Match Report by Christian Jetuah

On Saturday 07th March the mighty Leith 3rd XV made the journey to Walkerburn (also known as the highveld of of the Borders!!!)
This team had everything, power, pace and wise old heads, and led by the club’s stalwart prop Reece Barclay. The game started in mild drizzle which led both teams to make handling errors. The Walkerburn men supported by up to 6 Peebles players made some incisive breaks. However the back three of Jack Fraser, Pete Duncan and Abdul Mohamed kept the Walkerburn men out, with Adbul making a last ditch cover tackle by coming from the other wing to chop down the Walkerburn centre; who any other day he would have been under the sticks. Soon the pressure told and Walkerburn scored 3 quick tries, using slick hands and their well drilled back line.

The Leith men soon found their rhythm and the pack began to impose their game plan, with James Fraser kicking well tactically under intense defensive pressure, providing good field position for the forwards to exploit, while the twin titans of Daniel Cordoba and Chris Aitchison provided unmatched aerial superiority at the lineout. The Walkerburn men became increasingly frustrated and their flanker was given a yellow card for repeated infringements and dissent. This allowed the Leith pack to turn the screw, with the front row of Andrew Clunie, Recce Barclay and our loaned Peebles man marching a scrum 15m down field and then taking the next scrum over the line with another Pebbles man on loan at 8 dotting down.

The team went into half time only 2 tries down and with the wind in our sails began the second half as we finished. Bartek Peczkowicz carried hard from the back row and Pablo De Bejar showing silky skills at centre and getting us into the right areas of the pitch. The Leith men were not to be denied in the red zone, and from a catch and drive Christian Jetuah dotted down with Walkerburn not defending the jump or the drive. Leith then made a series of substitutions, with two men at opposite ends of their career coming on in the front row in the shape of Paul Allison and the promising Ahmed Mohamed.

With the heavy (recently flooded) pitch and the Walkerburn bench starting to take its toll on the boys from Leith, Ian Young was called on time and time again to secure high balls and David Keogh bravely putting his body on the line, as we have come to expect from David, to stop a rampaging centre who was clean through. In the end the Walkerburn men found their rhythm and pulled away with 3 further well taken tries.

A tough day at the office for a team full of promise, thanks must be given to our hosts for an excellent game and the referee who officiated well. With the game done the bus journey was a raucous affair with our team brought together from across the world sharing some interesting traditional rugby songs.

Walkerburn 27 - 10 Leith
Leith Tries: Someone we borrowed from Peebles, Christian Jetuah