Ayr v Melrose - BT Cup semi-final preview

Ayr welcome Melrose to Millbrae on Saturday for the first of their two semi-final encounters.

This BT Cup tie is the headline act of an action-packed weekend for Ayr RFC, with Millbrae RFC kicking off at 3pm on the 2nds' pitch against Grangemouth Stags in the BT Bowl semi-final and Ayr Ladies' Sarah Beaney Cup semi-final with Hillhead/Jordanhill at Millbrae on Sunday, 2pm, rounding up a busy and exciting two days.

Rested after their final league game a fortnight ago, Ayr are raring to go for the cup game before facing Melrose again next week in the BT Premiership play-off semi-final.

'Games between these two sides are always hugely physical,' says Ayr head coach Calum Forrester, 'and we expect the same again, as well as a contest between two sides who like to play running rugby. The players are looking forward to the challenge this weekend.'

There are some welcome returnees to the squad, with Scott Sutherland having overcome injury to bring his experience to the second row, and Glasgow Warriors' Junior Bulumakau appears amongst the substitutes.

Scotland Club XV captain Ross Curle leads Ayr once again, with George Hunter, Rob McAlpine, Will Bordill and Pete McCallum all starting against several Melrose players they were lining up alongside in last week's win in Ireland.

Ayr:
15. Grant Anderson; 14. Richard Dalgleish, 13. Ross Curle (c), 12. Danny McCluskey, 11. Craig Gossman; 10. Frazier Climo, 9. David Armstrong; 1. George Hunter, 2. David Young, 3. D'arcy Rae; 4. Rob McAlpine, 5. Scott Sutherland; 6. Blair Macpherson, 7. Will Bordill, 8. Pete McCallum.

Replacements:
16. Stuart Fenwick, 17. Javan Sebastian, 18. Craig Stevenson, 19. Andrew Dunlop, 20. Jack Preston, 21. Archie Russell, 22. Junior Bulumakau.

Melrose:
15. Nyle Godsmark; 14. Joe Helps, 13. George Taylor, 12. Andrew Nagle, 11. Sam Pecqueur; 10. Tom Galbraith, 9. Bruce Colvine (c); 1. Jamie Bhatti, 2. Richard Ferguson, 3. Nicholas Beavon; 4. James Head, 5. Lewis Carmichael; 6. Neil Irvine-Hess, 7. Grant Runciman, 8. Graeme Dodds.

Replacements:
16. George Turner, 17. Ruaridh McLeod, 18. Ewan McQuillan, 19. Ally Miller, 20. Ruaridh Knott, 21. Murdo McAndrew, 22. Richard Mill.

Kick-off 3pm. Follow the scores live on Twitter.