SCOTLAND rugby clubs internationalist Murray Strang is tipping Heriot's to overcome Glasgow Hawks at Goldenacre in a Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership battle involving his former clubs.
An impending job move to Abu Dhabi has left stand off Strang on the sidelines, from where he is predicting an explosive clash out wide tomorrow.
Overall, Strang believes Heriot's have come too far in the past few weeks – they are bidding for a fou
rth straight win – to slip up.
But he also reckons a Hawks side for whom his younger brother Grant turns out at No.8 are in a false position at second bottom of the table.
He said: "If the Heriot's pack are able to dictate then a lack of old heads in the Hawks forwards will find it hard to grind things out in that company.
"But, if the game opens up, there are plenty of players at Hawks like Craig Gossman, Jono Wright and Paddy Boyer who will threaten with their pace.
"Should that happen then Heriot's will be looking more than ever to the likes of Jim Thompson, Colin Goudie and Graham Thomson countering any threat."
Strang, who will be taking his boots out east to join Abu Dhabi Harlequins having just recovered from a broken cheekbone sustained pre-season, says he couldn't have asked for a better farewell so far as Scottish club rugby is concerned.
"I know Heriot's will want to avoid what would be a huge disappointment were they to lose but Hawks are progressing to the extent they were disappointed at only drawing last week with Watsonians (currently second] having been ten points ahead at half-time."
Either way, the man who featured in the first two club international matches against Ireland feels he can't lose.
Strang spent four years with Hawks before joining Heriot's at the start of 2007-08 and he'll enjoy a farewell function in the Goldenacre clubhouse after the match.
"Of course, I'd love to have been playing but, by the time I recovered from injury, it didn't make sense to come back for such a short time before leaving for a new life abroad," he said.
Heriot's could be forgiven for regarding revitalised Dave McCall as their spearhead based on his seven tries from five outings.
But, according to coach Bob McKillop, there is so much more to the winger, who has returned in style from a season-long sabbatical before which he caught the eye with occasional appearances for Edinburgh. McKillop said: "People will look at Dave's finishing but what can't be underestimated is his appetite for unglamorous chores.
"He revels in the nitty gritty – our win at Boroughmuir could well have come down to the way Dave turned over their possession to set up a try at a crucial stage."
With Thompson released by Edinburgh, McKillop is in the fortunate position of being able to field the back three, also comprising Goudie, that has served Heriot's well so far.
And, while Heriot's were inactive last weekend due to a postponement at Currie, the time was not wasted.
McKillop said: "Overall, the cancellation was frustrating but one or two players got the chance to rest bumps and bruises while backs coach George Breckenridge managed to get through to Glasgow to watch Hawks against Watsonians."
McKillop: "George has told us all about Hawks' enthusiasm and desperation to get a draw with Watsonians and we'll have to be ready for that."
Opposition from the other end of the M8 seem to be causing Heriot's particular problems this season with Ayr and West both having been able to overcome the Edinburgh side.
But McKillop is hopeful that the 7-13 setback at West served as a wake up call.
"Since then we have won three in a row, although we've gone on mini rolls several times without converting them into major rolls.
"The aim is to make it different this time," says the man poised to give a run at some stage to 17-year-old scrum half recruit from Musselburgh, Brian Walls.
Also, Jamie Parker and Matt Reid are favourites to deputise in the back row for Chris Fusaro and Struan Dewar, both absent at the Singapore Sevens with Scotland.
Wullie Blacklock takes over at prop from Innes Brown, who has a chest infection.
