With Super Series leaders Heriot’s having a bye week, Ayrshire Bulls have a simple incentive going into tomorrow's home game against Stirling Wolves: win with a bonus point and they will return to the top of the table. The Bulls are anxious to get back to winning ways after last week’s defeat by Watsonians, but head coach Pat MacArthur expects a demanding match against a Wolves side who are just a point outside the play-off places.
“It's important we bounce back from a tough defeat last week and the boys have prepared well and are looking forward to it,” he said. “Stirling are a very physical team with a very strong pack who will no doubt look to take us on up front. They have some experienced backs who will manage the game well and put them in good areas.”
For his part, Stirling head coach Eddie Pollock hopes that a midweek hit-out against Glasgow Warriors will help his team. “I was impressed with our intensity and technical work throughout that session,” he said. “But our players know they will need to replicate this performance to be in the hunt at the end of what will be a gruelling 80 minutes.
“Ayrshire Bulls at Millbrae is always a tough assignment. Their loss at Myreside last week was unexpected and I am sure this will generate a strong response from the home side.”
The Southern Knights are the team keeping Stirling out of the play-off spots at present, and they will be out to consolidate their top-four position when they take on Watsonians at the Greenyards. The Knights have won their last two home games, but the Edinburgh side beat them 40-26 back in August.
In the Premiership, Currie Chieftains face the biggest threat yet to their unbeaten record when they travel to champions Hawick. The last time the two clubs met at Mansfield Park was in last year’s Grand Final when the home team took the league title with a dramatic last-minute winner.
Marr, four points behind Currie in second place, welcome Kelso to Fullarton Park knowing that a bonus-point victory for them combined with a win for Hawick could see them end the day on top of the table. Heriot’s Blues are at home to Jed-Forest, the only team in the division who have yet to win a game. Musselburgh travel to Selkirk, and Glasgow Hawks are at home to Edinburgh Accies.
