Rugby: Cross full of praise for new lad Knight as Accies triumph

Edinburgh ACCIES coach Simon Cross has hailed the three try contribution of debutant winger Jake Knight after the Raeburn Place men took all five RBS Premiership points from their 25-0 win at home to Hawick.

Knight arrived in the Capital just over two weeks ago with his Tuggeranong team mate Josh Hitchins, who also made his first appearance from the bench on Saturday. Both have links with the club through centre Iain Berthinussen, who played Down Under in 2007.

Reflecting on Knight’s impact, Cross said: “He’s made quite an impression. He looks like you could blow him over but he is strong, he has good feet and he is a physical lad.”

Greg Campbell bagged the other touchdown for Accies, while Ruaridh Bonner was on the mark with a penalty and a conversion as they secured their second win of the season and moved into a position to challenge for a top eight finish before the league split.

Elsewhere, Boroughmuir were on the road to meet Melrose at the Greenyards and, after trailing 17-6 at the break, threatened to end the league leaders’ winning run before eventually going down 24-22.

’Muir’s points came through a try from Sep Visser, converted by Ally Warmock who also booted three penalties and a drop goal, while Harry Leonard kicked the remaining points. However, the hosts, with tries from Bruce Colvin, Nick McGrath and Andrew Skeen, who contributed the other points, held on for the win.

In Division Two, Stewart’s Melville remain top of the table after extending their unbeaten start to the season with a hard fought 11-7 win away to Hamilton. A try by Joni Hare separated the sides at half time and, although the hosts edged into the lead with a converted try by Johnny Gray, two penalties from Seb Trotter saw the Inverleith men post their sixth win of the campaign.

The result means that Bruce Macnaughton’s side are still two points clear of nearest challengers, Jedforest, but the gap to third-placed Hamilton is now seven points.

Watsonians moved into the top four with a 43-15 win at Whitecraigs. Dougie Brown touched down twice for ’Sonians while Chris Scott and Callum Harvey had a try apiece, and the other points came from kicks.

Second-placed Lasswade chalked up a fourth successive league win and trimmed the gap on Division Three leaders Kirkcaldy to a single point when they saw off Greenock Wanderers 27-0 at Hawthornden. Niall Gray grabbed two of Lasswade’s five tries, while Mark Billingham Donald Hearn and Neil Clark contributed the others.

Elsewhere, a try double from Kyle Adam and one by Dan Barber were not enough to prevent Haddington ending up on the wrong end of a 28-20 scoreline in their match away to Perthshire. The result leaves the Scarlets rock bottom in the league table and facing another battle for survival.