The first ever FOSROC Super6 Final saw Ayrshire Bulls crowned Champions this afternoon at the DAM Health Stadium, Edinburgh, in a highly entertaining contest.

After some fierce opening exchanges, Ayrshire Bulls opened the scoring with Elias Caven scoring in the corner following a Bulls scrum, with the ball played quickly wide for Caven to score, taking out the flag in the process. Tom Jordan converted to give Bulls’ the dream start after five minutes.

Bulls’ made it 0-10 soon after with a penalty safely kicked by Tom Jordan, after an offside decision against the Knights.

After 18 minutes, Knights’ forward Iain Moody broke superbly from the maul, heading for the try line he looked certain to score, before Bulls full-back Matt Davidson made an incredible last-ditch tackle to hold him up in the try area. After reviewing the try, it was not given much to the delight of the Bulls’ players and management.

Mid-way through the first half, Bulls’ applied some pressure to the Knights’ defence. Just inside the 22m line, a superb pick along the slick surface from Tom Jordan saw Bobby Beattie chase it down for the try, but a wonderful sliding tackle from Knights’ full-back Jacob Henry saw the try prevented.

The play was however pulled back for an earlier infringement against the Knights’ which saw Tom Jordan score his second penalty of the match to extend the Bulls’ lead to 13 points.

With half an hour played, Knights’ got their first points on the board, with a penalty converted by fly-half Jason Baggott to make it 3-13.

Baggott doubled his tally minutes later, with another penalty for Knights’ to make it 6-13, five minutes before the break.

The Knights’ applied some pressure just before the break, opting to kick for touch after a penalty was awarded following a line-out.

Only metres from the try line, the Bulls’ defence stayed strong and a superb turnover saw the Bulls’ clear their lines to hold a 6-13 lead at the interval.

Southern Knights started the second half strongly, with the Bulls’ being reduced to 14 after a yellow card for Yaree Fantini and a penalty awarded to Knights’.

The result, Knights’ opted to kick for touch in the corner and following the line-out and intense pressure on the Bulls’ try line, a quick ball saw Jacob Henry score, with the conversion added by Baggott to make it all-square at 13-13.

A high tackle from Knights’ saw the Bulls’ awarded a penalty, which Jordan elected to kick from just outside the 22m line. The kick sailed between the posts, for Jordan’s third successful penalty of the game, giving the Bulls’ a 13-16 lead, 10 minutes into the second half.

As Fantini re-joined the action, Knights’ were awarded their 3rd penalty of the game, which Baggott once again converted to maintain his 100% record, levelling the match at 16-16.

A Bulls’ break from skipper Blair Macpherson, saw the play move into the 22, where the Bulls were awarded their 4th penalty of the match, converted once again by fly-half Tom Jordan to once again extend the Bulls’ lead by 3 points, 16-19.

Some excellent forward play saw Tom Jordan break free, however some good defence work from Knights’ saw them win yet another penalty and clear their lines.

As play entered the final 10 minutes, some fine work from the Bulls’ midfield saw forward George Thornton break free, holding off 3 tackles to hit the try line in style!

The conversion was added by Tom Jordan to extend Bulls’ lead by 10 points to 16-26.

As play entered the final eight minutes, Bulls’ were yet again reduced to 14 as Jordan Lenac was given a yellow for tackling off the ball.

With four minutes to play, Tom Everard was then shown a straight red for a high tackle – leaving Bulls’ with 13 on the field – as he raced to defend a high ball in the corner, which saw Knights’ full-back Jacob Henry leave the field on a stretcher.

The resulting penalty saw Knights’ kick for touch in the corner, and with some outstanding Bulls’ defensive work and a try saving tackle from George Thornton Bulls’ were able to play out of trouble with only two minutes left on the clock.

The Bulls’ defended with their lives to prevent a Knight’s score in the closing seconds, holding on to lift the FOSROC Super6 Title!

Coach Pat MacArthur said:

“We started well, put ourselves in a good position and a big part of what we are trying to teach the team, it’s a young team we have is how to control what you can control, you will get some pressure on you and it’s the ability to just keep to our systems and keep to our shape, especially in defence. and you see at the end there, the effort the boys put on together to hold anyone out is second to none so credit to them for that.”

FULL TIME: 16-26

MAN OF THE MATCH: Tom Jordan

TEAMS:

AYRSHIRE BULLS

15. M. Davidson, 14. A.Tait, 13. B.Beattie, 12. T.Williams, 11. E.Caven, 10. T.Jordan, 9. J.Lenac

1. G.Thornton, 2.A.McGuire, 3. M.Scott, 4.E.Bloodworth, 5.T.Everard, 6.R.Sweeney, 7.Y.Fantitni, 8.B.Macpherson (Captain)

Replacements: 16. R.Tanner, 17.R.Sayce, 18. C.Henderson, 19. R.Jackson, 20. G.Wilson, 21. H.Warr, 22. C.Townsend, 23. G.Lowe

SOUTHERN KNIGHTS

15. J.Henry, 14. P.Anderson, 13. N Godsmark, 12. B.Wara, 11. S.Pecquer, 10. J.Baggott, 9.M.Mcandrew, 1. G.Shiellls (Captain), 2. F.Renwick, 3. E Mclaren, 4.D.Suddon, 5. A.Runciman, 6.H.Borthwick, 7.R.Knott, 8. I.Moody

Replacements: 16. R.Anderson, 17. S.Gunn, 18. C.Crookshanks, 19. D.Redpath, 20. A.Ferrie, 21. C.Jones, 22. C.Scott, 23. A.Mitchell

TRIES: E.Caven, G.Thornton (Bulls), J. Henry (Knights)

CONVERSIONS: T.Jordan (X2, Bulls), Baggott (X1 Knights)

PENALTIES: T. Jordan (X4 Bulls), Baggott (X3 Knights)

CARDS: Yellow: Y.Fantini, J.Lenac, Red: T.Everard (Bulls)