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News Article |
| HIGHLAND 2ND XV 50 MORAY 1ST XV 22 |
| Mon 5th Mar 2018 |
 Moray 1st XV were well beaten by Highland 2nd XV by 50 points to 22 in their latest BT Caledonia League Division 2 North fixture at Inverness last Saturday.
This was the Elgin side's first game on the new artificial pitch at Canal Park and from the start they struggled to acclimatise to the different bounce and speed of the surface.
The Inverness side started brightly and with great intensity and after only 4 minutes took the lead. After some good pressure in the 22, the ball was opened to allow their inside-centre to score a converted try for 7-0.
 Highland continued this good start and dominated the first quarter of the match with strong running by both forwards and backs, scoring 3 further tries to secure the bonus point and a commanding lead at 26-0.
Moray began to win more of the ball and in the 23rd minute scored their first points of the afternoon. An offside penalty was despatched to an attacking line-out, 15 metres out. Clean ball was taken and following several phases of driving play, prop Mark Taylor breached the defence and scored an unconverted try for 26-5.
 Four minutes later they reduced the lead further from a very similar situation. An offside penalty was kicked to touch, 18 metres out. Clean ball was taken at the line and driven. This time prop Nathan Gilmore had the ball and made the line for the score out wide.
Full-back Callum Wright could not add the conversion points from the touch-line, leaving the score at 26-10.
In the 35th minute, the visitors had a chance to reduce the lead further but the Highland defence held the man up over the line. A penalty was awarded against the attacking team at the ensuing scrum and the threat cleared leaving the half-time score at 26-10.
 Moray had hoped to continue where they left off the first half but it was the Highland side who quickly got back to the form they showed early in the game. The visitors had no answer to this hot spell of hard running and open rugby with the Inverness side using the width of the pitch well and adding a further 4 tries in the first 12 minutes of the half, 3 of which were converted, for a 50-10 lead.
The Elgin side looked a bit deflated but with grit and determination they began to win more ball and in the last 15 minutes of the game they were more in the driving seat and took the game to the home side.
 In the 67th minute, they added to their tally. Picking and driving play took them into the home 22 and towards the line. Five metres from the line wing-forward Ruaraidh Mackessack-Leitch picked up and drove over for the score. Wright added the conversion points for 50-17.
Ten minutes later, Moray added the final points of the afternoon. Wing-forward Steven Clark picked up ball on the half-way line and a good run took him into the 22 where was tackled. Ball was recycled quickly and a couple of offloads later, the ball reached second-row Connor Duncan who forced his way over the line out wide. Wright could not add the extras leaving the final score at 50-22 and as Moray had 4 tries, they had gained a bonus point.
 Highland had played exceptionally well for long periods of the game, putting a lot of pace on the ball and using the width well and had thoroughly deserved their victory. Moray, on the other hand, had some good spells in the game but had struggled a bit with the speed of the game and the reaction of the ball off the artificial pitch.
With the 6 Nations coming to a climax in the next couple of weekends, Moray 1st XV are not on league business again until Saturday 23rd March when they are at home to Stornoway. This will more than likely be an early kick-off and the time will be posted on the Moray RFC website and Facebook page.
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Caledonia 2 North |
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| Aberdeenshire |
12 |
46 |
| Highland 2nd XV |
11 |
46 |
| Moray |
12 |
40 |
| Ross Sutherland |
10 |
22 |
| Banff |
12 |
19 |
| Mackie |
10 |
10 |
| Aberdeen Grammar 2nd XV |
9 |
1 |
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Last 1st XV Game |
| 1st XV Season (2021/22) |
| Banff 33 - 39 Moray |
| 5th Mar 22 - KO: 15:00 |
| Venue: Duff House |
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