Match Report by Kevin Greenan

Leith traveled to Bannockburn with a development team. This was a good opportunity for coach Kev to see some of the new players and try players in different positions. Leith got of to a good start with some good controlled rugby from the forwards. This resulted in Marcos crossing the try line. Conversion was good from Ross. 0-7.

Bannockburn cleared their lines straight to full back Max. He caught the ball and ran the ball back. He broke the first defenders tackle. Then chipped the ball ahead. He gathered his kicked to cross the try line. Conversion Ross 0-14. Leiths forwards were enjoying their game. This showed with some good support running and offloads resulting in Neil scoring in the corner. 0-19.

Leith continued to pressure the Bannockburn defence. Resulting in Liam Mitchell getting the interception and running from his own 10 meter line to score under the posts. 0-26.

Some more good work from the forwards set up the over lap for Johnny Peters. But with the Try Line calling he dropped the ball. Bannockburn put some good passages of play together resulting in them crossing Leiths try line. 5-26

Leith continued to change players in to different position. This worked well resulting in Max putting in a chip and chase. Jaime Najera-Aleson gladly took up the challenge, out sprinting the Bannockburn full back to dot the ball down for a try***. Conversion Max 5-33.

The way the team was playing it was hard to see who were backs or forwards with some great passing resulting in MOTM Liam Mitchell scoring his second try. 5-38

Bannockburn pressed the leith defence throwing everything at them with the last play off the game. Bannockburn’s scrum half thought he saw an overlap but he soon regretted passing the ball as James Fraser intercepted the ball on his five meter line. He ran the length of the field to score between the posts. Con Ross.

Final score. 5 - 45

***The Greatest Assist- a short story by Max Bowman ( Dramatised by Will Tuft)

Scottish economist Adam Smith said that to restrain our selfishness and exercise our benevolence constituted the perfection of human nature. It is then fitting that in Bannockburn, home of such a great Scottish victory, this benevolence within society reached a pinnacle. A pinnacle so high that it’s tale will be told as long as there is language in the world.

Within our sport, the try assist is the peak of benevolence, allowing your team mate to grab a headline instead of yourself, to shine a light on a pal rather than hog it for yourself is the true measure of a rugby player. Max Bowman, if only for this game, is exactly what Adam Smith was referring to.

As a Bannockburn clearance found it’s way into the grateful arms of the young tyro, it was clear that the world was his oyster, he collected and carried the ball forwards, directly into the path of the oncoming Northern hordes, but little did they know, with such benevolence comes strength and immediately the onrushing defender was cast asunder. Rumour has it that the Bannockburn player will see Bowman in his nightmares for weeks to come and will be picking his teeth out of his tonsils for much longer.

It is only when such brutality sits beside dexterity and subtlety of touch that we can truly reason upon perfection. The weighted, delicate and incisive nature of what came next, will be the stuff of folklore within Academy Park for years to come. Like cooking chocolate souffle blindfold and using the finest Japanese Kitana to cut it, Bowman caressed the ball through the defensive line to bounce, not one, not twice, but thrice into the grateful grasp of Spanish centre Jaime Najera-Aleson to deliver the final line to the sonnet of rugby that Bowman had written.