IT COMES down to days like this for all teams towards the end of a long season when the prize is finally there to be seized rather than just imagined.
It was such a day on Saturday for West of Scotland. The challenge was to win in the Borders aga
inst Selkirk and be crowned Premiership 2 champions.
They blew it. Selkirk took the points to leap to the top of the table and create their own day of ultimate reckoning against Biggar this Saturday, the last day of the season, when the championship is theirs for the taking – as long as they can win again.
But other eyes remain on the prize too. West, of course, can redeem themselves and come through while Biggar, after winning at the weekend, now also have the chance to be champions.
And, just to rack up the tension a little more, there is another glittering prize at stake; the second promotion place to Premiership 1. Three into two won't go. So one of the trio is going to be in for a massive disappointment as they lose not only the championship but also a cherished place in the top flight.
The cliff-hanging finale to the season was set up by Selkirk, rebounding from a heavy cup defeat, fronting up to West's physical challenge and not being found wanting in a breathless display of ambitious rugby.
Two tries in the first ten minutes, and the irrepressible brass band in the stand, set the pattern for the game. It was never a runaway victory and Selkirk had to brave a particularly fierce storm midway through the second half with Scotland under-20 winger Lee Jones in the sin bin, but the storm passed and they went on to win comfortably enough.
Outside centre David Cassidy was the Borders club's cutting edge. Twice, at the beginning and at the end of the game, he sent the entire West defence the wrong way with a sidestep and touched down.
It was his attempted drop goal that came back of a post and landed in the arms of stand off Gavin Craig for a try. And it was his boot that added all the points from place kicks.
Jubilant Selkirk coach Rodney Pow said: "We took them on and beat them on points in a real boxing match. It was great to watch and it was probably home advantage that got us over the finishing line. Now we're top of the table and we'll take on that mantle no bother for the coming weekend."
By contrast, West were disappointing and one-dimensional, using their big pack to try and bludgeon their way over the line but mostly making a hash of close-range lineouts and never really making an impression against sound, sometimes heroic, Selkirk tackling. Only once were they allowed to cut loose in the first half with No 8 Graham Fisken galloping 50 metres up the middle before the ball went wide, and even then it took an outrageously cheeky backhanded pass from winger Stephen O'Donnell to put ex-pro lock Guy Perrett in for the score.
In the second half the threat was always there but not the execution, and West had only one penalty to show for their efforts.
West Coach John Beattie had no complaints. "I thought Selkirk were fantastic," he said. "We came down here thinking we were prepared but they beat us in most departments. They beat us up front, they beat us to the ball, they were fitter than us. We did a few things badly, we made mistakes. They deserved it totally.
"People say club rugby's dead. It's far from dead. That game was a brilliant advert with a big crowd and two committed sets of supporters getting behind their team."
And so the various permutations of what might be will occupy the minds of players in the days ahead. Selkirk at least have their destiny in their own hands. If they win they will be promoted as champions with West as runners-up irrespective of other results.
If Biggar win they will draw level on points with Selkirk but, since they have a far superior points difference, will be ahead and therefore promoted as champions. A bonus-point win will simplify things. This outcome is dependent on West losing.
If West, who play bottom club Hillhead/Jordanhill win, and Biggar win, then West will be champions and Biggar will be runners-up.
As a form guide it should be remembered that Biggar came to Philiphaugh on the opening day of the season way back in September and took the points.
Scorers: Selkirk: Tries: D Cassidy 2, G Craig. Cons: D Cassidy 3. Pens: D Cassidy. West: Tries: G Perrett. Cons: C Davies. Pens: F Sinclair.
Selkirk: F Harkness, L Jones, D Cassidy, R Armstrong, J Hendrie, G Craig, M McVie, G Patterson, I Walling, M Murray, E Gauche, R Aglen, D Gray, N Darling, S Tomlinson. Subs: C Johnston, D Hoggan, R Crockett, K Connor.
West of Scotland: C Duck, A Park, J Kerr, S Malone, S O'Donnell, C Davies, S Service, E McLaren, G Bulloch, C Hastie, J Vos, G Perrett, C Morrison, J Walker, G Fisken. Subs: S Hunter, F Sinclair, R Kelso, D McKenna.
Referee: M Changleng.
The full article contains 896 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
