim to be involved in the silverware showdown at the national stadium.
Explaining the thinking behind his selection, the coach said: "The only guy in the side that started in the semi-final against Jed was Cammy Bruce. I felt that there were too many risks involved in fielding a full-strength team.
"There was nothing to be gained by it. Obviously they would have been going out there with one eye on Murrayfield and there was a danger of picking up injuries against a Stirling team that was fired up to finish seventh in the league."
Last night's result, with the Heriot's points coming through converted tries by OJ Brown and Andy Douglas, means that Heriot's end the season in sixth place.
Bruce, Brown, Kenny Blyth, Jonny Alston, Douglas and Dylan Mason will feature in McKillop's thoughts over the coming days, while teenage second row Greig Anderson is among those who did enough to be contenders for a cup final place.
The full article contains 262 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
