Once again Scotland took centre stage this weekend, with a convincing win over Tonga. Vern Cotter really seems to have injected an urgency into the Scotland players, who are now playing with speed, and scoring tries because of it! That is now 17 tries in 7 tests under Cotter. In the previous 7 games Scotland had only scored 4 tries.
With the Scotland game on Ellon First and Second Teams both rested, while the U18, U16 and S1/2 all played.
Saturdays first game for Ellon was a S1/2 mixed team playing Huntly away at the pitches near the castle in Huntly. In great weather for rugby, the mixed Ellon team really attacked Huntly from the kick off. This kept Huntly on the back foot and let the strong Ellon back line run in a number of tries. Where the team should be praised is in defence. A strong Ellon defence stopped all the Huntly attacks with the final score being 0-37 to Ellon!
Second up, back at the Meadows, was the U18 against Mackie in the National League. Being the only two teams in the NE in the National League, this was a hard fought local derby
Mackie started the game with the kick off and Ellon allowed the ball to bounce, James Evan however picked up the ball and ran back at Mackie who all stood watching as James scored under the posts after 29 seconds! Converted by Paul Paxton. Ellon compliancy then let Mackie back into the game and after a couple of penalties, on 6 minutes Mackie went over for a converted try. Mackie penalty count was fairly high and this led to a kick by Paul for three points to make it Ellon 10, Mackie 7. Mackie then scored again on 25 minutes, this time from a line out and a break from a maul, after missed tackles and Ellon failing to clear their 22 with kicks. 10 – 14. The penalty theme continued and Paul Paxton slotted a 45m kick to make it 13 – 14 at half time. Ellon pressure continued straight after the break with a try against the posts by Connor McWilliams and converted by Paul Paxton for 20 – 14. From the kick off Aaron Bonner took the ball, cut inside and made 40 meters, from the subsequent rucks Sam Tateson went over the line but was held up. From the 5 meter scrum Ellon spun wide and James Maddox went over for his first score for the club! 25 – 14. Once again a lapse in concentration let Mackie in again for a score on the wing. In a closely contended game Ellon quickly replied with James Evans taking a pass from Maddox and scored on the wing. Best try of the game as Ellon ran forward with 5 players supporting, offloading and passing between themselves to score on the left wing again through Aaron Bonner. Paul Paxton then converted from the wing to make it 30 – 19. Ellon’s defence was tested then as they tried to defend a penalty on the line. A loose ball was hacked up the pitch to the Mackie 22, however they returned running hard at Ellon to score. 30 – 24. Ellon finally ran a final try in to finish the game 37-24, in a game that was closer than it should have been.
Ellon Rugby then had a party to watch the Scotland game and send Martin and his family away in style. Moving down to Norfolk for a few years they will all be missed. Martin was a coahc, seconds, bear players and a sponsor of the club.

Sunday saw the U16 team also play Mackie. In what was to be a very close game, Ellon started poorly in the first three minutes. With a low sun in their eyes, Ellon received the ball and instantly gave away an interception try for Mackie to score within 29 seconds! The conversion was followed up by another unconverted Mackie try with Ellon missing tackles (potentially due to the low sun). Ellon then decided to step up to the mark and attacked using scrum half Nathan Shirron, who scored wide for an unconverted try. With both teams playing a little scrappy, Ellon let themselves be drawn into the Mackie style of play and got caught out again with an interception try. Ross Greig ran hard with the ball for Ellon all morning, and was rewarded with a try on the wing after a number of fends. Ellon started to dominate the scrum with two against the head, from the second Nathan Shirron managed to score his second, which he converted. This left it at 20 -17 as in the last minute of the half Ellon received a penalty and Shirron kicked it over from 35 meters out.
The second half started scrappy and both team began to niggle at each other under the tension. It what clearly means a lot to both teams in this derby, things over spilled and the referee had a word with both captains. Mackie scored first in the second half with a score from a huge amount of pressure, and eventually breaking the Ellon defence on the line. However Ellon pushed to the Mackie 22 and from a Mackie lineout, the ball was tapped back by Mackie into the try zone and Sam Martin reacted first to drop onto the ball to score what was to be the winning points. With 5 minutes left Mackie attacked and Ellon defended, but a penalty to Ellon saw them kick the ball out for a 25-24 win to Ellon! That sealed the double over Mackie this weekend, at U18 and U16!
This weekend Ellon Firsts are back in action, at the Meadows against high flying Orkney with a 12:30 KO. Ellon Seconds travel to Highland seconds, while the U18 have a rest weekend.
Sunday S1 and S2 both play Madras at 11:00, while U15 and U16 play Aberdeen Grammar at . Primary 4 to primary 7 travel the furthest for a festival down in Edinburgh at Stewart Melville, where they will be playing Stew Mel, Currie, Dunfermline and Edinburgh Wanderers.