Peebles beaten but crucial top-four place in Premier Two is secured

DESPITE losing 18-14 to Gala at the Gytes, Peebles ensured a top four spot in Premier 2 and a place in the Premier 1-2 play offs.

They led 9-8 at half time thanks to two penalties and a drop goal from Neil Warnock but could only add a try from Donald Anderson in the second half which was delayed due a broken leg sustained by Craig Borthwick. Gala came back and added to their first half-try by Lewis Roddin and a Lee Miller penalty with a second-half try by Alan Emond converted by Miller who landed a second conversion.

Falkirk were unable to take advantage of the Peebles defeat, going down 35 15 to Kirkcaldy at Beveridge Park. Kirkcaldy led 18-5 at the break and ended with two tries from Alan Tasker and one each from Mark Wallace and Quentan Sanft with Sanft adding three conversions and three penalties. Falkirk could only manage three unconverted tries from Stuart Denholm, Jim Bruce and Grant Harkness.

Edinburgh Accies clinched top spot at the split with a 69-8 win over Stewarts Melville, Gala's win at Peebles kept them in second spot and at Hughenden Aberdeen Grammar Rugby made sure of third spot with a 33-29 win over Hillhead Jordanhill. Rob Aloe had two tries, a conversion and a penalty for Aberdeen with Colin McConnachie and Fraser Lyle grabbing a try each and Rob Lawson slotting a penalty and a conversion.

Kelso beat GHA 32-12 with tries from Andy Tait, Nani Osman, a Dan Buckley double and one from John Szkudro while at Riverside, tries from Gary Hill and Rob Ferguson helped Jed to a 26-18 win over Biggar

l Flyhalf Patrick Lambie scored 25 points in his first major final to inspire the Sharks to a 30-10 win over Western Province for the Currie Cup in Durban.

Lambie scored two tries and kicked 15 points as Durban's Sharks outplayed the visitors from Cape Town at Absa Stadium in the climax to South Africa's domestic rugby season. Scrum-half Charl McLeod and Lambie scored first-half tries as the Sharks went on a run of 23 unanswered points in 22 minutes.

Western Province captain Schalk Burger muscled over for his team's only try just before half-time, but the Sharks defended grimly in the second half and the outstanding Lambie sealed their sixth title with his second try in the final minutes.

l Bath welcome back England captain Lewis Moody for their clash with Harlequins today at the Twickenham Stoop, while Wasps have reported a lengthy casualty list ahead of their visit to bottom club Leeds Carnegie.

London Irish make two changes for today's Madejski Stadium clash against Sale Sharks.