S1s kick off Super Saturday in style
Jed Forest 21 – 28 Linlithgow
Saturday 15th March 2025
Report by Stuart Taylor
With only 13 players, the travelling S1 squad arrived early at sunny Riverside, the home of the famous borders club, Jed Forest, for an early Super Saturday fixture. With the two teams warming up in the glorious conditions it was clear that the home team had the numbers and the size to do a lot of damage. With some of the largest S1 players the Reds team have ever encountered, the travelling support would have been forgiven for crossing their fingers and toes for a positive outcome. They needn’t have worried as what unfolded was a true team performance from the first whistle to the last.
With some supporters watching through their fingers, the 13 a side game started at pace with Rory, Lucas, Jay and Scott, undeterred by the big Jed Forest players, each exchanging early crunching tackles with their opposite numbers seemingly relishing the physical challenge. Despite the obvious height and mass difference between the two teams their skill sets appeared evenly matched. Each team came close to their opposition’s 22 and ten minutes had passed without a point being scored which was quite unusual for this attack focused Reds side. Responding well to a quick ball, Rory seized the opportunity and squeezed through a rare gap in the home teams line before going up through the gears to dot down for Linlithgow’s 1st try of the day. Rory then claimed the extras with a composed kick from the tee.
Linlithgow were caught napping before the break when a fumbled ball was claimed by a Jed Forest player and popped up for a supporting runner who comfortably made his way to the try line. The try was converted to leave things all square at the 1st break.
After a welcome break and a team talk, the Reds started to press forward. The wingers Nathan and Finlay H positioned themselves well, making great runs and plenty of good calls to stretch the Jed Forest team. Struan further demonstrated his credentials with strong ball carrying and accurate off loads. Such was Linlithgow’s eagerness to take on the Jed attack that they neglected their shape at points and were punished for bunching with the home team feeding the unopposed wide channels with quick ball, inevitably putting 7 further points on the score sheet.
The visitors continued to squeeze the Jed attack. Joe was early to the ruck and made one of many successful jackals in the game. Linlithgow were growing in confidence with some excellent direct running into the Jed pack gaining valuable yards, absorbing Jed players and resetting quickly. With the ball passing through Red hands the ball made its way to Jay who heroically charged through the centre of the home team and was almost clear of blue shirts before being brought down. Ruairi, who’s supportive playwas excellent throughout the game was tracking Jay’s line and formed the ruck quickly. Blair retrieved the ball and fired it to the waiting hands of Archie who faked a pass and wrong footed his opposite number before making an arcing run towards the corner flag. He dived over the try line making for a tricky wide angle conversion kick, which Nathan confidently slotted over for maximum points.
Unsurprisingly this was another hard fought game of borders rugby with both teams putting in crunching tackles. With a Linlithgow player off injured, our hosts graciously supplied an interim player who donned a red shirt until the patched up visiting player was able to return to the field. Credit to Jed Forest and their coaching team for this act of sportsmanship.
With both teams tiring towards the end of the 2nd session it was Jed Forest that broke through Linlithgow’s defensive line and dotted down for a well-timed converted try before the break.
Trailing by 7 points, the Reds started the 3rd and final session with real intensity and remarkable focus. Fighting hard for every ball, Linlithgow supported every run and ensured players were on hand at the breakdown. Scott collected the ball in the centre of the field and refused to go down despite the efforts of the Jed Forest players. With blue shirts falling in his wake Scott gathered momentum and sprinted for the try line before diving below the sticks, with Rory kicking the conversion to put Linlithgow all square.
Jed Forest came incredibly close to scoring but were thwarted by great Reds defensive work from Fin C, Lucas, Tom and Archie. Joe emerged from the melee with a turnover and the Reds opted to run the ball despite the calls from the side-line to kick to exit from their own half.
With the game closing in on full time it looked like these evenly matched sides were going to share the spoils. Scott had once again put himself in contention for man of the match with brave, selfless tackles straight from the Gary Armstrong playbook. In fact Scott decided to put the debate of man of the match to rest claiming the title for the second time this season, when he gathered the ball in the centre of the field and showed incredible resilience and strength. He powered through the Jed pack and made a run for the try line, touching down for the last try of the game which Nathan converted with aplomb.
The final whistle was met with jubilation from players and supporters alike with the winning try scorer and man of the match Scott being held aloft by his team mates.
This really was going to be a super Saturday! With the odds stacked against them, the 13 travelling Linlithgow players had indeed put in a true team performance full of grit, composure and a never say die attitude doing themselves, their supporters and their club proud.
A message from a proud coach perhaps best sums up the way we all felt at the end of super Saturday – ‘’After watching 12 hours of rugby the best game today was Linlithgow S1s v Jed Forest!‘’