Ayr Ladies welcome Cartha Ladies to Millbrae tomorrow for their second round clash in the Sarah Beaney Cup.
The visitors currently top the BT Women's National League Division 1 and have already defeated Ayr Ladies in that league last month. But they come into this match on the back of their first loss of the season and combined with the home advantage, the ladies in pink and black will be hoping to put in a strong performance.
"We can expect Cartha to come to Millbrae with a lot of intent and the desire to win this game," says Ayr Ladies assistant coach Sylvain Diez. "They have a strong forward pack and our biggest challenge will be to match them in the set piece. Our defense has been outstanding so far, so we need to keep this up and take any opportunities. We must be clinical if we want to win this game."
Diez reckons the sixteenth (wo)man will be crucial for this tough encounter.
"We hope a good crowd will turn up and help the girls to go through to the next stage of the Cup."
In the squad, Diez cites an absence and a return which could affect the Ladies' cause.
"We've lost our new backrow player Eilidh Thomson, who was injured last week in our win against Aberdeenshire. But Ann-Marie Connelly is coming back from injury and will add some speed and magic to our back line."
Team:
TBA.
Kick-off 2pm! Free entry.
Saturday, 15 November 2014
Friday, 14 November 2014
Ayr U20s beat Glasgow Uni Medics
Ayr under-20s took on the University of Glasgow Medics team at Millbrae last night and came away with a 24-5 win.Chris Scott, Pete McCallum, Tony Boyd and Ross Anderson scored the tries, with Iain McKenzie getting two conversions.
Thursday, 13 November 2014
More caps for Millbrae trio
Mark Bennett and Finn Russell again start for Scotland on Saturday at BT Murrayfield, this time taking on New Zealand. Their fellow former Ayr player Gordon Reid keeps his place on the bench, meaning he'll get the chance to add to his four caps.
All three played well in Scotland's 41-31 defeat of Argentina last week and will no doubt keep up their high standards against the All Blacks. We're looking forward to a Finn and Gordy dance-off should Scotland pull off the victory!
Good luck to them!
Read the full story here.
All three played well in Scotland's 41-31 defeat of Argentina last week and will no doubt keep up their high standards against the All Blacks. We're looking forward to a Finn and Gordy dance-off should Scotland pull off the victory!
Good luck to them!
Read the full story here.
Thursday, 6 November 2014
Bennett and Russell start, Gordy on the bench for Scotland
Former Ayr players Mark Bennett, Finn Russell and Gordon Reid have been named in Scotland's squad to play Argentina on Saturday.
Bennett makes his international debut from outside centre, whilst Russell will run out at Murrayfield for the first time to earn his third cap and Reid will be hoping to make an impact from the bench and add to his three caps.
Read the full story here.
Good luck to all!
Bennett makes his international debut from outside centre, whilst Russell will run out at Murrayfield for the first time to earn his third cap and Reid will be hoping to make an impact from the bench and add to his three caps.
Read the full story here.
Good luck to all!
Wednesday, 5 November 2014
Ladies' Lunch now booking!
Ayr RFC's twelfth charitable Ladies' Lunch takes place on Saturday 21st February, which coincides with the first XV's last home league match of the season against Heriot's.
With demand high for this excellent event, our social co-ordinator Eilidh Rankin has already been contacted by many ladies registering their interest more than three months in advance.
So please drop Eilidh an email if you would like to attend or just find out a bit more: eilidhr@hotmail.com.
With demand high for this excellent event, our social co-ordinator Eilidh Rankin has already been contacted by many ladies registering their interest more than three months in advance.
So please drop Eilidh an email if you would like to attend or just find out a bit more: eilidhr@hotmail.com.
Sunday, 2 November 2014
Gala 14 Ayr 32
Ayr secured a very heartening away win over Gala to top the BT Premiership.
Nothing less than everything and the kitchen sink is expected at Netherdale, and that's what Gala threw at Ayr in the opening quarter. The home side launched into attacking mode from the get-go, a clever cross-kick the pick of their tricks.
Ayr were sniffing out opportunities too, number eight Blair Macpherson starting things off from the back of a solid scrum. Centre Ross Curle and full-back Craig Gossman then took over, allowing winger Robbie Fergusson to chip on, but Gala winger Lewis Young was on hand to ground the ball before an Ayr player could get to it.
And that was all in the opening three minutes. Gala made the first infringement shortly after and Curle stepped up to knock over a penalty. 0-3.
The rain began and proved more of a problem for the Maroons, who knocked on several times. When they held on to the ball, a nice slip pass unleashed centre Alan Emond and pushed them into Ayr's half.
A couple of penalties against Ayr helped Gala's cause further and at thirteen minutes Young nipped over for a try. Craig Dods easily converted in front of the posts. 7-3.
Ayr set to work, with captain Dean Kelbrick acting as a battering ram in the centre and flanker Andrew Dunlop and prop George Hunter crashing around the pitch. Glasgow Warrior Jon Welsh made another welcome appearance for the men in pink and black and was on the charge.
It was a good day for the mobile front row, with hooker Stuart Fenwick making breaks and superbly handing off a Gala defender, and combined with Hunter and Welsh, put Gala under pressure at the scrum.
The rain eased off and so did the match, with the intensity of both sides dipping. Ayr received a blow when stand-off Danny McCluskey hurt his arm putting in a flying tackle and had to be escorted from the pitch. He was replaced by Kerr Gossman.
At twenty-six minutes, Ayr gave away a penalty just inside their own half and Dods stepped up to the tee. His kick had the distance but was wide.
Gala then infringed at the scrum and Curle's huge kick for the corner put Ayr in prime position to go for the try-line. Hunter and Fenwick both went for it but couldn't get past the stubborn Gala defence.
An Ayr scrum moments later allowed Macpherson to launch himself at the line, clattering his way over an unfortunate Gala defender in the process, and get the ball down for a try. Curle converted. 7-10.
Centre Gregor Young looked like he would get Gala back on track when he found himself in acres of space, but decided to kick on instead of passing to his team-mates. Another attack from the home side a few minutes later looked promising but Ayr flanker Callum Templeton wouldn't be out-run by a back and hauled the Maroon to the ground.
With Gala not releasing, Ayr got a line-out that allowed Fergusson to break away up the left wing, where good hands from Dunlop and Curle put Craig Gossman over for a try at thirty-eight minutes. Curle missed the wide conversion. 7-15.
The second half began in a messy fashion with stolen line-outs and knocks on. Dods summed up his team's afternoon when he kicked the ball straight into the backside of second row Opeta Palepoi.
Ayr scrum-half David Armstrong, second row Scott Sutherland, Fergusson and Curle put Gala under pressure in their own half and the home team were soon off-side, handing Curle another penalty chance at fifty minutes, which he took. 7-18.
Number eight Euan Dods cheered up the crowd, firing past the Ayr defence, but was tracked down by Armstrong and the ball was spilled, allowing Kerr Gossman to jink his way round the defenders.
Fergusson, Curle and Kelbrick showed off their nice hands in Gala's half, and Fergusson's deft little chip bounced sweetly for Craig Gossman to collect for his second try. Curle converted. 7-25.
Gossman the elder soon found himself in trouble when he put in a dangerous tackle on Lewis Young, who after a few minutes on the ground thankfully got to his feet and played on. Gossman spent ten minutes in the sin bin.
With the man advantage, and their devoted fans shouting them on, Gala ran amok and Euan Dods crossed for a try, after juggling the ball. His full-back namesake got the conversion. 14-25.
It got a bit frantic after that, with breaks and chips and hacks. Curle and Dunlop were in the thick of things, as was Kerr Gossman, who put in a much-needed bear-hug of a tackle to snuff out Gala.
Second row Robert McAlpine and replacement prop Fraser Watt looked to be on to something but a knock-on brought it to a premature end. Gala found themselves off-side again with ten minutes to go, but Curle couldn't manage the penalty kick.
Curle delighted the crowd when he was set on his backside by the slippery conditions but that was the last thing they had to laugh at as their team drifted away. Craig Gossman, winger Richard Dalgleish and Kerr Gossman had them groaning in despair as they marauded their way round the pitch.
A small scuffle broke out but nothing came of it. An Ayr line-out let them trundle towards the try-line and Hunter looked to be over but was held up.
A couple of scrums for Ayr followed and after some patient play, McAlpine slammed his way through the defence to get the bonus point try, converted by Curle. 14-32
Gala still pressed on with the clock ticking towards eighty minutes. Replacement Grayson Hart set off on an exciting run, supported by Euan Dods and Gary Graham. Emond couldn't continue their good work though as he was felled by Fergusson. The whistle for full-time went soon after to send the crowd home disappointed and the visitors home happy.
Final score: Gala 14 Ayr 32.
- Elena Hogarth.
Nothing less than everything and the kitchen sink is expected at Netherdale, and that's what Gala threw at Ayr in the opening quarter. The home side launched into attacking mode from the get-go, a clever cross-kick the pick of their tricks.
Ayr were sniffing out opportunities too, number eight Blair Macpherson starting things off from the back of a solid scrum. Centre Ross Curle and full-back Craig Gossman then took over, allowing winger Robbie Fergusson to chip on, but Gala winger Lewis Young was on hand to ground the ball before an Ayr player could get to it.
And that was all in the opening three minutes. Gala made the first infringement shortly after and Curle stepped up to knock over a penalty. 0-3.
The rain began and proved more of a problem for the Maroons, who knocked on several times. When they held on to the ball, a nice slip pass unleashed centre Alan Emond and pushed them into Ayr's half.
A couple of penalties against Ayr helped Gala's cause further and at thirteen minutes Young nipped over for a try. Craig Dods easily converted in front of the posts. 7-3.
Ayr set to work, with captain Dean Kelbrick acting as a battering ram in the centre and flanker Andrew Dunlop and prop George Hunter crashing around the pitch. Glasgow Warrior Jon Welsh made another welcome appearance for the men in pink and black and was on the charge.
It was a good day for the mobile front row, with hooker Stuart Fenwick making breaks and superbly handing off a Gala defender, and combined with Hunter and Welsh, put Gala under pressure at the scrum.
The rain eased off and so did the match, with the intensity of both sides dipping. Ayr received a blow when stand-off Danny McCluskey hurt his arm putting in a flying tackle and had to be escorted from the pitch. He was replaced by Kerr Gossman.
At twenty-six minutes, Ayr gave away a penalty just inside their own half and Dods stepped up to the tee. His kick had the distance but was wide.
Gala then infringed at the scrum and Curle's huge kick for the corner put Ayr in prime position to go for the try-line. Hunter and Fenwick both went for it but couldn't get past the stubborn Gala defence.
An Ayr scrum moments later allowed Macpherson to launch himself at the line, clattering his way over an unfortunate Gala defender in the process, and get the ball down for a try. Curle converted. 7-10.
Centre Gregor Young looked like he would get Gala back on track when he found himself in acres of space, but decided to kick on instead of passing to his team-mates. Another attack from the home side a few minutes later looked promising but Ayr flanker Callum Templeton wouldn't be out-run by a back and hauled the Maroon to the ground.
With Gala not releasing, Ayr got a line-out that allowed Fergusson to break away up the left wing, where good hands from Dunlop and Curle put Craig Gossman over for a try at thirty-eight minutes. Curle missed the wide conversion. 7-15.
The second half began in a messy fashion with stolen line-outs and knocks on. Dods summed up his team's afternoon when he kicked the ball straight into the backside of second row Opeta Palepoi.
Ayr scrum-half David Armstrong, second row Scott Sutherland, Fergusson and Curle put Gala under pressure in their own half and the home team were soon off-side, handing Curle another penalty chance at fifty minutes, which he took. 7-18.
Number eight Euan Dods cheered up the crowd, firing past the Ayr defence, but was tracked down by Armstrong and the ball was spilled, allowing Kerr Gossman to jink his way round the defenders.
Fergusson, Curle and Kelbrick showed off their nice hands in Gala's half, and Fergusson's deft little chip bounced sweetly for Craig Gossman to collect for his second try. Curle converted. 7-25.
Gossman the elder soon found himself in trouble when he put in a dangerous tackle on Lewis Young, who after a few minutes on the ground thankfully got to his feet and played on. Gossman spent ten minutes in the sin bin.
With the man advantage, and their devoted fans shouting them on, Gala ran amok and Euan Dods crossed for a try, after juggling the ball. His full-back namesake got the conversion. 14-25.
It got a bit frantic after that, with breaks and chips and hacks. Curle and Dunlop were in the thick of things, as was Kerr Gossman, who put in a much-needed bear-hug of a tackle to snuff out Gala.
Second row Robert McAlpine and replacement prop Fraser Watt looked to be on to something but a knock-on brought it to a premature end. Gala found themselves off-side again with ten minutes to go, but Curle couldn't manage the penalty kick.
Curle delighted the crowd when he was set on his backside by the slippery conditions but that was the last thing they had to laugh at as their team drifted away. Craig Gossman, winger Richard Dalgleish and Kerr Gossman had them groaning in despair as they marauded their way round the pitch.
A small scuffle broke out but nothing came of it. An Ayr line-out let them trundle towards the try-line and Hunter looked to be over but was held up.
A couple of scrums for Ayr followed and after some patient play, McAlpine slammed his way through the defence to get the bonus point try, converted by Curle. 14-32
Gala still pressed on with the clock ticking towards eighty minutes. Replacement Grayson Hart set off on an exciting run, supported by Euan Dods and Gary Graham. Emond couldn't continue their good work though as he was felled by Fergusson. The whistle for full-time went soon after to send the crowd home disappointed and the visitors home happy.
Final score: Gala 14 Ayr 32.
- Elena Hogarth.
Saturday, 1 November 2014
Ross Curle in today's Scotsman
Ayr's Ross Curle talks to Gary Heatly in the sports section of today's Scotsman. Ross discusses Ayr's prospects against Gala at Netherdale and his experiences of playing professional rugby in Italy as a teenager.
Read the full article here.
Read the full article here.
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