Biggar start 2016 with defeat

The festive lay­off seemed to have undone much of Biggar’s good work before Christmas, with Kirkcaldy seemingly much hungrier and much better prepared for this BT National League Division 2 contest in dreich and cold conditions.

An early Francois Nel penalty put Biggar 3-0 up before the hosts scored the simplest of tries after 15 minutes.

Robbie Lavery set Aird Jardine up and the winger dinked the ball behind the Kirkcaldy defence and then won the race for the ball to pick up then touch down for a great try.

That this took place on the driest part of the pitch was perhaps not insignificant and certainly this was virtually the only time either side played any expansive rugby.

Nel was unable to add the conversion and so the score remained at 8-­0.

Almost immediately however, Biggar transgressed from the restart and winger Finlay Smith kicked for 8­-3.

Nel kicked Biggar 11-3 up at the other end, before Kirkcaldy’s tighthead prop was sin-binned for stamping following a lineout drive.

Biggar started the second half in their red change strips as the pitch not surprisingly began to show signs of cutting up.

Kirkcaldy got back to within a point of Biggar when Matthew Harvey’s try in the corner was converted by Smith.

Biggar scrum half Davy Reive was sin binned for an indiscretion before Kirkcaldy’s second try was scored by Samoan centre Sasa Tofilau.

Biggar then suffered a double blow when Karetai Williams’ sin-binning was followed by Nel succumbing to a head knock which is likely to keep the South African out for a fortnight at least.

Kirkcaldy – led by player-coach Quintan Sanft, a former Biggar player – wrapped up the win with a try by hooker Jack Pow converted by Smith.