Marr Rugby - senior squad selections for 6 and 7 October 2017

Friday 6 October 2017 (7.30pm kick off)
BT West Reserve League 2: Hillhead Jordanhill RFC v Marr Rugby

Saturday 7 October 2017
BT Premiership: Marr Rugby v Ayr RFC
BT National Reserve: Selkirk RFC v Marr Rugby
Mitsubishi Barbarian Conference: Marr College 1st XV v Morrison Academy 1st XV (1030 @ College playing fields)

Another quiet weekend at Marr Rugby with little going on…NOT!!!

Rugby starts Friday night as the 3s travel to Hughenden for their first ever floodlight fixture.

Super Saturday gets underway with the next generation from Marr Rugby's pathway to senior rugby playing Morrison Academy in a top of the table clash. With both sides unbeaten and on maximum points the game will end with a new league leader. Get out of Saturday morning shopping or other chores and head along to the College playing fields to seer the 1st XV of the future and support our young warriors.

In the afternoon we move to the main event as 1s and 2s are in action.

On 1 April 2017 the prospect of the final local derby in competitive league action for Marr Rugby’s 1st XV taking place became a reality.

As everyone knows Marr Rugby’s senior squad adventure, under the guiding hand of head coach Craig Redpath and others, has made steady progress from regional to national leagues. Along the way Marr Rugby players and fans have enjoyed the challenge of a series of ‘local derbies’ involving all but one of the clubs in Ayrshire. Saturday 7 October sees the missing piece added as Marr Rugby and Ayr RFC’s 1st XV’s face up in league action.

The clubs and many of the players, who will be involved in the match on Saturday, have a long history of playing alongside and against each other competitive matches at mini and midi levels. However, at senior level it’s been a while since the 1st XV’s locked horns. We have to go back to 1979 to the last fixture when Marr Rugby’s 1st XV played Ayr at Millbrae in an Ayrshire Cup match. This ended in a comfortable home win. Ayr’s dominance at senior level has provided Marr with a goal.

Saturday at Fullarton is going to be the biggest match the club has been involved in since the opening game in 1971.

When the league fixtures were published we had landed two home games on 7 October and we are grateful to Hillhead Jordanhill for agreeing to help by switching their match with our 3rd XV to a Friday night kick-off at Hughenden.

Saturday brings another chapter to Marr Rugby history…the result will be known just after 4.30pm but at this point we can say that the fixture itself is a clear indicator that a winner is club rugby in Ayrshire. This is in a strong and healthy position, due to hard work, effort and commitment by players’ coaches and backroom staffs at both clubs and the many supporters who choose to wear ‘pink and black’ or ‘purple and gold’.

Marr Rugby 1st XV preview: Redpath v Forrester – Johnston v McCallum – Sturgeon v Climo and Farquhar v Grant are just some of the individual contests that await and will be watched with relish by the supporters of both sides.

After last week’s narrow defeat at Boroughmuir Marr are strengthened by the return of Angus Johnston, Ross Miller, Kyle Hatherall and Chris Nisbet. Stephen Adair starts at hooker and Colin Sturgeon is switched to stand off for his last game for the club before he leaves for New Zealand. This change means Gregor Paxton gains his first start. Dougie Steele is moved to full back and Craig Kolarik provides backs cover from the bench.

Ayr come into the match off the back of an impressive win against Stirling and are confident that they are now on course for a top slot in the league. Marr expect a formidable battle against a physically big and strong side that is laced with talent and experience. Ayr’s powerful front row is strengthened by the inclusion of British and Irish Lion Ryan Grant who is sure to get a warm welcome for his debut at Fullarton. We know that our front row, especially tight head William Farquhar, will be given their greatest ever test. (4 years ago Ryan Grant was on the 2013 Lions tour, while William Farquhar was playing no.8 for Kilmarnock 2's!)

This match is round 6 of the campaign and takes us to the third way point of the season. There is a lot of rugby still to play but we are sure both sides will be going at it hammer and tongs as if this is the season decider. We expect a feast of excitement…and some memorable rugby.

Marr Rugby 1st XV team selection
15. Dougie Steele
14. Toby Buchanan
13. Conor Bickerstaff
12. Gregor Paxton
11. Richard Dalgleish
10. Colin Sturgeon
9. Kaleem Baretto
1. Greg Jackson
2. Stephen Adair
3. William Farquhar
4. Greg Peterson
5. Ewan Bulger
6. Mackenzie Pearce
8. Ross Miller
7. Angus Johnston ©

Replacements/Substitutes
16. Ollie Rossi
17. Chris Nisbet
18. Fraser Grant
19. Kyle Hatherell
20. Craig Kolarik

Marr Rugby 2nd XV preview: The 2s are on the road for a back to back encounter with a Borders team. With Fraser Grant and Ollie Rossi in the 1s squad head coach Keith Dunsmuir will select his starting XV later.

Selkirk not played since mid-September after several matches where their opponents were unable to field a team so go into this fixture with players refreshed, at full strength and ready for rugby action.

Marr have to pick themselves up from their bruising encounter and narrow defeat last week against Hawick.

Marr Rugby 2nd XV team selection from:

• Rudi Marshall
• Mac McInnes
• Ali Walker
• Andrew Mill
• Ry McInnes
• Jack Scott
• Max Freydell
• Chris Galloway
• Ali Hazel
• Josh Evans
• Kyle Vallance
• Adam McPherson
• Callum Craig
• Kris Kirk
• Richie McNicol
• Danny McCulloch
• Neil Wallace

Marr Rugby 3rd XV preview: Marr 3s start the club’s weekend action with a floodlight fixture against Hillhead Jordanhill. Once again the 3s will have to wait on final selection for cover for the 2s before they can pick their starting line up.

It’s another test to see what’s needed for Marr following their step-up. Looking for a marker of what we might expect – both clubs have played Annan at home. Hillhead Jordanhill were comfortable winners 58 – 12 while in the week before Marr week before won 26 – 8. The 3s defensive work will be put to a serious test.

Marr Rugby 3rd XV Team selection:
1. Paul Bray
2. Neil Campion
3. Sean Duff
4. Chris Myers
5. Shaun Fallows
6. Andrew Orr
7. Euan McGerty
8. Jason Munchen Doolan
9. Rory MacColl
10. John Ferrans
11. Martin McMillan
12. Andrew Dunlop
13. Marc Tracey
14. Stephen Beveridge
15. Thomas Watkins

Replacements/substitutes

• Jonathan Connell
• Will Murray
• Lochlann Mcgregor
• Darren Morgan
• Andrew Mathieson
• Malcolm Mcgregor
• Alistair Barclay