St David’s day saw near-perfect weather for the vital fixture between these two relegation threatened clubs, setting the scene for an entertaining afternoon of rugby. The home side were in no doubt about the required outcome, nothing less than a bonus-point victory would suffice. With the imminent reorganisation of the leagues and the uncertainty surrounding the structure, the less that is left to chance the better so an emphatic win was demanded from the coaches.

After the (infuriating) traditional twenty-minute settling-in period, Madras found themselves once again on the wrong side of a two-try deficit. Kinross, clearly having not read the script, employed a game plan that perfectly suited their significantly larger forward pack and rumbled the ball up the pitch to earn them a deserved 12-0 lead after the first quarter. As the game progressed and the visitors tired, Madras were able to utilise their backs to much greater effect, regularly breaking through the defensive line and setting up the first try for Captain Mark Methven, showing superb pace and balance to evade the visitors’ scramble defence. Penalties (and yellow cards) were exchanged and at the break the score was 15-8 to the visitors. With the breeze offering a significant tactical advantage to Madras in the second half, Fly-Half Mike Morton took a strategic stranglehold on proceedings and utilised the superior Madras backs to great effect. Euan Roger on the right wing was treating his opposite number to a torrid afternoon and scored a hat trick of tries, outpacing and out-manoeuvring the defence to earn the sought-after bonus point. With a 10-point lead and very much enjoying territorial supremacy the coaches finally began to enjoy the match and subsequent drop in blood pressure, and Madras ran out victors by a 25-15 margin. As always, Kinross were true sportsmen and the post-match hospitality proved….zealous. Man of the match went to loose-head prop Josh Fernie. In a game where many of the backs enjoyed an outstanding day at the office with lengthy forays into opposition territory, Josh’s exceptional level of fitness and commitment ensured he was the first man in support at almost every occasion virtually snuffing out any chance of a turnover at the breakdown. The next instalment of hypertension that the coaches can look forward to will be on March 22nd when Madras host Alloa.