Glasgow Hawks aim for the top in first match after league split

Glasgow Hawks can go top of Premier One tonight if they beat Boroughmuir at Old Anniesland in the first match to be played since the league split.

Peter Wright's men go into the Premier A encounter - the section involving the top-eight clubs - just one point behind league leaders Melrose.

They start with the same back-line that played against 'Muir in the 39-10 win at Meggetland 13 days ago and that means that the in-form Gossman brothers, Craig and Kerr, will be looking to cause havoc again.

That day in Edinburgh, full-back Craig scored two tries and Kerr grabbed one, while the half back pairing of Kris Hamilton and Mike Adamson are starting to look good together.

In the pack, coach Wright had some hard choices to make with the experienced Rory McKay being on the bench, but he would have found it hard to displace any of Grant Strang, Bart Karalus and Ross Miller in the back-row.

McKay is joined amongst the substitutes by Scotland Sevens' cap Peter Jericevich, who has returned north from a loan spell at Doncaster Knights and may come on at scrum-half.

Wright said: "It has been tough to select the forwards with a number of players playing well, but we feel that the starting eight will get us off to a good start and with the quality of players on the bench we feel we have good options for later on in the game.

"This will be an interesting game, having played Boroughmuir only a couple of weeks ago and with both teams looking to improve after last week's Premier Cup performances."

Boroughmuir travel west in seventh place. Teenager Harry Leonard continues in the pivotal stand-off slot with Ally Warnock on the bench, while former Scotland Under-20 cap Andrew Rose comes into the squad to replace Cammy Orr who has suffered a shoulder injury. The young front-row of Jonny Latta, Callum MacIntosh and Nick Fraser will have to be at their best against a Hawks front-row led well by former pro Eric Milligan.

Glasgow Hawks: C Gossman; J White, D Kelbrick, D Milne, K Gossman; M Adamson, K Hamilton; A Smith, E Milligan, G Hunter, R Hamilton, N Campbell, G Strang, R Miller, B Karalus. Subs: G Strain, N Nyemba, R McKay, P Jericevich, T Preece.

Boroughmuir: S Ruddick; H Jones, M Clapperton, S Wilson, R Neil; H Leonard, S Johnson; N Fraser, C MacIntosh, J Latta, T McColl, A Davidson, G Scott, J Doubleday, N Rodger. Subs: G Jones, J Duley, D O'Riordan, A Rose, A Warnock.