ARNOLD CLARK CHAMPIONSHIP
SATURDAY 20th SEPTEMBER 2025
GHA 13 GLASGOW HAWKS 7
By CHRIS NAIRN
Braidholm welcomed city rivals Hawks for the first derby league match of the season. A very busy afternoon saw the GHA 2XV defeat their Hawks counterparts in a very close encounter in the earlier kick off. The unusually late start for the 1XV match was to accommodate the live screening of the match on YouTube. It was fitting that the cameras were present to record the 174th 1XV match played by Michael Fox, the second most capped player in our club’s history.
The club house was at capacity with the Thorntons Solicitors Sponsored Legacy Lunch. This packed lunch was to celebrate the coming together of the three clubs that have formed GHA, and the club is delighted to welcome the sponsorship and presence of Thornton’s. The administrator par excellence, Kate Finlay and her superb bar staff had prepared an attractive setting for the repast and table wine bearing the club crest was an additional nice touch. Club members in the adjoining bar were also able to admire the display cabinet which permanently commemorates the phenomenal success of the 1XV squad last season.
Despite the late kick off a very good crowd allied to those attending the lunch began to assemble at the club before kick-off. As you would expect on a derby day there was a good representation from the West End to support the Hawks. The weather was overcast with showers of rain and a cold wind blowing across the pitch. Clearly, we are moving away from the supposedly balmy days of summer. The pitch was in fine condition and both teams went through a series of warm up exercises before going through unit and whole team drills. The floodlights were needed as the afternoon gloom deepened. The home side kicked off with a long searching kick into the Hawks twenty-two area which was cleared but led to a knock-on at the visitors ten metre area. Hawks broke from the scrum and, as he was to do all afternoon, Dario Ewing put in a huge tackle to blunt this initial foray from the Hawk pack. GHA were determined to establish territorial advantage early on and this determination was met by an effective and tenacious Hawks defence which was to throw back GHA incursions into their half throughout the match and particularly in the first half. After six minutes it was very clear to the large crowd watching that neither side intended to give an inch as effective tackle after tackle was used by both sides to try and negate opposition progress.
As we moved towards the thirteenth minute constant pressure by the GHA side had gained a foothold in the visitors half and a penalty to the home side allowed a kick to the corner, giving GHA an attacking position inside the Hawks twenty-two metre area. Andrew Kerr, as he does every week, rose with grace and skill to secure the ball and set up a drive from the home side to huge cheers from the home support. Dogged and confident defending by the visitors cleared the immediate danger. Some forceful play by Messrs Ewing, Conroy, Goudie and Bogidrau made some yardage into the Hawks half and a clever diagonal cross kick from Andrew Goudie just failed to be collected by the speedy Caleb Thomson inside the Hawks five metre area. The home side were working very hard to carve a way through outstanding defence by the visitors and were varying their approach from forward dives, to half back chips, to long passes, to full back insertions. Despite this variety Hawks stood firm and excellent work by Messrs Fox and Campbell was thwarted by the visitors blanket defence.
As we reached the end of the first quarter, Hawks had spent most of the time inside their half defending a myriad of thrusts and incursions by the GHA side. Clearly the visitors’ confidence in their ability to blunt GHA aspirations was growing and indeed the home support began to worry that the constant rebuttal to much good work by GHA might begin to affect GHA confidence. Gradually Hawks began to probe the GHA defence with some fast, slick and well supported passages of play and it was now GHA who found their defensive mettle being tested. We seemed to be reaching a pivotal moment in the match, both sides were very strong defensively and it would require something special perhaps to break through the deadlock. There was some lovely work by both sets of forwards, gathering loose balls, going into contact, working to recycle as both sides produced a fast-paced exemplar of attacking rugby with defensive strengths. Messrs Reidy and Brims at half back looked for ways to gain territorial advantage for their backs with a series of chips and high through kicks only to be met by Messrs McKirdy and Goudie responding in the same manner. It was an exciting encounter with no quarter given by either side. It was becoming a sort of “rugby chess” as both sides looked to find a way to break down their opponents. We reached the thirtieth minute without a score but that in no way suggests a boring encounter. Both these sides were playing some smashing rugby and constantly looking to be positive and find space and time to make a breakthrough. Both sets of supporters roared on their favourites as the match continued. Both sides exchanged a number of penalties and attempted to gain yardage with kicks which were gathered, returned or prevented from doing further damage. Gregor Drummond, whose astute full back play allowed him to clear dangerous Hawk forays, tackle those opponents piecing the GHA rearguard putting in a number of vital long kicks throughout the afternoon which turned the visitors back on their heels and won valuable ground for GHA.
As we passed the thirty fifth minute of the match GHA pressure inside the Hawks ten metre area resulted in a penalty for the home side. GHA is blessed to have a player whose kicking ability is a vital piece of his and his team’s armoury. Gregor was tasked with attempting to convert the penalty from inside the Hawks half and to huge cheers from the home support, converted the kick to give GHA a precious lead which on pressure they had worked so hard to obtain: GHA 3 GLASGOW HAWKS 0
Hawks accepted this setback with the calm assurance of a very good side and merely garnered themselves for the riposte they were determined to find. Smashing work by the visitors allowed Messrs Cairncross and Hastings to ask questions about the home defence deep inside the GHA half. Huge efforts by Hawks saw them inside the GHA five metre line and astonishing defence by GHA to prevent a number of drives by Hawks to go over. An unfortunate fumble by the visitors almost on the line allowed the home side to frantically clear the danger as the half time whistle blew.
It had been a first half of outstanding defence from both sides, marvellous repeated attempts to break through into clear space by a myriad of forwards on both sides (Messrs Sweet, Cairncross Rutherford and Oliver especially for Hawks and Messrs Campbell, McKenna, Fox, Kerr, Callaghan and McCutcheon for the home forwards ) married to two highly effective back divisions had provided a thrilling encounter so far.
Hawks sent a long testing kick into the GHA to start the second half and push play up to the GHA twenty-two area. Pressure from Bryden, Hastings and Reidy forced the home side to defend inside their five metre area as Hawks attempted to score vital points. Herculean defence by the home side somehow managed to repel Hawks repeated thrusts and in desperation the home side conceded a penalty on the five metre line. Hawks elected to kick to the corner as the visiting support roared their support. Despite repelling the catch and drive, GHA conceded another penalty and again the visitors elected to kick to the corner rather than choose an alternative ploy. Hawks sensed this was a critical moment for their ambitions and equally GHA realised that this was a vital moment in their defiance. At this vital juncture Hawks themselves conceded a penalty and the clearance kick of Gregor Drummond secured an escape for the home side up to the Hawks ten metre line. Both sides realised that any supposed clearance kick which did not secure touch would be gathered and used to launch a foray into opposition ranks. Some lovely work by Messrs Ewing and Conroy aided by the smooth movement in support of Goudie, Drummond and Little took play into the Hawks half only for a penalty to be conceded to assist Hawks attempts to go deep into GHA territory.
As we moved towards the seventh minute of the half there were several attempts by both sides to gain territory by kicking long which were fielded by the respective defences and for several minutes neither side was able to establish a foothold in opponents territory. The match continued to be very tense and several times during the match there was a breakdown of discipline by both sides which had to be calmed down before play resumed. Much of this perhaps was down to the very close nature of the match, the natural frustrations that build up in such a match and the very real rivalry between both squads.
As we reached the thirteenth minute a sudden break by GHA allowed Andrew Goudie to make a long pass inside the Hawks half to the eager hands of Glen Little who fired his way to the line just managing to overcome a superb cover tackle by the Hawks defence in the corner. The home crowd were elated as they seemed to feel this was a huge moment in such a tense match. The difficult conversion just failed and the score as we moved to fifteen minutes of the half was now: GHA 8 GLASGOW HAWKS 0.
Such was the intensity of this match that neither side could feel that the result was beyond question. As we reached toward the twentieth minute of the half both sets of supporters began to look nervously at the time on the screen. Hawks, as they had done throughout this match, showed great composure and refused to be rattled by the score deficit. In fact, the visitors produced some lovely flowing passing which cut through the GHA defence for the first time and forced the home side to regroup desperately on their five metre area as Hawks sensed they could score here. Indeed, from a well-executed catch and drive at five metres the home defence was worn down as to huge cheers from the visiting cohort of supporters, Hawks got the ball over to score. A difficult conversion sailed through and the score after twenty-four minutes of the half was now: GHA 8 GLASGOW HAWKS 7.
An already very tense game was now on a knife edge, and both sets of supporters roared their appreciation of the fare on offer. Play thundered between both ten metre areas before probing work by the home side forced Hawks to concede a penalty. Aminio Bogidrau made inroads, and a further penalty was conceded by the visitors which allowed the home side to consider their options in an attractive attacking position inside the Hawks half. GHA chose to kick to the corner and Adam Kerr rose majestically to secure the ball and allow the GHA pack to go for the line. Ruari Campbell- who had been a thorn in the Hawks side all match- managed to force his way over and the score after thirty-one minutes was: GHA 13 GLASGOW HAWKS 7. Again, a difficult conversion in a swirling wind and rain which affected kickers from both sides just failed.
Just about everyone in the ground was staring at time screens or watches or phones as we entered the last ten minutes. A converted score by Hawks would seal victory…Any score by GHA would relieve worries about a Hawks fightback. Tension was in the air as both sides gathered themselves for the last ten minutes. Both sides exchanged penalties in their respective areas of the pitch and some outstanding tackling personified by a vital tackle by Jonathon Davis to blunt a Hawks attack by both sides prevented any further scoring. The final score of what had been a superb match of total commitment, endeavour and no little skill resulted in GHA 13 GLASGOW HAWKS 7.
This was a performance of maturity, skill, bravery and determination by the home side. Such a result takes GHA high in the table and records the fifth win on the trot. It is the result of tremendous work rate in training and preparation by the whole squad and coaching staff. There are a number of difficult matches ahead after the well-deserved week break and our whole squad should be delighted with their progress. However, hard work and commitment will be required in the weeks ahead. Coach Calum was delighted with the “awesome” performances of the whole squad since the start of the season and knows the players have earned their break but must be ready to come back ready for more.
I would like to record my appreciation of the outstanding statistical analysis of myriad aspects of the 1XV squad players and their progress to date provided in superb manner by our very own Sean Fisher- which can be viewed through the club website and indeed Sean’s GHA RFC Club Archive Facebook page. It is a wealth of interesting data.
GLASGOW HAWKS : E.MUIRHEAD J.HASTINGS L.JARVIE A.BRYDEN R.FLETT L.BRIMS C.REIDY B.SWEET P.CAIRNCROSS M.MORRISON A.RUTHERFORD M.OLIVER Y. SHAHEEN H.RESTON S.HASINGS T.McTEIR F.MUIR A.SYME A.YOUNG S.STEELE D.BARRIE J.COOPER
GHA: G.DRUMMOND C.THOMSON N.THOMPSON A.BOGIDRAU G. LITTLE A.GOUDIE E.McKIRDY O.McKENNA R.CAMPBELL M.FOX A.KERR S.CALLAGHAN M.CONROY D.EWING L.McCUTCHEON L.BARRON S.COLLINS C.MacGREGOR J.DAVIS H.McKENZIE G.BAIRD B.MacDOUGALL
REFEREE: MR C STARK
ASSISTANT REFEREES: MR S CUBITT MR S McCALL
As always thanks to Ian Robin for provision of match official details.
