SCRUM Magazine - Issue 65

ISSUE 65 - NOVEMBER 2014

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NEWS ON THE AUTUMN TESTS 1990 GRAND SLAM REVISITED - CHRIS GRAY EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH DR. JAMES ROBSON

CLYDE TRAVEL

STOBO CASTLE

DJ ALEXANDER

Great travel packages from the group that keep delivering fantastic service to Glasgow Warriors fans

The Editor visited Stobo Castle to experience exactly what was on offer at Scotland’s only destination spa resort

Q&A with Rob Trotter, Senior Property Manager at the Estate Agents and Property Managers

CONTENTS

Welcome

Cover photo: Jonny Gray as part of the SRU’s As One campaign.

Courtesy of Scottish Rugby.

Photo credits: SNS Pix/Scottish Rugby, IRB, Douglas Hardie, Bill McLaren Foundation, Edinburgh University, Ed Stuart, Bruce Colvine, Grant Denholm, Gordon Brown, Jeff Holmes, Orkney RFC, Shetland RFC, Alix McIntosh Photography.

Editor: Stuart MacLennan stuart@scrummagazine.com Contributor & Editorial Advisor: Gary Heatly gary@scrummagazine.com Commercial Director: Simon Byers simon@belljohnstone.co.uk Business Development Manager: Ben Slater ben@belljohnstone.co.uk Sales & Marketing Manager: Chris Mattocks christopher@belljohnstone.co.uk Title Manager: Marie Knight marie@belljohnstone.co.uk

It gives me great pleasure to introduce you to issue 65 of The SCRUM, which sees the implementation of a brand new look as we gear up for what will be a huge year for Scottish rugby.

In this edition, amongst other features, we have exciting interviews with national head coach Vern Cotter, former internationalist Hugo Southwell, a continuation of our 1990 Grand Slam anniversary series with the focus on second row Chris Gray, and the usual round up of all the goings on at club and youth level across the land.

Scotland’s preparation for the 2015 World Cup is starting to enter its most crucial period, with less than a year to go until our opening Pool B fixture against Japan in Gloucester. From now until then, all

eyes will be on Vern’s squad and how they continue to adapt to the new coach’s methods, especially during the Autumn Tests with Argentina, New Zealand and Tonga.

Remember to keep sending your news and views in to the Editor, from every club in Scotland, to ensure that together we can continue to report on the hard work and splendid action that goes on in every facet of the sport in this country.

Thanks for reading,

Stuart MacLennan, Editor stuart@scrummagazine.co.uk

Production: Nick Senior nick@belljohnstone.co.uk

© Copyright 2014 - Bell Johnstone & Co Ltd - All rights reserved.

IN THIS ISSUE

50 PRO PERFORMANCE RUGBY Preview of the November event

Bell Johnstone Communications 34 Bernard Street, Edinburgh EH6 6PR Tel: 0131 554 1129 - Fax: 0131 555 1622 www.belljohnstone.co.uk Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photograph or illustration without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

While due care and attention is taken to ensure that The SCRUM is accurate, the publishers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions.

The SCRUM and the Publisher accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers.

28 CLARK LAIDLAW Interview with Samoa Coach

61 CARRICK RFC BT Club of the Month 73 DR. JAMES ROBSON Exclusive Interview

79 DAVID ADAMSON Edinburgh University Head Coach

SCRUM MAGAZINE... SUPPORTING YOUR CLUB & COMMUNITY RUGBY... SUPPORTING SCOTTISH RUGBY CHARITIES

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ISSUE 65 - NOVEMBER 2014

WHAT’S HAPPENING

V E R N AN D C O

RARING TO GO Scotland Head Coach Vern Cotter and injured Captain Grant Gilchrist

The viagogo Autumn Tests are important for Scotland with the Rugby World Cup now less than a year away.

Gary Heatly caught up with the man leading the charge

In many ways having a long tour to USA, Canada, Argentina and South Africa was the ideal opener for Scotland Head Coach Vern Cotter.

As the squad was split in two effectively it allowed the new man at the helm to get a look at a wider group of players, get to know them and spend time with them away from the level of scrutiny there is around home matches from both the public and the media.

In the squad he has now named for the viagogo Autumn Tests he has shown two things - he is not afraid to drop well-established players while he will always pick on form.

At the time of writing - and sadly injuries do keep occurring - out are the likes of Kelly Brown (64 caps), Nick De Luca (43 caps) and Max Evans (44 caps) while the uncapped Mark Bennett and his Glasgow

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Warriors’ team mate Fraser Brown (one cap) are brought into the fold along with uncapped Edinburgh Rugby scrum-half Sam Hidalgo-Clyne.

Jim Hamilton (56 caps), was of course called-up after skipper Grant Gilchrist broke his arm just days after being named as leader for this series, a big blow for the 24-year-old.

With less than a year to go to the Rugby World Cup there is still time for a lot of tinkering while the likes of Ryan Grant, Ryan Wilson, David Denton and Matt Scott are still to return from injury, indeed a couple could later on in this series.

However, the Head Coach has given the players selected a massive boost and they will be keen to lay down a marker this Autumn and all but guarantee themselves a spot at the big event next year in England.

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“I have picked a squad that I feel can compete in these three matches and beyond and having spent a lot of time with the players over the summer I got to know about their characters. It is always hard leaving players out, but that is what a coach has to do and I am excited to work with these guys, but of course the door is not closed on anyone and we are always monitoring everyone’s form.

“We have to work hard in November to start playing to the game plan that we want while all three sides we come up against will provide different tests which will be good for us ahead of the RBS 6 Nations and beyond,” Cotter said.

Cotter also gave the three players invited to train with the squad - Edinburgh Rugby duo Allan Dell and Hamish Watson and Glasgow Warriors’ teenager Zander Fagerson - a boost. Sadly, since they were

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

SCOTLAND SQUAD FOR THE VIAGOGO AUTUMN TESTS Forwards: Adam Ashe (Glasgow Warriors) Johnnie Beattie (Castres) Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) Blair Cowan (London Irish) Geoff Cross (London Irish) Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby) Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Warriors) Jim Hamilton (Saracens) Robert Harley (Glasgow Warriors) Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) Richie Gray (Castres) Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons) Kieran Low (London Irish) Euan Murray (Glasgow Warriors) Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors) Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan) Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors) Backs: Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors) Chris Cusiter (Sale Sharks) Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors) Dougie Fife (Edinburgh Rugby) Tom Heathcote (Edinburgh Rugby) Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh Rugby) Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors) Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester) Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors) Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors) Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors) Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) Duncan Taylor (Saracens) Tim Visser (Edinburgh Rugby) Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) Invited to train with the squad: Allan Dell (Edinburgh Rugby) Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors)

VIAGOGO AUTUMN TESTS November 8 Scotland v Argentina, 5.30pm BT Murrayfield November 15 Scotland v New Zealand, 5.30pm BT Murrayfield November 22 Scotland v Tonga, 2.30pm Rugby Park, Kilmarnock

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“I have picked a squad that I feel can compete in these three matches and beyond and having spent a lot of time with the players over the summer I got to know about their characters”

named back-row Watson has suffered a broken jaw.

Cotter commented: “These players have played well so far this season and they have shown great talent, promise and potential. They will get an opportunity to train with us and we get to have a look at them and get an idea of where they are at in their development.

“It is exciting for them and I am personally pleased to see young players coming through and putting their hands up. It is a reward for their form.

“These guys could come into the reckoning to play. We need to get an idea of where they are at and with the props this will be quite easy because we will be able to have opposing scrums at training and see how Allan and Zander are doing.

From there we will give them a plan for things to work on going forward.”

Cotter “really disappointed” to lose Gilchrist The Head Coach has expressed his disappointment for Edinburgh Rugby second-row Grant Gilchrist who was been ruled out of the viagogo Autumn Tests through injury.

The 24-year-old fractured his forearm in his club’s 25-17 win over Lyon in the European Rugby Challenge Cup at BT Murrayfield on October 24.

Cotter said: “Clearly this is really disappointing news for Grant, who’s been a fine player and leader for his club this season; and was set to continue that role for Scotland this Autumn.

“Despite being unable to play, he will still join and be part of the squad and feature heavily in our preparations for the viagogo Autumn Tests.”

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Gilchrist will come back fighting The week commencing October 20, 2014 will not be forgotten by Grant Gilchrist in a hurry.

At the start of the week he was named Scotland Captain and by the end of it he was in hospital getting an operation and will now miss the viagogo Autumn Tests.

Before his injury he had talked about his pride of being named Captain.

“You dream as a kid to captain your country and it is something I am really passionate about, so to be told you are going to be Scotland Captain is never going to seem normal, it is a massive honour and something that I am really proud of.

“I was made Vice-Captain at Edinburgh at the start of the season, but the way me and Mike Coman [the Captain] have been running things it has seen us share duties and I think I have been taking on a lot of extra responsibilities at the club this season even compared to last term.

“In recent years I think I have grown a lot as a player and as a leader. Leadership was always something that I was told I needed to work on and improve on.

“It did not just click overnight, it was something I needed a lot of help with from guys like Sean Cox [ex-Edinburgh Rugby] who I spent a lot of time with and Jim Hamilton who I worked a lot with when I was away with Scotland.

“I have learnt a lot from these guys and now I have the confidence in calling lineouts and leading teams from the front and it feels pretty natural to me.”

Watch out for his comeback in the RBS 6 Nations.

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

1990 Grand Slam - 25 year anniversary

STUA RT C H ATS W I T H . . .

CHRIS GRAY Over the next few issues of The SCRUM Magazine, we will be talking with a few of the members of the famous 1990 Grand Slam team to mark 25 years since one of the most famous days in Scottish sporting history. Following on from Gary Heatly’s chat with hooker Kenny Milne in issue 64, Editor Stuart MacLennan caught up with second-row Chris Gray, who still plies his trade as a dentist down in Nottingham

A late bloomer in terms of international rugby, Haddington born Chris played his club rugby alongside colourful British and Irish Lion Brian Moore at Nottingham RFC and made his Scotland debut at the grand old age of 29 against Wales in 1989 in a comfortable win over Wales.

A year later, and Ian McGeechan’s Scotland had the opportunity to clinch only a third ever Grand Slam against an English side that were seemingly sauntering towards their own first title since 1980.

Chris remembers the build up to that winner-takes-all game: “The worst thing was the kerfuffle that we had with all the various characters in the squad. I roomed on my own actually, which was probably for the best.

“We stayed at the Braids Hotel as I recall, and I seem to remember having a spare ticket for the game, which I gave to my brother.

“When we got to the stadium, it was a beautiful sunny day and I remember trying to help one of the band members who had dropped his music sheet. He didn’t take to kindly to it and it showed what the occasion meant to every Scotsman in the ground.

“We did a little warm up and a bit of lineout practice, but we were

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well aware of what we needed to do. It was the usual mayhem and excitement before the game, and we didn’t say a lot. ‘Geech’ had just told us that we all knew our jobs.

“We had a good bunch of guys, including the bench and the staff. We set our stall out, and had trained so well that we felt really confident. There was of course the usual spice in the air with all the political rubbish going on, but we all ignored it. I actually sat in the changing room while others went to look at the pitch - I had seen enough of them in my time!”

Scotland of course went to on record a famous 13-7 win over the Auld

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Enemy to secure the championship; it represented the most successful period in the country’s international rugby history following on from the 1984 Grand Slam and an often overlooked shared championship with France in 1986.

“We were knackered. We had a few beers after the game and got changed. Then I remember having free champagne for winning from the sponsors - some of the committee members were aghast at how much was getting consumed. It was a very memorable day all round.”

Chris went on to play at the 1991 World Cup and gained the last of his 22 caps in the Third Place play-off defeat to New Zealand. Looking ahead to next year’s tournament and the appointment of new Head Coach Vern Cotter, he is positive about the future.

“He’s come in and thought: ‘let’s put a few youngsters in and see what they’ve got.’ I think he knows his plan and variations and will aim to get the players’ belief higher. I hope people don’t expect too much too quickly.”

Chris says he is hoping to get to a Scotland World Cup game next year, possibly in Leeds against USA, as he works and lives in Nottingham as a dentist.

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

MEET

JOSH GABRIEL-CLARKE New Development Officer in Dundee

Dundee has long been known as a footballing hub of Scotland, with the City of Discovery providing two clubs that can recount past domestic and continental glories in the eleven-a-side game. The institutions located at Tannadice Street and Dens Road have long dominated the sporting landscape along the Firth of Tay. Rugby has produced some glory of its own in the area however, with British & Irish Lions Rob Wainwright, Tom Smith and Andy Nicol having all represented Dundee HSFP at some point in their careers. And the appointment of another Development Officer will further strengthen the game in Scotland’s fourth largest city.

Josh Gabriel-Clarke has furthered his nomadic sporting vocation after taking up the post of D.O. for Morgan Academy FPs and Dundee Wasps, in partnership with Morgan Rugby, Leisure and Culture Dundee

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and the Scottish Rugby Union.

Having previously worked with Sale Sharks and the SRU as a Strength & Conditioning Coach, Josh went on to employment with Leicestershire County Cricket Club before making the move back up to Scotland at the start of October.

“I moved back primarily for family reasons, I’ve got two young kids, was looking to relocate and get back into rugby. I’ve always had a passion for sports developments and had some experience of strength & conditioning projects at Leicestershire, working with the likes of Matthew Hoggard and Ramnaresh Sarwan.

“I’m only a few weeks into the role and one of my main plans is to get a pathway from school to club for youngsters. They need to have the opportunity to play at a higher level and Morgan Academy and the surrounding area is something that the SRU wants to concentrate on.

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“There’s a high drop-off rate amongst youngsters and the more we can tap into the talents of these players, the better. It does turn out to be a lifestyle choice but we have to give them the options to do just that.”

Josh is fully aware that the task in front of him will mean competing for the sporting affections of Dundee’s young people, and says it only took one drive along the city’s Arbroath road to notice the football pitches in heavy use whilst the rugby facilities lay bare.

“The biggest priority is to get a rugby presence back in the city. It is often seen as an afterthought in a football city and I think there is scope to change that.”

Having not played the game for what he describes as a “sabbatical”, Josh has started training again at Morgan Academy FP in a bid to get back playing. The SCRUM would like to wish him the best in that endeavour and in his new role as Development Officer.

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

The Co-Optimists Dinner

The Co-Optimists are calling on all former players to get together and attend their Quinquennial Dinner in Edinburgh in November.

The select club, that was set-up in 1924 and has become well-known in Scotland over the last 90 years, continues to play a number of matches a season bringing together players from clubs throughout the country.

Many famous faces who went on to

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cracking international careers also turned out for the select side.

In one of their last matches, against the Caledonia Reds last season, they had USA duo Carlin Isles and Folau Niua playing for them alongside the likes of prop Rory Sutherland who was with Gala and is now making big strides with Edinburgh Rugby.

Co-Optimists President Robin Lind said: “The Co-Optimists is a great club

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and I have fond memories of playing for them myself back in my playing days. The opportunity to bring players together from all different clubs does not come around too often and I am sure everyone who has ever pulled on a Co-Optimists jersey has great tales to tell and made good friends from the experience.”

The Quinquennial Dinner will be held in Edinburgh’s Roxburghe Hotel on Saturday, November 22 at 6.45pm for 7.30pm. Speakers will be former Scotland player Keith Robertson and comedian Eric Davidson.

Dress code is formal (lounge suits for current players) and tickets are priced £40. They can be purchased from Charlie Bryden, Dinner Convener, on cibspoon@aol.com Any players keen to put themselves on the Co-Optimists data base please email Secretary Bill Dunlop on coopshonsec@gmail.com

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

MAKE LIFE EASY and take the tram to the big game

The age-old dilemma of whether or not to fork out for a taxi or brave the notorious Edinburgh wintery conditions en route to the national stadium has this year offered up a new and exciting way to get to the game, after Edinburgh opened up its 14km Tram system in May. Although the mode of transport was once a fixture of the capital, it ceased to operate in 1956 after 85 years of service, during which the initial carriages were powered by horse-drawn means.

Fast forward to 2014 and rugby supporters can hop on the new state-of-the-art tram system to get to BT Murrayfield and it could not be an easier way to do so; whether nipping on at Haymarket or journeying from as far away as York Place, a meagre toll of £1.50 will take you straight to the stadium, where

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your destination is a stone’s throw away.

The SCRUM took advantage of Edinburgh Trams to travel to the Edinburgh match against Lyon on October 24 and are confident in suggesting that this will be the way we attend in future as well. There was no hassle in getting there, the tickets were easily obtainable and the cost is just a bonus.

Tickets are purchased from any of the 14 stops prior to boarding and cost the same unless you are planning on travelling to the Airport - in which case the fee rises to £5, which is a fraction of the cost of a taxi fare.

The earliest trams start their working day at 5am and continue at least every ten minutes (12-15 on a Sunday) until they rest for the evening little before midnight.

When you factor in the superb bus system

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in Edinburgh, whereby each tram stop is plentifully served with transport links around the city, it’s never been easier to get around.

Passengers can also take advantage of Day Tickets, with Adult and Child prices starting at just £3.50 and £2 respectively.

Or, if you are heading to BT Murrayfield with children, a Family Day ticket only costs £7.50, enabling the travel of up to two adults and up to three children for unlimited travel on bus and tram services for one day.

Each of Edinburgh Trams’ fleet benefits from low-floor entrances and have dedicated wheelchair spaces with priority seating for ease of accessibility.

For more information: www.edinburghtrams.com

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

THINKING OF MOVING HOUSE? HERE’S WHY ‘LETTING OUT’ IS LIKELY TO BEAT ‘SELLING UP’ However some ‘temporary landlords’ are happy to let out their former home on a lease of two or more years in the hope that that the longer they wait to sell the better the price they will eventually achieve.

Rob Trotter, Senior Property Manager at DJ Alexander, answers some key questions

Why let out rather than sell?

Without doubt, the property sales market is in a much better condition than five, or even two, years ago but this scenario does not extend across the board. Even at the top end of the market, some owners are still unable to secure what they consider to be an acceptable price.

For those so affected, at any price range, the options are obvious: you can take a financial hit, put it down to experience and move on; or you can sit tight, hoping to receive a price

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which is unrealistic in the short- to medium-term and put your life on hold for an indefinite period.

Letting out will provide a cost-effective ‘third way’.

How long will it be before I can sell?

For most people the answer is either when the sales market fully recovers or simply when it is convenient to do so. Tenancy leases can be as short as six months, which should provide plenty of ‘windows’ to withdraw from the rental market and enact a sale.

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But what if I cannot achieve a rental figure on the house I am departing to cover the mortgage on it?

There is a large and growing demand for rental accommodation at the moment. The main reason for this has, of course, been the tightening of the lending regime and the demand for substantial deposits by bank and building societies (in some cases as high as 20%).

However more people are also renting through choice, such as families with a transient professional lifestyle, either frequently changing jobs within the UK or regularly being posted abroad.

Another advantage (particularly for young couples) is the rental deposit (e.g. circa £1000 on a two-bedroom flat when the equivalent for a purchase could be ten or 20 times as much).

Also, someone who purchased a house four years ago is likely to have very little equity in that property; indeed given the cost of marketing and legal and conveyancing fees, a sale in these circumstances might actually lead to a paper ‘loss’ on the property, which makes it all the more sensible to rent.

Surely there must be some potential pitfalls?

It depends on your approach. Some people decide to carry out the letting process on their own, without taking professional guidance and advice.

Sure enough, there is no requirement for any landlord (whether a frustrated seller or someone in the market for investment purposes) to use an

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

“True, flats still make up the hard core of the market but there has also been growth in demand to rent houses with a front door and garden”

agent and some have obviously been motivated by a perception that doing so will save them money. Often, however, this turns out to be a false economy. The greatest risk facing the DIY landlord is letting out to people who turn out to be totally unsuitable.

But as a professional letting agent, you would say that, wouldn’t you?

Yes – and I make no apology for doing so. It’s no secret that the letting sector is awash with agents or people purporting to be agents. But only those devoted to customer service survive and prosper, DJ Alexander, launched 32 years ago, being one of them.

Having inspected a property to let, we will recommend an achievable monthly rental figure using our extensive knowledge and experience of the local markets in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Once a property is advertised on our website, our policy is to interview each tenant-applicant personally and to confirm they possess a bank account and secure references from present and past employers. Having vetted an applicant as a suitable tenant, we will then arrange an inventory to be taken of furniture, furnishings, fixtures and fittings. A deposit (as security against any internal damage) will then be lodged with a third party through the national tenant deposit scheme.

Are there any other advantages to using and agent?

In addition to its core service, the reputable agency will also point the temporary landlord in the right direction in terms of securing the appropriate permissions from the mortgage lender and insurance providers. It is essential that these permissions are secured before and owner commits himself or herself to any lease obligations.

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So I can expect a hassle-free experience?

No reputable agent would ever be foolish enough to make that an absolute guarantee. All I can say is that great care is taken to weed out any potential tenants who might be unsuitable; in fact our strict vetting process is there not just to help landlords but to prevent otherwise honest tenants from taking on financial responsibilities that that they cannot afford, thus preventing problems for themselves (and by implication their landlords) at some later date.

But isn’t most of the tenant demand concentrated on city centre or inner city flats? Will there be any takers for my suburban villa?

True, flats still make up the hard core of the market but there has also been growth in demand to rent houses with a front door and garden - often from people who were themselves owneroccupiers and have let out their former home rather than sell for a depressed price.

But most of my furniture is new so will I have to leave it?

True, tenants renting a city centre or inner city flat expect the property to be furnished. In the case of suburban villas, however, unfurnished lettings tend to be the norm. Therefore, in this market, departing owners can take their furniture, safe in the knowledge that leaving the property unfurnished is unlikely to inhibit their chances of securing a tenant.

Surely letting out is not suitable for everyone?

No, of course not, and it’s mainly down to personality. Some individuals simply cannot accept the thought of ‘someone else’ in their former home,

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when they still effectively own the property. We know of people who’ve moved house within the same town or urban area who constantly make excuses (e.g. taking the dog on long walks) to check up on how the tenants are treating a house they still consider ‘theirs’. Clearly, the further your new home is from the one you’ve just let out, the easier the rental situation is to accept.

So can you sum up the overall advantages of letting out rather than selling up?

Letting out should make it possible for the departing owner to secure enough in rental income to cover the mortgage on the unsold property, although some ‘temporary landlords’ have done better and actually secured a net monthly surplus.

More recently, some investment landlords have taken the view that now is a good time to sell but their buyers, in the main, have been owneroccupiers, thus reducing the stock of rental properties (and subsequently making higher rents likely)..

Basically the process is low risk/high reward - the latter being that someone else pays for the upkeep of your former residence until the time is ripe to capitalise on its true capital value.

However some home-owners who were initially reluctant to let to tenants have continued on the landlord path for longer than anticipate because they have come to realise the investment value of their former homes.

For more information: www.djalexander.co.uk

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

Tim Visser and Greig Laidlaw

Scottish Rugby and Peter Vardy are a winning combination Winning teams work well together and the partnership between Scottish Rugby and the Peter Vardy automotive retailing group has kicked off dramatically this year with a series of excellent results.

Not only has one of the most exciting names in the motor retail industry joined Scottish Rugby on its journey to the 2014 Autumn Tests and beyond, the benefits of the alliance have been felt in communities across Scotland.

The Scotland team kicks off the viagogo Autumn Test series on Saturday, November 8 with a game against Argentina, followed by New Zealand on November 15.

Both fixtures will be played at BT Murrayfield before moving to Rugby Park, Kilmarnock for the Tonga game on Saturday, November 22.

Then there will be all the glamour, tension and crowd-pleasing action when the RBS 6 Nations gets into gear in the spring.

Dale Smith, Marketing Director of Peter Vardy, said “We’re delighted to have partnered with Scottish Rugby as the sport touches all corners and communities of Scotland. With dealerships across the country this means we can involve our branches and the communities which surround them in the sponsorship action as well.

“A major part of our business is the

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Peter Vardy Foundation, which acts as a means of distributing 10 per cent of our annual profits to worthwhile causes in the communities where we operate, and the partnership means we can involve Scottish Rugby in that too.”

The Peter Vardy Group operates six Vauxhall dealerships in Aberdeen, Perth, Kirkcaldy, Edinburgh, Motherwell and Dalgety Bay, Fife, and five prestige dealerships selling Jaguar, Land Rover, Porsche, BMW or MINI vehicles as well as Scotland’s biggest indoor used car showroom, CarStore, at Hillington, Glasgow.

It is currently one of Scotland’s most successful motor retailers, with consistently high customer satisfaction ratings and a history of regularly recording industry-leading key performance indicators within the UK retail motor trade.

The Peter Vardy partnership with Scottish Rugby was brought into being at the start of this year when the firm became the organisation’s new vehicle partner in a groundbreaking three-year deal.

Colleagues from Peter Vardy launched the new venture at Murrayfield with members of the Scotland national team and Scottish Rugby’s Director of Commercial Operations, Communications and Public Affairs, Dominic McKay.

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Scott Carruthers, an NFU Mutual insurance agent from Dalkeith and a dedicated Scotland Rugby fan, scored a cracker in March this year when he won the Peter Vardy half-time kicking competition at the RBS 6 Nations Scotland v France game at BT Murrayfield.

By converting his kick from the 22 metre spot in front of thousands of fellow fans and answering the killer question correctly, Scott won the right to drive Vauxhall’s exciting new convertible, the Cascada, for a year.

The competition, in which three Rugby fans competed to convert the place-kick, was one of the first benefits of Peter Vardy’s three-year partnership deal with Scottish Rugby.

Scott said: “It’s nerve-wracking to run up for the kick in front of so many thousands of people but I was able to focus my concentration solely on getting the ball between the sticks and was delighted to win this fantastic car for a year.”

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

“We are very excited to have had such a good year with Scottish Rugby so far and we are looking forward to many more fun days on and off the pitch”

The Scottish Rugby tie-up with Peter Vardy helped provide inspiration to the Caledonian Crushers, Scotland’s leading wheelchair rugby team, in August this year by organising three members of the country’s national rugby side to attend a recent Crushers training session in Glasgow.

“The idea was to provide them with some tactical advice,” said Scotland Rugby international Pat MacArthur.

“But instead, we learned more than a thing or two about the special nuances of the game from the Crushers.”

Peter Vardy’s sponsorship of Scottish Rugby includes the provision of vehicles to help its coaches develop young players and assist the growth of the game at club and school level across Scotland.

Peter Vardy, CEO, said: “We have all seen the benefits that sport brings to communities throughout the country and we know also that wheelchair based sports like wheelchair rugby can be fast and exciting.”

Paul Black, the Caledonian Crushers Coach, said: “Our aim is to get as many people as possible involved with wheelchair rugby in Scotland.

Playing wheelchair rugby can improve strength and fitness which can also carry over into everyday life, making activities like transfers and wheelchair skills easier.

“As the only club in Scotland, the Caledonian Crushers currently has players from all over Central Scotland including Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Perth, Alloa, Edinburgh and Galashiels.

Training takes place every Tuesday evening from 7pm to 9pm at the Commonwealth Arena.”

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McKay said: “We were delighted to have Peter Vardy Limited join our family of blue chip sponsors, which includes RBS, Macron and BT, among others.

“Peter Vardy Limited is a growing business synonymous with success in Scotland. It is clear that the partnership is working well and we look forward to a continuing and mutually beneficial relationship.

“Our commercial activity has grown significantly in recent years and the strength of our brand globally and nationally is an important factor in sponsors joining our family.”

As part of the relationship, Peter Vardy Ltd is providing Scottish Rugby with a fleet of Vauxhall vehicles. The cars will predominantly be used by coaching staff to assist in the development and growth of the game at club and school level across Scotland, from the Highlands and Islands all the way down to the Borders.

The alliance started in style at this year’s RBS 6 Nations Championship match against England, where a selection of vehicles was put on display in BT Murrayfield’s periphery.

The array of cars, which included Land Rover, Jaguar, BMW, MINI and Vauxhall models, has now become a permanent and greatly appreciated fixture on international match days.

Furthermore, Peter Vardy Ltd is running a kicking competition during the half time break at the New Zealand game on Saturday, November 15. Fans will be given the opportunity to win a brand new car for a year.

Dale Smith said: “We are also looking forward to taking a display of cars to the Scotland v Tonga match at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock, which is not an area in which we have really had much involvement so far.”

Mr Smith explained that the Peter Vardy Charitable Fund, which is part of the Peter Vardy Foundation) has helped organisations as diverse as Children in Need, Bethany Christian Trust, Edinburgh Sick Kids, Scottish Autism and the Shoe Box Appeal.

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He said: “All our colleagues are given the opportunity to engage in giving back through working with our charity partners in our local communities.

They become involved in fun days, cake sales, abseiling, fancy dress, sleeping rough, living on £1 a day, and a whole lot more.

“I would say to rugby fans and to Peter Vardy customers that next time you’re in your local dealership, speak to your Community Champion to find out what’s happening. They will help you keep up-to-date with what’s on in your community.”

Peter Vardy, Chief Executive of the company, said: “We are very excited to have had such a good year with Scottish Rugby so far and we are looking forward to many more fun days on and off the pitch.

“We are a young Scottish business, so for us this is a fantastic opportunity to drive our business further and support Scotland’s national rugby team and Scottish Rugby staff throughout the country.

“One of Scottish Rugby’s values is community engagement, which is at the core of our business. Scottish Rugby’s hard work in ensuring that rugby is a sport for all the family both on and off the pitch was something that attracted us to the partnership.

“Just like Scottish Rugby, we want to grow our business and this partnership gives us an opportunity to do that together. The partnership will create a sports marketing platform which I am sure will be mutually beneficial to both organisations.

“We very much look forward to working together over the next three years.”

For more information: Contact the Peter Vardy Head Office, The Wright Business Centre, 1 Lonmay Road, Queenslie, Glasgow, G33 4EL Tel: 0844 482 5566 Fax: 0141 773 6238 www.petervardy.com

ISSUE 65 - NOVEMBER 2014

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Uruguay snatch final RWC 2015 place

Uruguay will compete at their third Rugby World Cup, and first since 2003, after they overcame Russia in the second leg of their play-off in Montevideo on October 11 to grab the last spot at next year’s tournament.

Pablo Lemoine, who won 49 caps for Los Teros up until 2010, will lead the South Americans as Head Coach at the 2015 competition, having

overseen a 36-27 victory which in turn wrapped up a narrow 57-49 aggregate triumph. Lemoine has an interesting history in the World Cup, having famously scored a try for his country 12 years ago against England; unfortunately he was part of a team that lost 111-13.

Talisman Felipe Berchesi contributed 21 points with the boot for Uruguay to add to their three tries in a game where visitors Russia were within a converted try of qualification with only three minutes left on the clock.

Uruguay have impressed at both tournaments they have previously qualified for, beating Spain in the 1999 instalment and Georgia in 2003.

A similar outcome in 2015 would represent a huge achievement for a

side ranked 19th in the world.

Although thin on the ground in terms of household names, they have a few squad members with a fair amount of experience playing at a good level; second-row Rodrigo Capo Ortega has been at Castres for over a decade and scum-half Agustin Ormaechea plies his trade with Mont de Marsan in the second tier of French rugby.

The light blues will certainly have their work cut out in England in less than a year’s time, drawn as they are in an almighty group alongside the hosts, two-time winners Australia and perpetual 6 Nations contenders Wales.

Pacific Island entertainers Fiji will also compete in Pool A and will realistically be the win that Uruguay will target from their four fixtures.

Scotland’s RWC 2015 opponents Autumn International Fixtures JAPAN Romania (15/11) Georgia (23/11) USA New Zealand (1/11) Romania (8/11) Tonga (15/11) Fiji (21/11) SOUTH AFRICA Ireland (8/11) England (15/11) Italy (22/11) Wales (29/11)

Autumn Internationals 2014 With less than a year to go until Pool B gets underway at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, the Autumn Internationals mark the beginning of the end in terms of tournament preparation.

For the Northern Hemisphere heavyweights, RBS 6 Nations and a few final warm-up matches will be the

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SAMOA Italy (8/11) Canada (14/11) England (22/11)

final stage of readying themselves for the biggest competition in the world; likewise those countries South of the equator will have their own Rugby Championship as their last knockings of planning for the big one in England and Wales next September and October. The SCRUM has had a look at the November fixtures facing

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Scotland’s RWC 2015 opponents.

So look out for Scotland’s competitors’ results on November 8 when we face Argentina, the following week when New Zealand come to BT Murrayfield, and November 22, when Tonga will be the opponents at Rugby Park in Kilmarnock.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

HSBC World Sevens Series standings after one round FIJI 22 points SAMOA 19 points

HSBC WORLD SEVENS SERIES UNDERWAY IN AUSTRALIA

ENGLAND 17 points SOUTH AFRICA 15 points ---------SCOTLAND 5 points

Damien Hoyland made his Scotland Sevens debut in Australia

The biggest shock of the first leg of the HSBC World Sevens Series was that perennial contenders and multiple winners New Zealand were nowhere to be seen, even in the semi-finals of the event on Australia’s Gold Coast.

Matches took place on October 11 and 12 at the 2018 Commonwealth Games host city and Scotland found themselves without the luck of the draw after being grouped with the hosts Australia, Pacific Island specialists Fiji and Portugal.

A tough opening day saw Calum MacRae’s squad go down 40-7 against the Fijians, 24-14 versus Australia, before scrambling a 21-21 draw with the Portuguese, despite leading by two scores in the last minute.

It was a series of results that put Scotland into the quarter-finals of the Bowl

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tournament, where they beat American Samoa 24-12 before losing 26-0 to France to wrap up a frustrating first World Series competition of the campaign.

The cup was won by Fiji in the end, scraping a 31-24 victory over Samoa in an enthralling contest, while New Zealand, USA and Canada lifted the Plate, Bowl and Shield titles respectively.

On a positive note for the Scots, debuts were handed to exciting prospects Nyle Godsmark and Damien Hoyland, who both enjoyed some game time and no doubt the experience Down Under.

Next up on the sevens calendar is a trip to Dubai at the beginning of December, where both Scotland and the All Blacks will be seeking to improve their points total from Australia for differing reasons.

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ISSUE 65 - NOVEMBER 2014

AUTUMN TESTS

SCOTLAND PRIMED FOR TRIO OF VIAGOGO TEST MATCHES International rugby returns this November as Scotland face three formidable opponents in Argentina, New Zealand and Tonga.

The viagogo Autumn Test series will see Vern Cotter take charge for the first time on home soil as he looks to build on a positive start which saw the team win three out of four matches on their summer tour. With the likes of Mark Bennett looking to win his first cap and Scotland’s second most capped player Sean Lamont hoping to add to his tally of 88 caps, the squad has an exciting balance of youth and experience; unfortunately, 24-year-old Edinburgh lock Grant Gilchrist will not make his bow as captain after leading Scotland twice over the summer after sustaining a broken arm whilst on Edinburgh duty.

When Scotland play it is always a special occasion, especially the viagogo Autumn Test matches which always generate a fantastic atmosphere. The rugby is fast and furious, and supporters from around the country come together to support the team as one! With plenty of entertainment on and off the pitch, it provides the perfect day out for family and friends to enjoy top class rugby in a friendly, safe environment.

First up this November are the abrasive Argentinians who will be keen to avenge their recent summer

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defeat to Scotland (19-21). Los Pumas have been performing well of late recently beating Australia in Mendoza to record their first ever victory in the Rugby Championship at the 18th attempt. Boasting world class talent in the shape of Juan Martín Hernández and rising star Joaquin Tuculet, Scotland will have to be at their very best to come out on top. With games between these two sides frequently going down to the wire, this opening game promises to be an absolute cracker.

Next up at BT Murrayfield are New Zealand. The All Blacks need no introduction - they are the best team in the world, rightfully ranked number one and are current world champions.

Having recently retained their Rugby Championship title, New Zealand have named a star-studded touring party that sees both Dan Carter and Sonny Bill Williams return to the squad. Scotland have never beaten New Zealand despite some close encounters over the years. Let’s hope their famous Haka can inspire the Scots to record a famous victory at BT Murrayfield come November 15.

For the last match of the series Scotland will travel to Rugby Park in Kilmarnock to host Tonga on Saturday November 22 in what promises to be a fiery encounter. The proud Tongans

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are renowned for their physicality, and recorded a famous victory over Scotland two years ago in Aberdeen.

Vern Cotter will be keen to rectify this and put on an impressive showing for the Ayrshire crowd. The Scots will undoubtedly look to exploit the fast 4G surface at Rugby Park and release some of their devastating wide players such as British & Irish Lion Stuart Hogg and try scoring machine Tim Visser.

With both teams looking to bow out of the November test series on a high, this match is destined to be an explosive affair.

It is important that all youngsters get the chance to experience international sport, and so to celebrate international rugby coming to Ayrshire for the first time, Scottish Rugby are pleased to announce that for the match v Tonga under-12s go FREE*!! Why not take advantage of this outstanding family-friendly offer and come along to Rugby Park to support the boys in blue!

As always, there are a number of benefits to supporting Scotland and this season we are delighted to extend two amazing offers to our supporters: Club Commission: If you are a member of a rugby club, you can earn your club a commission (up to 25%) on Scotland’s home matches this season in the viagogo Autumn Tests and RBS 6 Nations. Club tickets are available to buy using an application form that has been distributed to all clubs, using your assigned Club URL. Group offer: Bringing a children’s group to watch Scotland is the easiest, cheapest and most enjoyable way to watch thrilling rugby in a friendly, safe environment. Tickets for under-18s start from as little as £5 per match, with a minimum group size of ten (eight children and two adults). What’s more, to thank and reward adult organisers for their time and effort, the first two tickets for chaperones are absolutely FREE. Tickets are on sale now, so visit scottishrugby.org for detailed information on prices and packages available this season *Up to two under-12s FREE with every adult Bronze or Silver match ticket purchased.

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AUTUMN TESTS

JAMES AND ED’S ARGENTINEAN PLAYERS TO WATCH THIS NOVEMBER Joaquin Tucelet Marcelo Bosch Tomas Lavanini Matias Alemanno Tomas Cubelli Ramiro Herrera Stuarts: Ed, Tom and James Stuart in Accies’ colours with some young family members

Meet the tartan Pumas Ahead of Scotland’s Autumn Test with Argentina, Gary Heatly chatted to two brothers who have close affiliations with rugby in both countries James Stuart, now 33, still has very fond memories of the time he spent with the Argentinean national squad.

He earned five caps for the Pumas, the first one coming in 2007, and with a mother from Aberdeen, a father whose family moved from North Berwick to Argentina and an uncle Sandy Burnett is a legend down Raeburn Place way he has a real soft spot for Scotland two.

One of four rugby playing brothers - along with Ed, Tom and Charles they were all brought up in Argentina and have all had spells playing fort Edinburgh Accies in recent years.

Having all grown up in San Rafael, a city in the southern region of Mendoza, James became the first of the Stuart clan to have a spell in Scotland’s capital in 1999 after he had progressed from the San Jorge club to the under-18 Mendoza provincial squad as a teenager back home.

During his gap year he enjoyed it at Accies so much that he encouraged his siblings to follow suit and the rest as they say is history.

James, who now lives in Buenos Aires, said: “After my time at Accies I then returned to Buenos Aires and started playing for Club Atlético de San Isidro [CASI]. I then went to Section Palise

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in Pau, France, to play the 2004/5 season after which I came back to Argentina and continued playing for CASI for the rest of my career. I also played for the Buenos Aires provincial selection in 2006-9.

“My first call up for Argentina was a Test match played against Ireland in 2007 in Argentina. I won five caps with Argentina and my international highlight is definitely the two Test matches I played against Scotland for obvious reasons. My family went to watch the match with a Pumas top on and a kilt below!”

Meanwhile, brother Ed, who turned 31 in October, made it to Argentina under-19 level before setting off across to world.

He explained: “I was offered a chance to play rugby in France at Lourdes Rugby Club. I was there for six months before being picked up by the Grenoble Rugby Academy. I stayed there for four seasons, three as a full time pro. After my contract ended I decided to go back to Argentina via Scotland to visit family.

Then my uncle Sandy put me in contact with the Accies to see if I could be tempted to stay and help them gain promotion to the top flight. It was easy to convince me as my brother Tom

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[who is still living here in Edinburgh and playing for the first team at Accies] was at the time living in Edinburgh.

“That was the 2006/2007 season and I met a great bunch of lads at the club and found a job so I stayed on and never went back to live in Argentina.”

Ed is currently still in the Capital in his seventh season at Accies with him and Tom having turned out for the first XV this term.

As for the current Argintina national squad James said: “For the last few years we have had an important generational change with many historic players retiring but also with lots of new talent coming through. I think this is the year in which many of the new young players have consolidated themselves in the team and one can notice the confidence they are showing on the pitch. This has helped progress our game which now tries not only to depend on a solid defence and counterattack but add a more attacking options to our game.

“The Rugby Championship has been a hard and rapid learning curve which has greatly benefitted the Pumas’ game given they now have a yearly competitive tournament, something we have always lacked as a country.”

ISSUE 65 - NOVEMBER 2014

AUTUMN TESTS

Bruce back from NZ after a great experience Melrose back Bruce Colvine reflects with Gary Heatly on a summer spent playing rugby in New Zealand - and alongside Dan Carter Grant and Bruce with Dan Carter

Bruce Colvine, 23, has been in and around the Melrose first team squad for a number of years now and indeed skippered them on numerous occasions as they won the top flight title last term.

club and in the surrounding area. They soon were out on the training pitch and playing matches and one week in the build-up to that week’s match they were given a shock when they were told that they

As a local lad he loves turning out for the men from The Greenyards, but when the opportunity came for him and club team mate Grant Runciman, a back-row, to head out and continue their rugby development in New Zealand it was a chance he jumped at.

So, soon after the Melrose Sevens in April the duo packed their bags and their boots and headed off on the long journey to play for the Southbridge club near Christchurch.

The boys settled in well and, as is the way in New Zealand, they were made to feel very welcome by everyone at the

would be playing in the same team as All Black legend Dan Carter.

You may have excused them for questioning what they had just heard, but as Bruce explained: “Southbridge is Carter’s hometown club and during my time out there he was making his return to action after a six month sabbatical away from the game. He played in two matches for the club and it was just awesome to be on the same pitch as him. As you can imagine he is a local hero so the crowd went up quite a bit for the first game.

“All of the team were buzzing to play alongside him and

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the opposition were excited to play against him so it made them pretty special occasions.

“I was playing full-back rather than scrum-half at the time so did not get to pass the ball back to him that many times, but I just tried to learn as much as I could from him both on and off the pitch.

“He was a really grounded guy and after the second match he stayed behind in the clubhouse and watched an international with us on the TV. It was all a bit surreal, but absolutely brilliant.”

As well as the ‘Dan Carter’ effect, Bruce enjoyed dipping into the rugby culture in New Zealand and seeing how things are done over there.

Everything surrounding rugby is about respect - respect for your club, respect for your team mates, respect for the opposition, respect for the officials and so on- and

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nowhere is this more evident than in New Zealand.

Bruce said: “Playing over there was special. Just like in the Borders everyone works hard at the club to make sure that the teams get out on the pitch and are raring to go.

That culture helps build up a real club spirit and myself and Grant could not have felt more at home.”

Bruce came back from New Zealand a couple of months ago and then had a short spell with Darlington Mowden Park down south while Grant is still at Southbridge.

The first match back for Bruce in Melrose colours was in the Borders derby win over Gala on October 11 and he said: “Although there are a few new faces in the Melrose squad as soon as I was back down to training it felt like I was home and I am looking forward to the rest of the season.”

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TIGERTURF

NOTHING ARTIFICIAL ABOUT A TIGERTURF PITCH

ISSUE 65 - NOVEMBER 2014

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TIGERTURF

When Scotland face Tonga at Rugby Park in Kilmarnock on November 22, their revenge mission for a 21-15 reverse at Pittodrie in 2012 will not only take place at a different stadium, it will be on a completely different surface as well.

In a Tier 1 nation first, Vern Cotter’s men will host the Pacific Islanders on a pitch that has been completely constructed artificially; the surface at BT Murrayfield is of course a hybrid and so the Tonga match represents a step into new realms for top level rugby union.

Robbie Craven, head of Research and Development at TigerTurf, has spent his life involved in the game, from playing regularly to coaching an under-15 side in more recent times and his knowledge of the game and of artificial surfaces lends itself to a vision whereby traditional rugby pitches will be a thing of the past: “You have to look at rugby from the very top Internationals, through the Pro ranks and down to juniors and children, and you can see the benefits of synthetic turf.

“There are various issues throughout the year with pitch quality- just look at how many training sessions across the country are cancelled on a consistent basis because of the harsh winter weather conditions or the fact that their facilities are waterlogged.

“Parents get frustrated at having to pay their fees for children to play rugby and then either seeing them come home every week with muddy and wet clothes or not having been able to train or play in the first place.

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With the obvious benefits of regular training for clubs and schools, Robbie also highlights the fact that coaches can not only plan their sessions well in advance, but they can also work on aspects of the game that can prove tricky on grass: “Say you want to teach kids some key skills- the pitch shouldn’t be dictating what drills you’re working on, be it moves or line outs. In the same way, scrummaging has never been safer as the synthetic pitch is consistent and durable.”

Safety in rugby is always a contentious issue due to its hard hitting nature and the physical demands put on the body from playing, but is there any difference in terms of impact for players due to playing on TigerTurf’s material? Robbie continues: “The pitch is safe. Through the IRB’s stringent Regulation 22, we have been approved and certified for rugby as well as a host of other sports including football, hockey, cricket and athletics.

“There has been biomechanical surface interaction testing constantly and this is ongoing on all pitches every 12 months.”

The TigerTurf surfaces have been designed to take the impacts involved with rugby and allow players to tackle with confidence due to a layer of recycled rubber that absorbs falls and contribute to maintaining the true bounce of the rugby ball.

The footwear needed to play on these types of pitches is often taken as being the same as on grass, but Robbie has an interesting and honest

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train of thought on what is and what is not appropriate: “Moulded studs or screw-ins like you would normally associate with rugby players are absolutely fine. It is when bladed boots are mentioned that I believe we have an issue. Blades react differently and take up a bigger surface area on grass and on synthetic pitches and so we tend to think differently to some companies on their suitability.

“I would say that because there has been no official testing for foot traction or stud slide for bladed boots, not to recommend using them until these tests have been carried out.”

Money is not as readily available in club rugby as it may be in other sports, and so the notion of installing an artificial pitch may seem costly at first glance, but Robbie is sure of the financial long-term investment: “The vast majority of rugby clubs are privately owned and of course money is always tight.

“I’m well aware of how pressurised it is having been involved in the game for so long. But having pitches that are available all the time means that they can be hired out at any point to all manner of organisations and that means opening up the bar more often as well.

“Say a rugby club wanted to change to an artificial pitch, they could rent it out every single night of the week if it wasn’t getting used, to schools and clubs at any level, and get the regular income to pay for the pitch. The wear and tear is extremely minimal on the pitch compared to natural turf and so upkeep is also cost-effective.”

For more information about how your club could benefit from the use of artificial surfaces visit: www.tigerturf.com

ISSUE 65 - NOVEMBER 2014

AUTUMN TESTS

TONGA ikale tahi (sea eagles)

As well as being the first Tier 1 International match played on a synthetic surface, the Scotland versus Tonga match at Kilmarnock’s Rugby Park on November 22 will of course present

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the home side with the opportunity to gain revenge for the time the sides last met at Pittodrie in Aberdeen two years ago.

That day, the Pacific islanders triumphed 21-15, leading to the

almost immediate resignation of Scotland Head Coach Andy Robinson after three years and 35 games in the job. That Robinson had a better winning ratio (43%) than anyone in the job since Ian McGeechan’s heady first stint in the position mattered not when the Tongans secured victory by two tries to nil in front of over 20,000 spectators.

Their meeting with Scotland on the West Coast on the 22nd will be the fourth time the countries have met, with previous other encounters coming in the 1995 World Cup, when Scotland won 41-5 with the aid of tries from Eric Peters and both Gavin and Scott Hastings, and in a 2001 friendly at Murrayfield when the Scots ran out 43-20 winners with tries from James McLaren, Glenn Metcalfe, Roland Reid and Gordon Simpson.

Tonga, who are coached by ex-international Mana Otai and have added World Cup winning coach Jake White as technical advisor for the tour, have beaten Tier 1 opposition of four other occasionsagainst Australia back in 1973, both Italy and France in 1999 and again against the French

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at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand in what is to date their most notable scalp as they narrowly missed out on a Quarter Final berth by virtue of a defeat to Canada earlier in the tournament.

In terms of the Class of 2014, who will also take on Georgia and United States, a 30-man squad has been selected by Otai containing a blend of old heads and inexperienced youngsters who all play in France, England, Japan or New Zealand, save for backs Liueli Simote and David Halaifonua.

Hooker Aleki Lutui, who plays for Gloucester and had a brief stint with Edinburgh, and hooker Elvis Taione of Exeter are probably the two best known names in the touring party, who will be seeking to gain confidence ahead of tackling a daunting 2015 World Cup group in a year’s time.

With all of Tonga’s Pool 3 fixtures taking place in England, they will need to negotiate a path to the Quarter Final from facing New Zealand, Argentina, Namibia and Georgia if they are to stay in the tournament for the knockout stages.

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AUTUMN TESTS

LAIDLAW’S COACHING CAREER CONTINUING APACE Gary Heatly caught up with Clark Laidlaw as he begins an exciting coaching involvement with Samoa Former Scotland Sevens star Clark Laidlaw will be working with Samoa as part of their coaching team for the next year in the lead up to the Rugby World Cup next year.

The 37-year-old will be with them on their European tour in November as a Technical Assistant when they take on Italy, Canada and England.

Clark, who played in two Commonwealth Games and was the Scotland Sevens player of the year in 2006, now lives in New Zealand and is on the coaching team for Super 15 side the Hurricanes.

On the involvement with Samoa he said: “Alama Ieremia [Clark’s former colleague at the Hurricanes] was added to the Samoan rugby staff as Assistant Coach through to the World Cup so he was in charge of helping put the management together. we have worked very well together over the last two seasons and he asked if I was keen to be involved.

The Hurricanes have been great allowing me to get involved and we are teaming up with Tom Coventry the forwards coach from the Chiefs as well as Stephen Betham who is the Head Coach.

“It’s obviously hugely exciting to being involved with the tour and will be a great challenge trying to get our game together in such a short period, as well as the players playing all over the world. Short term we need to get organised so we can compete and play well in November as well as long term put some blocks in place for next year’s World Cup.” Clark and his family moved in 2008 to Taranaki RFU as a Rugby Development Officer.

“Davie Gray who I played with, worked there at the time and he used to email me jobs that came up in the country.

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I really liked the idea of working in rugby in New Zealand as well as living somewhere other than Scotland as a family to see another part of the world.

“I also think I would have ended up in a bit of a comfort zone staying in Scotland and have really enjoyed meeting new people and experiencing all the different challenges that come from living on the other side of the world.”

After performing a number of roles with Taranaki, Clark worked with the All Blacks Sevens as a Skills Coach and Performance Analyst and was the Wellington Sevens Performance Manager in 2013/14.

He was then the Hurricanes Skills Coach in 2013 and since then has been an Assistant Coach.

The former Jed-Forest man said: “Unfortunately with the Hurricanes we have missed the play-offs in the last two seasons, but I have loved working with the team and being involved in some great wins. It is great testing yourselves as a group in some of the best stadiums and against some of the best teams in world rugby.

“As a player, playing for the Borders was a very proud moment for me, I loved playing for the team that I had grown up watching play against teams like the All Blacks and Australia.

Playing in the Commonwealth Games and a Sevens World Cup were also great memories.

“The best players I played with at the Borders were Gary Armstrong and Semo Sititi while I came up against players like Scott Gibbs and Neil Jenkins. In sevens the best player I played with was Mark Lee while I came up against the likes of William Ryder from Fiji and Amasio Valence and Craig De Goldi from New Zealand.”

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CLARK ON… THE BIG SCOTLAND-NZ MATCH ON NOVEMBER 15 “It’s hard for me to say how Vern Cotter will go as I have never seen him coach, but he certainly had very good success in France and has lots of experience in building a quality team. This will take a bit of time and I am sure they will be moving in the right direction, we all know there are some challenges in our playing numbers and strength in depth but if they are at full strength then we have enough good players to put together a strong team and be capable of winning Tests as they showed in the summer.

“The All Blacks are reasonable shape, they have only lost once in around two years. The Autumn tour is always a bit tougher in the fact that the players have been going since January and played some pretty intense rugby, but they have built a quality squad over the last couple of seasons and have a very good mix of experience and younger players that should see them finish the year strongly.”

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AUTUMN TESTS

Scotland Head Coach Jules Maxton (left) was happy with the camp

WOMEN IN FINE FETTLE FOR INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGES Scotland Women got their preparations underway for the new international season by brushing aside an Irish Exiles side 49-0 on the back pitches at BT Murrayfield in convincing fashion on October 19.

Head Coach Jules Maxton said of the three day camp: “It’s been a successful weekend. We’ve achieved what we wanted to achieve which was to give opportunities; the players put themselves out there and proved that they should’ve been selected.

“The Exiles game was a good result.

What was a key thing was to have

possession of the ball and that allowed us to work on our attacking structure.

We’ve worked hard on our set piece.

Our defence as well, we worked hard to shut them down and keep a clean sheet.”

As a precursor to a demanding 2015 RBS 6 Nations campaign which mirrors the men’s team in terms of home games with Wales, Ireland and Italy, plenty of encouragement will have been gleaned from the Irish Exiles match and the camp in general. National Captain Tracy Balmer: “We had a really good couple of days at the camp, there’s been a really

positive focus and it worked really well beacause on the Saturday we had a really good game. We ‘nilled’ Ireland which was a really big plus for us on the defence side. We still had a couple of errors that we need to work on for when we move on towards Italy.”

The 28-player squad featured a mix of youth and experience as Jules attempts to inject some fresh impetus into the national set-up; Heather Lockhart, with 70 caps to her name, was joined by the likes of 18 year-old Abi Evans in a group that will now travel to face Italy in November.

SCOTLAND WOMEN SET FOR TESTING SEVENS SEASON Scotland Women Sevens had their first training session at BT Murrayfield of the current campaign, with the 20-strong squad tasked with returning Scotland to the top table of international sevens rugby after a period outwith the top tier.

Head Coach Scott Forrest was full of hope for his selected few and believes they are in a better position to succeed now than they have been

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in previous seasons: “There are some familiar names in the squad- girls who were involved last season and two years ago- along with quite a few new names.

“This is the fourth season I’ve coached the side and the first time we’ve had training with the girls prior to Christmas. In the past we’ve come together for a matter of weeks for tournaments in June. This will be a

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huge benefit to me and the squad as we can develop the team and work through programmes.”

As mentioned, Scotland’s primary aim on the sevens circuit will be to ensure they stay at the top table come the end of the season, but with the likes of England, Ireland and Holland boasting full-time women’s schedules, any success will prove to have been well planned and well earned.

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PRO NEWS

EDINBURGH Three wins on the bounce to steady the ship

After a most encouraging start to the current campaign, Edinburgh Rugby lost their way a little but appear to have turned the corner through a combination of hard work and perseverance.

A 14-13 win away at Munster on the opening day of the Guinness PRO12 season was quickly lauded but forgotten about in equal time as Alan Solomons’ charges suffered defeats at the hands of Connacht, Ospreys and Ulster, as well as scrambling to draw 20-20 with Scarlets at BT Murrayfield at the end of September.

Injury has beset the Edinburgh squad as well, with key players David Denton, Tim Visser and Matt Scott having missed the majority of the campaign to date; South African No.8 Cornell du Preez suffered an horrendous lower leg injury which is likely to curtail his season and Club Captain Mike Coman continues to suffer what seem consistent setbacks.

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However, the signs are showing that Edinburgh are once again on the rise. A confidence-enhancing home win against NG Dragons on October 11 laid the foundations for a series of encouraging results. Going into the match without a win since travelling to Thomond Park, Edinburgh swept aside their Welsh opponents, with welcome tries for wingers Dougie Fife and the aforementioned Visser adding gloss to the score.

And on the opening weekend of the new European Rugby Challenge Cup, Edinburgh upset the French applecart by beating form side Bordeaux-Begles in the South West of the country 15-13; a penalty try was added to by one from Fife and Tom Heathcote added the extras from the tee. Considering the club’s injury troubles and some relative pressure borne out of frustrating results, the Capital side went on to record a

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significant scalp with a performance that was suitably commended by the Head Coach: “In 37 years of coaching rugby I’ve never seen anything like that. Their spirit and fight was unbelievable. After everything we’ve been through to get here, we thoroughly deserved that win.”

A third successive win in all competitions was the target against a bright Lyon side, who visited BT Murrayfield on October 24th. Despite losing players before and during the game, including new Scotland captain Grant Gilchrist to a broken arm, Edinburgh showed remarkable resilience and attitude to beat the Top 14 side 25-17.

Jack Cuthbert got the game’s only try and Heathcote’s reliable boot garnered the rest of the points for the team who now sit top of their Pool.

With Roddy Grant, Hamish Watson and Sam Beard also succumbing to injuries against Lyon, and Alasdair Dickinson and Dougie Fife pulling out before kick-off, Solomons is not so much having selection dilemmas as trying to get 15 fit men out onto the pitch at any one time.

The coming month witnesses something of a break for those not involved in the Autumn Internationals; a chance for weary limbs to rejuvenate and for injured squad members to continue their rehabilitations. After Scotland finish playing Argentina, New Zealand and Tonga, club action returns to BT Murrayfield on Sunday, November 23, when Cardiff Blues will be the visitors. The Welsh side have similarly endured a tricky start to the season, adding even greater importance a game that Edinburgh will certainly be targeting as winnable as they set their sights on those currently higher up the PRO12 standings.

For more information: www.edinburghrugby.org

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PRO NEWS

Ben Chalmers in his Melrose days, he is now loving life in France

BEN OF BORDEAUX Young Scottish talent Ben Chalmers is living the dream in France Gary Heatly caught up with him about life at Bordeaux-Bègles

With a father, Craig, who had played for Scotland and the British & Irish Lions, an auntie Paula who earned 75 caps for Scotland Women and a brother Sam who was playing the sport it was perhaps not a massive surprise that Ben Chalmers loved rugby from an early age.

Now 19 he recounts: “I started playing rugby at Melrose as soon as I could walk.

I just wanted to do everything my big brother did.”

He went on to play for the Borders at under-16, 17 and 18 level as well as Scotland under-17 before earlier this year being fast-tracked into the Scotland under-20 squad for the RBS 6 Nations.

The stand-off went on to play for the age-grade side against Ireland, England, Italy and France in that tournament and did enough to be selected for the IRB Junior World Championships in New Zealand over the summer.

There he played against South Africa and the host nation and he said: “The experience of playing for the under-20s was a great experience and a big learning curve. To get the quality coaching and being in a professional-type environment

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is what every young player wants and the management staff made it even better with their great attitude.

“The experience of playing in the World Championships in New Zealand is something I’ll never forget and was probably the best four weeks of my rugby life.”

While he was in the Southern Hemisphere Ben started to hear rumours about a professional club and he explained: “During the World Championships I was approached by an agent in France the same one that Andy Cramond [his under-20s colleague now with Toulon] is with - and he gave me an offer with the Bordeaux-Bègles Academy and everything happened pretty quickly, in about 48-hours I had signed.

“Being able to train full-time and do something that has always been my dream meant that it wasn’t a hard decision.

“The first three or four weeks were very hard and I picked up an injury early so it was hard to get over that. It’s all starting to get easier now and there is lots of English speaking players here so it’s not hard to get help and advice from the

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older guys who have been in my situation before.

“The fitness levels of the players out here are very high in all positions. The standard is high at Espoir [under-23] level as four full-time professionals get to play for each team. It’s a back up team to the professional side basically and the standard is good. I am just trying to work as hard as I can and learn every day.”

The best player Ben has ever played against is South Africa’s Handre Pollard “he’s impressive and I don’t think he has many weaknesses”.

“The best player I have played with Is a hard one, probably Damien Hoyland [now a fulltime pro with Edinburgh Rugby] as he was so impressive for Melrose last season and Scotland under-20s and I know how hard he trains and he score tries from nothing.

“For the rest of the season I hope to make Scotland under-20s selection again and to just play some good rugby here in France and see how far I can go.”

Certainly we all wish Ben all the best during his time overseas and, who knows, he may return and make the kind of impact that Mark Bennett has following his time in France.

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PRO NEWS

Clyde Travel Management Whilst the result of October’s trip to Ulster was not favourable, it is fair to say that the many Glasgow supporters who undertook the trip to support the Warriors had a great time nonetheless.

Clyde Travel Management, sponsors and official travel partner of Glasgow Warriors, not only got to ensure the team made it to the Kingspan Stadium, but also had the privilege of playing host to about 50 Warriors supporters.

Very similar to the Dublin trip back in May, Clyde Travel Management offered a coach and ferry itinerary to Belfast with an overnight stay at a 4-star hotel. Such is the popularity of rugby in Ireland/N.Ireland this league game sold over 16000 tickets!

All of the fans were of the same opinion however, that the trip was a great success. Marian Miller commented: “A big thanks to Gayle and to Clyde Travel. We had another great rugby weekend in Ireland.

Everything went smoothly and we were really pleased with all the travel

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arrangements and the standard of the hotel. We had such a laugh and even the sun shone there and back.

The only thing missing was an away win from the Warriors! Once again a great crowd and a big thanks - we look forward to our next trip.”

Warriors fan Don Bradshaw who joined the trip sent a further testimonial which was greatly appreciated but was sadly too long for this print - we can summarise that he sang his heart out and had a great time!!

Brian Potter, MD of Clyde Travel Management stated: “With the success of the Belfast and Dublin itineraries along with great Twitter feedback, Clyde/Alba will continue to offer away game travel when it’s realistic to do so.

For example if the game is on a Friday night or a Sunday night in Wales, we wouldn’t expect big numbers being able to travel.

“A game like Montpelier would be great to go to, but travel there is not particularly easy or cheap.

“The away fixture against Toulouse

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the December 7 is stirring a lot of interest - as we go to print, we are intending to offer a VIP package on the team charter - please refer to the website link on: www.alba-travel.com for updates on this.”

Alba Travel can of course arrange individual bespoke itineraries for any match to suit the fans requirements - individual enquiries can be sent to warriors@clydetravel.com

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FEATURE INTERVIEW

Earlier this year Hugo Southwell’s time in professional rugby came to an end Gary Heatly finds out how the ex-Edinburgh Rugby favourite is getting on

HUGO LO O KS B ACK O N G R E AT CAR E E R 1

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Nine months on from being forced to retire through injury former Scotland full-back Hugo Southwell has days where he wishes he was still out on the pitch, but generally he looks back on his career with a lot of pride.

Now 34, Hugo had to admit defeat in trying to recovery from a hamstring injury whilst he was at Wasps back in February.

Hugo’s sporting story began at Eastbourne College on the south coast of England. While studying there he was more into his cricket than his rugby at first and earned representative honours at the former as a teenager.

In his final couple of years at the school, when into the first XV, he began to focus more on his rugby and when he went to study at the University of the West of England in Bristol.

He recounts: “I really enjoyed my rugby at university and it was a good team to play in. Through some connections that the coach there had I managed to get a trial with Worcester Warriors which was around the same time as I was completing my final exams.

“I loved my season at Worcester in 2002/03 and it was Craig Chalmers [the former Scotland and British & Irish Lions stand-off] who suggested that I move to Edinburgh in time for the 2003/04 season.

“It had all happened so fast and I had gone from student rugby to one of Scotland’s pro teams very quickly, but I was determined to give it my best shot and see what came of things.”

In 2003/04 Hugo made quite an impact in the Edinburgh team, playing quite often on the wing due to the fact that Chris Paterson was at full-back.

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FEATURE INTERVIEW

HUGO ON… SCOTLAND “I look back on my international career with great pride. Nobody can put into words what it is like to sing the national anthem and be part of a close group who are all playing for each other and their country.

“I was lucky enough to play in some great stadiums and go on some great tours while in terms of the guys I played with I made some friends for life. Chris Paterson was also a great guy to play with because he is so humble and unassuming and was the ultimate professional.”

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As a result of his great form Hugo’s whirlwind few years continued when he was named in the Scotland squad to head on tour to Australia and New Zealand in the summer of 2004.

“I was amazed to get the call-up and soon as was heading off on a long trip with a lot of players who I had looked up to for a number of years.

“I played in the midweek match against the Queensland Reds and then, with Robbie Kydd and Tom Philip, suffering injuries I was asked to fly to Wellington to be on the bench against Samoa a few days later.

“I came on in that match and I just remember that the first tackle I ever faced in international rugby left me thinking that I may not last too long!

It was a ferocious tackle, but I loved being out there and playing at that level and it gave me a taste of it.”

Scotland won that match 38-3 with tries from Gordon Ross, Ben Hinshelwood, Ally Hogg, Simon Webster and Mike Blair.

Next up was Australia in the Telstra Dome in Melbourne and with Chris Paterson injured Hugo was given his first start at full-back.

“It doesn’t really get any better. I was pinching myself when the team was read out and to run out in Melbourne in front of such a crowd is something that I will never forget. Their back three was Joe Roff, Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri - quite something to come up against!

“We lost the match 35-15, but it was just great to be involved and after the tour was concluded to head home with caps under my belt was just brilliant.”

For the next seven years Southwell hardly missed a Scotland match and

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he also played for Edinburgh Rugby up until season 2008/09.

He recounts: “I loved my time at Edinburgh and in my final season it was great for us to finish second in the Celtic League. Some of the great European teams we got to play, such as Toulouse, was also a great buzz and we always wanted to punch above our weight.

“In 2009 I was lucky enough to be offered the chance to move to Stade Francais and test myself in French rugby.

The chance was too good to turn down and I thought ‘if I don’t move now will I ever?’ France can be a difficult place for British players to move because of the different culture and such like, but I don’t regret giving it a go.”

Hugo was with Stade until the summer of 2011 when he was released. He also had picked up a knee injury which was going to make it hard for him to be fit in time for that year’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. Hugo and then Scotland Head Coach Andy Robinson agreed by mutual consent that he would not be available for selection and as a result his last Scotland cap had come in a 24-6 defeat to Wales earlier that year.

“It was a tough decision,” Hugo said.

“However, it was one I felt I needed to make to be fair to Andy, the rest of the players and myself. I wanted to prologue my career and by going there not fully fit and perhaps pushing myself it would have been the wrong thing.

“As it happened I managed to agree a deal with Wasps at the end of that summer and I cannot speak highly enough of that club. To play in the English Premiership had always been a dream of mine and I was delighted

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to be named players’ player of the season in 2011/12.”

He was then made Club Captain ahead of the 2012/13 season before a bad hamstring injury during pre-season 2013/14 started his decline.

“We were doing some speed work and I just remember feeling a pop towards the top of my hamstring. I started working hard on my rehab after the initial shock, but it was a bad rupture and experts told me that it would be hard to come back from and even an operation could not guarantee a full recovery. As much as I wanted to keep playing I had to think about my health, my family and my future and so with a heavy heart I called it a day earlier this year.”

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HUGO ON… WHAT HE IS UP TO NOW “I am living in London with my wife and three children and life is good. At some point in the future we may look to move back to Edinburgh where we have a lot of friends, but for now we are happy here.

“I am working as a Business Development Manager for the DX Group [a company offering business delivery solutions and parcel tracking information] and it is something I am enjoying getting my teeth into.

“I am also doing a bit of media work to keep me involved in rugby with Sky Sports and talkSPORT and I am also really interested in that side of things.”

1. Hugo on the attack for Scotland 2. Hugo earned 59 caps for Scotland between 2004 and 2011 3. Hugo celebrating a great moment for his country with Al Strokosch

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CHARITIES & LEGACY

MARIE CURIE CANCER CARE Marie Curie Cancer Care is the leading charity providing care to people with any terminal illness. Throughout Scotland the charity provides end of life and palliative care to people in their own homes or in one of its two Scottish hospices in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

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Last year across the UK, the charity cared for over 39,000 terminally ill people through its hospices and nursing services. A new five year strategy will aim to increase this figure to 50,000.

All Marie Curie services are completely free of charge, so how is this care and support funded and in the years to come, how will it meet its vision of a better life for people and their families living with a terminal illness?

Around 30% of Marie Curie’s funding comes from the NHS through the commissioning of our services, meaning 70% is needed from voluntary donations. Surprisingly, almost a third of this voluntary income is from people leaving a gift in their Will.

Here we talk to Emily Buchanan, Northern Ireland and Scotland Legacy Advisor who explains how the charity is turning to one of its most important funding sources.

Emily explains: “We receive £25 million a year from gifts in Wills, which equates to half of Marie Curie’s nursing care every year. Despite this substantial amount, it’s increasingly difficult to continue to raise this level of support.

Time and again people tell you that talking about making a will is too

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depressing or its tempting fate. It’s also a common misconception that it’s expensive and complicated to do. It can be very hard to change these opinions, which is why charities like Marie Curie are members of Remember a Charity who hold an awareness Week.

Collectively, if we can grow gift in Wills by just 4%, we can raise an extra £1 billion for UK charities. At Marie Curie we also have regional legacy advisors, such as me, to help communicate that leaving a legacy gift is an alternative way to support the charity. For many people who are unable to commit to a regular monthly donation it’s an attractive alternative and a lasting legacy after they’re gone.”

With charities across the UK vying for gifts in Wills, how do you know your gift will make a difference?

Emily explains: “It is an increasingly competitive marketplace as Marie Curie is not the only charity that relies on this kind of support. For many of our supporters, they choose to support Marie Curie as they’ve had direct experience of the care we provide.

We’ve been caring for terminally ill people since 1952 and whether you have had direct experience of our support or not, leaving a legacy gift is

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CHARITIES & LEGACY

www.sporting-heroes.net Bruce Hay won 23 caps for Scotland

Former Scotland and British Lions full-back and wing Bruce Hay was cared for at the Marie Curie Hospice, Edinburgh before his death in 2007, age 57.

His wife Lynda shares what the support from Marie Curie meant to them: “Bruce was in the hospice for six weeks and the staff there couldn’t do enough for him. Our daughter Lyndsey and I had lots of visitors in that time, family and friends dropping in to see us and to keep Bruce up to date on rugby news.

It was an incredibly difficult time but the care Bruce received and the understanding of the staff and volunteers was invaluable.

Afterwards, we volunteered at the hospice, although Lyndsey was just 16 years old - we both wanted to give something back to the hospice and all the other people going through what we had.

“Since then we’ve been involved in supporting different ways to raise money for Marie Curie, such as promoting Gifts in Wills. It’s an easy way for people to remember their favourite charity and a really personal gift.”

Emily Buchanan also wanted to thank Allan Mackay, (Past President at Boroughmuir Rugby Club) for his continued support of Marie Curie and in particular for facilitating this article.

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the best way to ensure incredible work like this can continue. Research shows that given a choice, 63% of people would want to die in the comfort of their own homes, surrounded by loved ones. Every day we’re helping make this possible with your support. You can trust Marie Curie to use your gift wisely - every gift makes a difference.”

So for those of us who haven’t taken that first step yet, how easy is it to make a Will?

“The process can be very simple and a solicitor will be able to discuss your wishes and advise you.”

Emily continues: “Making your Will is a very personal matter and of course family and friends will be your first priority, however any gift you give to Marie Curie will be hugely appreciated. Your solicitor can talk you through what type of gift you may like to leave a charity of your choice.

There’s not a set amount or minimum value - it’s up to you and can be a cash gift or share of an estate.

“In addition, if you’re aged 55 or over the Marie Curie Free Wills Scheme offers the opportunity to make a simple will, for free. The initiative from Marie Curie and HM Connect was very successful last year and this year

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it’s available from November 2014 to March 2015. With law firms signed up across Scotland, the Scheme is designed to match you with a local, fully qualified, HM Connect participating solicitor. They’ll make the process of creating a Will, or updating an existing one, as simple as possible, and at no cost to you. Once you’ve remembered family and friends in your Will, your solicitor will ask you to consider leaving a gift to Marie Curie.”

Emily has these words final of support: “If you believe that everyone should be able to choose where they are cared for at the end of their lives, please leave a gift in your Will to Marie Curie. In years to come, more patients and families are going to depend on our services. Your gift will help ensure that future generations of people with terminal illnesses receive the expert care our nurses provide.

Remembering Marie Curie in your Will is easy to do, and please contact me, with no obligation, for any information you need. Without people like you, our work could not continue.”

For more information: Contact Emily Buchanan on 0131 561 3952 or email emily.buchanan@mariecurie.org.uk

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CHARITIES & LEGACY

GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR CHARITABLE GIVING Stuart Lisgo, Pagan Osborne Associate

Whether it’s buying a copy of the Big Issue, dropping some coins in a tin or getting sponsored for a walk or run, most of us like to do our bit for charity every now and then. But how can we make sure that our donations make a real difference? In order to ensure the greatest impact on the causes that are important to us, it’s worthwhile exploring the different means of regular and tax efficient giving that are available.

According to research, charities lose almost £1 billion annually because so few people make use of the tax incentives available. It may therefore be worth speaking to a charity advisor who can offer advice on the whole range of charitable giving, from selecting charities, setting up foundations or charitable trusts, to making charitable donations tax efficient.

There are four popular ways of giving with help from the taxman: 1. Gift Aid Gift Aid is a scheme that was introduced by the Government in 1990 to enable charities to reclaim tax at the basic rate on donations received from UK taxpayers. Higher rate taxpayers can then claim back higher rate relief on their self-assessment tax return.

To make Gift Aid possible, all you have to do is sign a Gift Aid declaration which is usually available on the charity’s website.

You only need to make one Gift Aid declaration per charity and as long as you remain a taxpayer, the charity can go on reclaiming the tax. With the rate set at 20%, every £1 net donated to charity with Gift Aid is worth £1.25.

2. Payroll giving When you donate to charity through payroll giving - otherwise known as Give As You Earn - your donation is taken directly from your pay or pension before

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it is taxed. Payroll giving differs from Gift Aid because employees who choose to give through the scheme benefit from full income tax relief on their donations, whereas with Gift Aid, it’s the charity that gets tax relief at the basic rate. This means that for every £1 you donate it will only cost you 80p, and if you’re a higher rate tax payer, it will only cost you 60p.

You can support any charity of your choice through Give As You Earn and can contribute to more than one if you want to.

3. Leave a Legacy Three quarters of people in the UK give to charity during their lifetime, but only 6% leave a legacy in their Will. This small percentage of people, however, is responsible for £2 billion of funding every year and provides a vital backbone for the country’s charities.

You can leave either a pecuniary - or financial - legacy, a specific gift (an item such as jewellery or stocks or shares) or a residuary gift - the remains of your estate after debts, expenses and other specific or pecuniary legacies have been paid.

Should you leave something to charity in this manner you can also give instructions for how it should be used. Legacies to charities and community amateur sports clubs are exempt from Inheritance Tax. Additionally, if you choose to leave 10% of your net estate to a charity, you can also benefit from a reduced rate of Inheritance Tax of 36% instead of the normal 40%.

4. Setting up a Charitable Trust or Foundation Establishing a Charitable Trust is an excellent way of supporting your favourite causes. Prudent investment of the capital within the Trust should allow both it and the income it produces to grow over time: you are then able to distribute increasing levels of income annually to your nominated cause or causes.

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To set up a Trust you need to decide how much you want to donate to start your fund and what causes are to benefit. You can start your fund with cash or shares, or even money left to you in a Will, and you can add to the Trust at any time. You also need to decide who you would like to appoint as Trustees to make decisions about the management of the Trust.

You can decide what to call the Trust.

Within reason you can call it anything you want (subject to the approval of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, OSCR), but the majority of people name it after themselves or a relative, or even a pet if the Trust is intended for an animal cause.

Alternatively you may wish to remain anonymous and call the Trust something less personal.

You can arrange to set the Trust up during your lifetime, or following your death in your Will. The former option is usually more appealing as then you will know for certain that the Trust has received charitable status from OSCR and you can see for yourself how your money is helping.

Key Facts on Giving Tax Efficiently • To be eligible for the Gift Aid Scheme you must be a UK taxpayer • The charity can only reclaim the basic rate of tax if you have paid enough tax in the tax year to cover the amount reclaimed on your gifts • There are no minimum or maximum amounts you can donate to charity through the payroll giving scheme within your actual pay entitlement • All charitable donations made through a Will are free from Inheritance Tax • If 10% of your net estate is left to a charity in your Will, your beneficiaries will have a reduced rate of IHT of 36% For more information on charitable giving and Trusts, contact Stuart on slisgo@pagan.co.uk or on 0131 624 6834

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CHARITIES & LEGACY

Carbon Financial

Rugby legends Chris Paterson and Andy Nicol recently visited a sunny Perthshire Rugby Football Club to support the thriving mini rugby section and provide the coaches with some coaching tips. The day was arranged by Carbon Financial Partners who successfully bid for the lot, generously donated by Chris and Andy.

Not only did Chris and Andy share some of their knowledge with the groups but they joined in, playing touch with the P6 and P7 groups.

Their will to win was still as strong as ever and the club was grateful for the fact that they had recently installed a defibrillator!

A short break for rehydration and it was time for the family barbeque and a rolling photo shoot and autograph signing which lasted all of lunchtime.

Players and mums were desperate to have ‘selfies’ taken with the rugby icons. One excited mum was heard to shriek ‘ look at me…I’m wi’ Andy fae the tele!’ Chris and Andy accepted every autograph request and never tired of posing for photos.

Allan Brown, the newly appointed Chief Executive of PRFC, said: “We were extremely grateful to Chris Paterson and Andy Nicol taking time

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out of their busy schedules to visit Perthshire Rugby and spend a day at the club.

“It was great to see them at the club and coaching rugby at the grass roots level. The players, club and community get so much from these sort of events and we are especially appreciative that the guys became part of the club for the day.

“Our club has progressed in recent years and numbers within the minis section have grown steadily year on year.

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“We started ‘The Eaglets’ from P1-3 around five years ago and we now have 70-100 P1-7 players on the Inch every Sunday morning. This is growing steadily and everyone, boys and girls, are welcome to try rugby any Sunday morning.

“This is testament to the excellent work put in by all the volunteers, coaches and the development team.

In general our membership numbers throughout the club have increased significantly over the past few years.

This is down to various reasons but the hard work put in by every volunteer in the club to ensure that the players are getting the best coaching and having as enjoyment as possible is definitely paying off.

“We have a lot of exciting things happening at Perthshire Rugby, with great new initiatives - such as long term player development, strength and conditioning and coaching pathway programmes all being rolled out.

“Perthshire Rugby is an excellent club to be part of as it has so many benefits for all involved - and the wider community. We are really proud of what we are achieving here. Everything is designed to make the club sustainable both on the playing and financial front for many years to come.

For more information: www.carbonfinancial.co.uk

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CHARITIES & LEGACY Last year’s Long Lunch

LONG LUNCH 2014 PREVIEW The 2014 Bill McLaren Foundation Long Lunch will be held on November 14 at the stunning Prestonfield House Hotel and, unsurprisingly, the event is booked out to capacity because of what the Voice of Rugby meant to so many within the rugby world.

The annual function takes place a day before Scotland host the mighty All Blacks at BT Murrayfield as they attempt to take international rugby’s biggest scalp for the first time in the history of the sport, and it is fitting that in attendance at the Long Lunch will be former New Zealand Captain Sean Fitzpatrick.

A real heavyweight name in rugby parlance, Sean will also be present at the Black and Blue dinner the day before up in Aberdeen’s Ardoe House Hotel and has shown his respect for Bill and commitment to his legacy by offering to speak at both dates.

Sean will be joined at the Long Lunch by former Scotland Captain Rob Wainwright and the pair will be introduced by ex-Scotland scrum-half and captain Rory Lawson, who is of course Bill’s grandson.

A fairly recent retiree, Rory has been able to lend more time to the Foundation and said of this

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year’s event: “To have someone like Sean Fitzpatrick supporting our November events in Aberdeen and Edinburgh it absolutely fantastic for the Foundation. He is a legend of the game and I suppose his willingness to be involved encapsulates the global coverage that Papa’s commentaries spanned. I love hearing stories of famous rugby players waking up in the early hours to watch 5/6 Nations games so that they could listen to Papa call a game.

To have Sean in Scotland is fantastic and we are all really looking forward to it.”

That Sean is so keen to help the Foundation continue its stellar work reveals the respect afforded to Bill, and demonstrates that rugby can long outlast confrontations on the pitch, as Rory says: “Rugby is the ultimate team game. You cannot be successful without the help of your team mates. This sets it apart from many other team sports as the physical and mental battles are shared throughout the team in games and carry into life off the field. Another one of the key values in rugby is respect. You scrap for every inch during the game but on the final whistle there are respectful handshakes shared with your

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opposition. These experiences and friendships carry off field and into life outside of rugby.”

The Foundation keeps going from strength to strength and Rory is enjoying being a part of it: “I have quite a lot on just now but I do love being involved where possible with the Foundation. I am hugely proud of Mum and Dad and the work they have done in establishing and growing the Foundation and the team they have built. The events are growing year on year and to see the money being re-invested into developing the game of rugby and grassroots sport is really great. I think Papa would be really proud.”

And what of his new role as a public speaker? It seems there are similarities between that job and Rory’s role on the pitch: “It’s obviously all quite new to me and these things take time. I guess it’s a little bit like the processes i went through while playing... If you know you’ve done the work before the event, it’s normally fine. The first few words (like the first plays when on the pitch) in front of large crowds are always a little nervy but it doesn’t take long to settle into things. I’ve not had too many howlers yet so will look to keep that up!”

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CHARITIES & LEGACY

BILL MCL A R E N F O U NDAT I O N

VOICE OF RUGBY DINNER We are delighted to be back at Prestonfield House Hotel again for our annual Voice of Rugby Dinner on the weekend of the Scotland v Wales international.

Last year’s event was hugely successful and raised just over £50,000 for our Foundation - and we’re working hard to make this dinner just as memorable.

We have an excellent line-up of guest speakers for the night and are planning a number of surprises in keeping with last year’s format. Our MC is Dougie Donnelly, who worked together with Bill McLaren for the BBC over several years and developed a terrific working relationship and a warm friendship with the great man.

Special guest Gareth Edwards has been described by many as the greatest rugby player of all time. He was a supreme athlete and most of us will remember the “best try ever” against the All Blacks for the Barbarians in 1973. He won 53 consecutive caps for Wales with three Grand Slams and seven championships and was in two Lions winning tours in

Gareth Edwards

1971 to New Zealand and in 1974 to South Africa. Gareth worked with Bill for many years in commentary and was also a successful team captain in a Question of Sport as well as a successful businessman.

Andy Irvine will pay a special tribute to Bill McLaren. Andy was one of Bill’s favourite

players for his swashbuckling style of running from deep and for creating so many exciting moments which Bill was lucky enough to cover in broadcast. Andy won 51 Scottish caps and eight caps for the British Lions touring in 1974, 1977 and 1980. He was not only one of Scotland’s greatest players but has contributed substantially as an administrator in the game as well as being the successful British and Irish Lions tour manager last year with their fifth overseas tour series victory. He and Bill also worked together with the BBC in commentary including the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa which they covered on radio and he was a member of Bill’s World XV as was Gareth Edwards.

It is 25 years since the 1990 Grand Slam and we are hoping to have some of the “Greats” along to our dinner as well as some surprise musical entertainment and some special guests. We look forward to welcoming you on Friday, February 13 for what promises to be a wonderful evening of fun and good company.

THE ITALIAN JOB BT MURRAYFIE L D, PR E S I D E NT ’ S S U I T E FRIDAY, FE BR UA RY 27, 20 15 We are delighted to announce our partnership with Boroughmuir Rugby and Sports Club for a Long Lunch on the eve of the Scotland v Italy game.

Aimed at celebrating Italian and Scottish connections and the fantastic game of Rugby, guests are invited to join us for a delicious lunch and fantastic afternoon of entertainment.

We will be joined by rugby legend David Campese (‘Campo’), who’s brilliance during some of Australian rugby’s most vital moments have often led him to be

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called one of the greatest rugby wingers in the history of the game. Campese was capped by the Wallabies 101 times, held the world record at the time with 64 tries tries in Test matches and was voted player of the tournament at the 1991 Rugby World Cup after scoring nine tries in tests that season and six in the tournament.

Our other key note speaker and great supporter of the Bill McLaren Foundation will be Scott Glynn. Steeped in rugby from an early age and attracted to the game

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by his pace and charm, Scott has been involved with Ross High for many years having started out at Preston Lodge as a youngster. Both Scott and David are larger than life characters renowned for their wit and charm and having worked together many times before, we are assured of an absolutely great afternoon!

With more special guests still to be announced, please join us for an afternoon filled with funny tales of everyday life and rugby.

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CHARITIES & LEGACY

WOODEN S PO O N U PDAT E

ARCTIC RUGBY CHALLENGE 2015

Phillips, Vickery and Stimpson promoting Wooden Spoon’s latest adventure

Former international rugby star Ollie Phillips is joining rugby veterans Tim Stimpson and Pat Sanderson in a squad which is bidding to set a new Guinness World Record: playing the world’s most northerly rugby match at the 1996 Magnetic North Pole.

Phillips, the former England Sevens, Gloucester and Stade Francais winger, is no stranger to big adventures. Since injury forced his retirement, he has completed the gruelling Clipper sailing race around the Atlantic in the Great Britain team.

Speaking about the Arctic Rugby Challenge 2015 outside the House of Lords, where he was being introduced to fellow challengers, Ollie said: “This is going to be a really serious challenge. Not only am I going to be playing rugby at the top of the world in temperatures hovering around minus 40 degrees Centigrade, but I am trekking there across the Arctic

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ice, sleeping in a flimsy tent and spending most of my energy staying warm.”

The Arctic Rugby Challenge is Wooden Spoon’s most extreme challenge to date and the squad will be aiming to set a new world record and raise around £500,000 for the projects supported by the charity.

The Arctic Rugby Challenge is sponsored

by LMAX Exchange and Quilter Cheviot are corporate sponsors.

The challenge itself begins in April next year when the team flies to Resolute Bay, one of the most northerly communities in Canada. Ollie Phillips and the rest of the squad will undergo their final Arctic training before embarking on a 100 mile trek across sea ice to the 1996 Magnetic North Pole, playing a full seven-a-side match in conditions which have never been experienced in any rugby match before.

Ex-Lion Tim Stimpson, who will be captain of one of the teams, said: “We could look like the most unlikely of sportsmen,

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wearing our full polar kit underneath our rugby shirts. Trying to pass the ball in thick gloves will make the ball-handling pretty difficult. But it will be a piece of sporting history I would not want to miss.”

Speaking at a reception for Wooden Spoon in the House of Lords, Ollie Phillips said he hoped years of top flight rugby will be a good grounding for the challenge. “Getting to the Pole will need team work. Most of us know from our love of rugby how important that is for success. So at least we have something to draw on if the going gets tough.”

Wooden Spoon’s lead ambassador Phil Vickery was on hand to welcome Ollie and the other challengers to the House of Lords reception. He commented: “It is fantastic to see three former international rugby players committing to raise so much money for Wooden Spoon. This challenge is a terrific example of the spirit of rugby achieving great things for other people.”

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YOUTH & EDUCATION

Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools Cup MAI N EV ENTS D R AWI N G TO E XC I T I N G C L I M AX 1

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November is always a great month in the Scottish Rugby calendar because of the viagogo Autumn Tests, but it also usually sees the top schools tournaments reaching a conclusion too.

Over the last few years the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools competitions have grown in stature and helped produce some great talent for the future.

For example, many of you will remember watching Scotland cap John Barclay starring for Dollar Academy at under-18 level around a decade ago while Scotland stand-off Ruaridh Jackson played for Robert Gordon’s College in the 2005/06 final.

In more recent times Edinburgh Rugby and Scotland Sevens cap Chris Dean led Edinburgh Academy to glory in 2011/12 and last year Ally Miller, now an Edinburgh Rugby EDP, was the victorious George Watson’s College skipper.

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This season the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools under-18 Cup semi-finals will be held on the back pitches of BT Murrayfield as a curtain raiser to Scotland’s Autumn Test match against Argentina on Saturday, November 8 (kick-off 5.30pm) with the finals held on the international pitch later in the month.

At time of going to press George Watson’s College, looking for their third event success on the spin, and 2007/08 winners Merchiston Castle School were already through to the last four with quarter-finals between Strathallan School and Edinburgh Academy and St Aloysius’ College and Stewart’s Melville College were still to be completed.

Whoever gets through it promises to be a great day of semi-final action in-front of a large crowd as many Scotland supporters take the chance to look at stars of the future.

In the under-16 Cup at time of going to press, last year’s winners George Watson’s College were safely through to the semi-finals while there were still three quarter-finals to be decided with 2013/14’s losing finalist St Aloysius’ College amongst those still in the mix.

Of course it is not just all about the Cup events and there are numerous regional events and Shields going on to cater for

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rugby players of all abilities and helping to get as many youngsters involved in the sport as possible. In SCRUM 66 we will have a full review of how things are going.

Keep up to date on all the latest results as they happen via Twitter @SCRUMMAGAZINE and @SchoolsCupRugby For more information: www.brewin.co.uk

3 1. The High School of Dundee and George Heriot’s met on the back pitches in their last four clash in 2013/14 2. George Watson’s College won the under-18 trophy last year 3. The under-18 semis are due to be played on the back pitches at Murrayfield

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YOUTH & EDUCATION

THREE DECADES ON FI R ST EV ER S C OT T I S H S C H O O L S C U P W I NN E R S R E F L E C T The North Berwick HS winning team from 1983/84 Back row: Gordon Wilson, John Mercer, Allistair MacDonald, Andrew Furley, Michael Duggan, Gavin Tait.

Middle row: Andrew Richardson, Jonny Hall, Douglas Paton, Keith Masterton, Andrew Russell.

Front row: Mark Wooton, Neil Edmond, Ben Kellagher, Grant Denholm.

Missing: John Whyte and Bruce Baker.

Back in season 1983/84 the rugby team from North Berwick High School lifted silverware - Gary Heatly spoke to members of that triumphant squad It may be just over 30 years ago now, but the members of the North Berwick High School rugby team that won the first ever Scottish Schools under-18 Cup remember it like it was yesterday.

With this year’s final being played at BT Murrayfield later this month the event has grown amazingly over the years - along with the Plate and Bowl tournaments, under-16 tournaments and girls tournaments - thanks to the desire of Scottish Rugby and sponsors Brewin Dolphin to grow the number of youngsters taking up the sport.

In 1983/84 North Berwick HS actually started off their run to glory fairly slowly.

They beat Dunbar Grammar then lost to Galashiels Academy - whose team included the likes of Gary Parker and Mark Moncrieff. Due to the rules they got another chance and defeated Hawick HS to get into the main draw.

One of the players Grant Denholm said: “We played away to Stranraer HS in the last 16 and beat them fairly convincingly.

Away again to Jordanhill in the quarters we won well again and the semi-final was against Portobello HS who had beaten us earlier in the season.

The game was played at Stoneyhill in Musselburgh and was a very tense affair which we won 16-7. The final was played

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at Stirling County and we beat Marr College 6-0. I missed the final as tore ankle ligaments in a ‘friendly’ against Preston Lodge HS two weeks before.

“It was very strange at the time. When Gala beat us we thought that was it so the rest of the competition just felt like a bit of a bonus and it wasn’t until we got to the semi that it really hit us what was happening. There was a great spirit in the team we had a couple of real jokers in Andrew Russell and John Mercer who never took anything seriously which helped things. The coach was our Welsh PE Teacher Paul Hawker was a complicated character but superb tactically and knew which button to press on all the players.”

Captain Doug Paton recounts: “When we played Stranraer we travelled down the day before and slept on the floor of their school gym. One of the accompanying teachers was female and we had to turn the lights off, to allow her to undress and get into her sleeping bag! Tony Stanger played in the Hawick team.

“The final was very tense because it was such a close game. At full-time, we were so delighted to have won because it really could have gone either way. Not surprisingly the Marr boys were gutted.

The final was played on a bitterly cold and

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windy day at Stirling County, which was disappointing as we had wanted to play the final at Murrayfield.

“It was a few days before Scotland played France to win the first Grand Slam since 1925 and we thought it a good omen that our victory would mean success for Scotland. It did!

“Just before kick-off in the final we walked out onto the pitch, rather than ran, which was six years before David Sole did it in 1990! “it was a fantastic feeling to be the first school to win the cup. We had an excellent team spirit and this was one of our strengths. It taught me that you don’t need superstars in a team to be a winning team.

Of course we had the jokes and banter that you associate with rugby teams, but we knew each other very well and there was great respect among the team.

Another player Keith Masterton added: “It was an unbelievable feeling. We had an incredible team spirit and we have had a bond which has followed us through life as a result of the experience. The main reason for our run to the final and our ultimate victory was our coach - Paul Hawker - who was a young Welsh PE teacher who came to North Berwick High School.

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YOUTH & EDUCATION

“He was the guy who encouraged me to play rugby and he did a truly remarkable job in turning the team around from one which won two or three games a year to Scottish Schools Cup champions within three or four years. His knowledge of the game was unbelievable and so he had us playing like the proverbial well oiled machine. We played a fast, mobile rucking game like the Scotland team of the time and as a back it was a joy to play behind.”

Grant had started playing mini rugby aged seven at North Berwick - “my Dad started the mini section and it was one of the first of its kind in Scotland. It was good to be involved in a club from a very early age”.

He played for North Berwick all my senior career and captioned the club in the 1998/99 season.

After school Doug played for North Berwick and Corstorphine before moving to England to work, where he played for Scunthorpe and then Lymm.

He said: “When I returned to Scotland

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after a number of years, I took up touch rugby and played for the Scotland over-40s team. I played in the 2011 Touch World Cup in Edinburgh and European Championships in England, Italy and Ireland. Touch is great for fitness and fun and is actually quite a physically demanding sport - at least for those with advancing years.”

Keith, who now lives in Australia, said: “I played for North Berwick and then went to play for Edinburgh Accies which was near my flat in Edinburgh. I didn’t really have enough pace and ended playing twos and threes.

“I migrated to Australia in 1990 and played social rugby for Western Districts in Brisbane on a Friday evening - they were a great club and I still have good mates from those days.”

In 2004 the team had a 20 year reunion and had a game against the then school team.

Grant recounts: “A lot of our guys had not picked up a ball since school. We had one

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training session the day before the game and most of the guys were dreading playing. We managed to win a tight game though and it was certainly the old team spirit that got us through. We had a dinner that night and all the old stories came flooding back.

Doug said: “A few of us were determined to have another game at 25 years.

However, this didn’t happen and I think for health & safety reasons that was the correct outcome!”

Keith concluded: “The fantastic postscript to the reunion game was that the school under-15 team went on to win the Scottish Schools Cup the very next year - 21 years after we had done so! Doug and many of the team were guests of honour at the final at Murrayfield. I was in Australia and couldn’t make it but remember talking to the boys on the phone while they were in the tunnel at the national stadium.”

Great memories from the guys and it shows us all that rugby really does give you friends for life.

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YOUTH & EDUCATION

Supersport Westcliffe touring kit

Supersport, suppliers of sports kit to rugby teams up and down the land, are a company with plenty of experience behind them; their Managing Director, Lyndsay Allen, has worked in the textile trade for over 50 years, including serving his textile engineer apprenticeship.

He initially set up business making hats and scarves in his garage and watched the company, LA Sport grow from there.

Then 30 years ago he was offered the chance to purchase Supersport Leisure Shirts, a company that made rugby shirts of any design or pattern, using traditional means. We still have knitting machines in the factory that are used for producing rugby and tug-of-war tops.

Of course, technology has significantly changed since the days of industrial knitting machines and now most of the kit we produce is made using sublimation printing and this has enabled the firm to provide kits for not just rugby teams but football, cricket, hockey, running, shooting, archery and darts. In fact we won’t turn down producing any sport kit, providing we can make a good quality product that we and the customer are happy with the final outcome.

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The benefit of the sublimation is that teams can have their choice of design and can easily change colour, sponsor’s logo or pattern for tours or charity matches.

Jason Hutchison of Supersport said: “I’ve only been with the business for a few months after the previous Financial Controller moved away from the area and I’m really enjoying the experience.

“We have a great workforce that manufactures a great product. One of the first orders I got involved with was to provide a new team kit for an under-14 football team who were only changing their existing kit due to new sponsorship; the one they had been

using for the last two years looked in great condition despite being worn and washed nearly every week of the year and we are going to ensure it is used more by donating it to a charity who are going to give it to a school in Africa.

“Any club customer that wants to reap the benefits of our great kits can choose to open an online shop with us which has two benefits: Firstly, the club members order the kit direct from us and have them sent direct to their door and secondly, the club will receive a club loyalty payment from us for all kit sold that has a club logo on it which provides the club with money to help them with purchasing new equipment or funding tours.”

Newcastle RFC

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Quote discount code Scrum14 if you order kit from us

YOUTH & EDUCATION

Pro Performance Rugby will host their professional development seminar at Edinburgh’s Merchiston Castle School in mid-November as a global company built on strong Scottish foundations supported by Southern Hemisphere Rugby.

The brainchild of Jedburgh-raised Neil Tunnah and Fife-raised Mark Philp, the initiative has been meticulously planned to offer the opportunity for coaches to learn and hone their trade from some of the very best in the business.

In a sport that has always fought against the strength and popularity of others, both on and off the pitch, there now lies a detailed plan of action to ensure that within the rugby fraternity, the quality and breadth of coaching can improve year on year with the aid of Pro Performance Rugby and their esteemed cast of internationally-renowned academics of the sport.

Both Neil and Mark, who came up with the concept in 2012, are convinced by the demand for better coaching across all levels of the game: “There is a market globally for Pro Performance Rugby - our goal is to complement all the governing bodies while offering a different perspective to up-skilling coaches in a bid to add to the formal education each union provides and do this through world class coaches, educators and presenters.

“As the company grows, we would certainly like to be identifying aspiring coaches with great potential and assist them wherever possible in providing them with opportunities globally through our ever-expanding rugby network.”

Having decided to make the move to Australia 5 years ago following a decade of rugby playing and coaching in their native Scotland, The boys found that there were certain facets of the way

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the game was taught in the Southern Hemisphere that could lend themselves to aiding development in other countries, and so Pro Performance Rugby came about: “Giving Scottish coaches different philosophies around skill acquisition, techniques and strategies on and off the field is the main aim of the company.

If a coach has a number of options it will allow them to tailor these to each individual situation and having more ideas in rugby terms is never a bad thing.”

Pro Performance Rugby are embarking on something of a world tour throughout the British Autumn; starting at the beginning of November, they are taking their forums to North America and are hosting training and coaching days in New Jersey, New York and Maryland, before jetting off for Scotland in time to hold their Coach the Coach day in the stunning grounds of Merchiston on the 16th of the month.

The list of names that Pro Performance have got on board to assist them not only shows how popular their message is amongst professionals, but it offers seminar participants a unique opportunity to hear from some of the real authorities of the game.

Former back row forward Jim Williams won 14 caps for Australia up until the turn of the century and went on to assist Robbie Deans as Wallabies coach between 2008 and 2011; former prop forward Ben Darwin won almost 30 caps for Australia until an injury in the 2003 World Cup semi final put paid to his international career; Matt Mustchin

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is an adopted Kiwi who almost made a competitive bow for Scotland whilst playing for Edinburgh six years ago; and Warren Robilliard is an Australian Sports Medal winner for his contribution to rugby, helping to develop the quality of coaching in the Pacific Island countries of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Samoa amongst others.

These experts and others will be in attendance in Edinburgh as Pro Performance Rugby shows its wares to a wider audience in what Neil hopes is the start of a successful long-term period for the business: “Over the next five years, the aim is to deliver our message globally; we will be talking to governing bodies and the IRB about participants gaining varying levels of accreditation for attending our events and seminars.

Growing our coach and presenter stable from rugby, other sports and various professional environments is a key focus as well. This will allow Pro Performance Rugby to keep up-to-date with modern and cutting-edge coaching philosophies.

“Pro Performance Rugby wants to improve the rugby experience for as many players and coaches as possible; providing opportunities for coaches to challenge themselves and grow is, we feel, the best way to achieve.”

It is not too late to apply for tickets to the event at Merchiston Castle on November 16th; please see the advert on the next page for details of how you can take advantage of a fantastic 2 for 1 offer in conjunction with Paladin Sports.

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YOUTH & EDUCATION

PRO PERFORMANCE RUGBY COACHES Here, we have a look at what some of the coaches think about Pro Performance Rugby and how they feel about travelling the world and spreading the company’s ethos

Why did you become involved with Pro Performance Rugby?

Ex-Australia international Ben Darwin: “There is nothing in the PD market quite like it at the moment. It presents a fantastic opportunity for us to have an impact on the growth of the game.

Former Wallabies and Crusaders Analyst Andrew Sullivan: “This is definitely the opportunity to make a difference in the next generation and to give back to grass roots rugby. These coaches are the future of our game and if participants can take at least one idea away, foster it and grow it further, rugby can only be in a better place as the global game grows.

IRB Global Rugby Educator Warren Robilliard: “Pro Performance Rugby provides the latest game and training knowledge from a range of Southern Hemisphere experts to assist developing coaches (and referees). Every facet of the game is covered by the team. The Pro Performance Rugby team want to spread the game to countries that may not have been exposed to ares of the modern game that quickly evolve. We will also be able to provide clarity around Law issues that are often misunderstood or misinterpreted.”

1999 World Cup winner Jim Williams: “I became involved with Pro Performance Rugby initially because of Mark Philp and Neil Tunnah after meeting with them and I previously worked with Mark at the ARU. I was impressed with their vision and think it’s extremely important to grow the game of rugby globally. This company is an excellent vehicle to do that.

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What impact do you think Pro Performance Rugby can have on the development of the game globally?

Ben Darwin: “It’s small steps with everything, but if coaches can come along and learn one or two new things and leave thinking a little differently, that’s the aim from this trip.”

Andrew Sullivan: “The doors will be open, information freely flowing and nothing will be off limits. Sharing knowledge can stimulate the rugby mind and opportunities that may not have been considered before can become a reality. It just takes one idea to make a difference.”

What are you looking forward to most about your trip in 2014?

Ben Darwin: “I love Edinburgh and I love Scottish rugby. David Sole was also a hero of mine growing up.”

Andrew Sullivan: “Rugby is renowned for making lifelong friendships. I have been lucky enough to travel the world many times and meet people I now have the privilege to call friends. Rugby relationships can go beyond a seminar or game of rugby.”

Warren Robilliard: “Pro Performance Rugby can have a massive effect on coaches from all levels. Both individual coaches and teams can gain enormously from the interactions between one country and another.”

Warren Robilliard: “I am looking forward to all of the seminars - to listen and exchange ideas from Americans and Scots. It is also an opportunity to test your own ideas and philosophies about how the game is played in different ways. I will also meet a Scotsman that I played against 42 years ago (as a schoolboy player) and so meeting him again will be a highlight for me.”

Jim Williams: “It can have a significant effect on the game globally by reaching out to areas where the game isn’t well known to generate exposure; by upskilling developing rugby organisations to raise the level of programs and awareness; and by giving coaches at all levels the skills and tools to perform at their best.

Jim Williams: “I am looking forward to the different people that I am going to meet and share my thoughts on the game of rugby and hear other coaches/people’s opinions on the game. As a coach/player you are always learning different ways to think and develop this wonderful game.

To have this opportunity to do that is very exciting.”

“Sharing knowledge can stimulate the rugby mind and opportunities that may not have been considered before can become a reality.

It just takes one idea to make a difference” 52

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FOOD

DRINK

STAY

Authentic Italian cuisine at Locanda de Gusti. Honest, sincere and simple.

The Queens Arms prides itself on being a pub for locals and visitors to Edinburgh alike.

If you’re thinking of a weekend away, try the Parklands Hotel in Perth.

SCRUMlife SCRUM MAGAZINE SPECIAL LIFESTYLE SUPPLEMENT

SCOTTISH CHELTENHAM TRIALS AT MUSSELBURGH FIVE STAR LUXURY AT THE KNIGHT RESIDENCE FREE BEER AT GALVIN BRASSERIE

ISSUE 02

SCRUM LIFE

Welcome

LOCANDA DE GUSTI

Welcome to SCRUM Life 2, where we take a look at various options for eating and accommodation when you’re out and about. From the newly refurbished Queens Arms in Frederick Street in Edinburgh, to the Parklands Hotel in Perth, we have carefully selected some of the most appealing choices in their respective fields for our readers.

Musselburgh Races are always a big attraction when they come around, and we have them featured in the supplement as something to consider attending at the start of next year.

All of the companies within the coming pages are worth bookmarking on your computer as they offer a range of fantastic suggestions for a wide range of social activities!

Stuart MacLennan, Editor stuart@scrummagazine.com

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Honest, sincere and simple Just a short walk from Haymarket station you’ll find a little bit of Naples in Edinburgh. Locanda de Gusti opened its doors earlier this year, adding to the increasingly vibrant dining scene in the area.

Chef-owner Rosario Sartore imports artisan produce from Italy, combining them with prime Scottish ingredients to recreate authentic dishes from his childhood in southern Italy.

The menu changes daily and features fresh fish and seafood. Go for a real Italian experience and choose the tasting menu where Rosario serves dish after dish to be shared by your table for just £25 a head. And rather surprisingly for an Italian restaurant, they serve gluten-free pasta and desserts.

For more information: 0131 346 8800 or www.locandadegusti.com Rosario Sartore

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SCRUM LIFE

If you haven’t tried this new brasserie from London chefs Chris and Jeff Galvin, you’re missing a trick.

Housed on the ground floor of The Caley, it’s Parisian style interiors are spacious enough to host large groups, making it a perfect pit-stop before or after a game - and it’s close to the tram stop on Shandwick place.

Popular with rugby fans, during the Autumn Tests, if you show your ticket they’ll serve you a beer on the house. And there are plenty of tasty menu options too. Go a la carte and choose burgers or steaks from the grill, or opt for their prix fixe menu with two courses at £16.50 or three for £19.50.

Galvin Brasserie de Luxe

For more information: 0131 2228988 or www.galvinbrasseriedeluxe.com

Jeff Galvin, Craig Sandle and Chris Galvin

Dining in a relaxed atmosphere

Exclusive food at Glavin’s

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SCRUM LIFE

If you’re thinking of a weekend away, try the Parklands Hotel in Perth. With 15 individually themed rooms, two restaurants, a lounge bar and beautiful gardens, the hotel offers a stylish haven in the heart of Perth.

Food is at the heart of the offerings from the hotel, with two restaurants serving everything from breakfast, light lunches, bistro dinners and fine-dining evening meals all with a local touch. Their ‘Perth Dining Package’ let’s you try their sister restaurant ‘63 Tay Street’ as well as the on-site restaurant for £185 per person staying for two nights.

If golf is more you’re thing, let the Parklands team arrange everything for you, including a round at nearby Gleneagles.

For more information: 01738 622451 or www.theparklandshotel.com

PARKLANDS HOTEL AND ‘63 TAY STREET’

STAY IN AWARD WINNING, FIVE STAR LUXURY AT THE KNIGHT RESIDENCE If you are looking for serviced apartments that you can call your very own, complete with the luxury of a hotel, The Knight Residence is the natural choice.

Situated near Edinburgh’s iconic Castle, in the heart of Edinburgh’s old town, you will have a choice of one, two and three bedroom apartments.

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It is ideally situated for all of what Edinburgh has to offer, including BT Murrayfield for the big Edinburgh Rugby matches and the RBS 6 Nations.

If you want a memorable stay in Edinburgh for one night or more, the staff will always endeavour to make sure your needs are met.

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SCRUM LIFE

Scottish Cheltenham Trials Sunday February 1, 2015 Musselburgh Racecourse is also known as Edinburgh’s racecourse and can trace its origins back to 1816 when races took place on Leith Sands in the Scottish Capital’s historic port. Nowadays Musselburgh is one of the UK’s most stylish racecourses and is Scotland’s only racetrack with a VisitScotland five star visitor attraction status, and has won a host of racing industry awards.

Located just six miles from Edinburgh, Musselburgh Racecourse has top rate facilities, services and staff. As an award winning, 5 star visitor attraction we’ve geared everything towards providing a great day out at the races. Our customer service, stylish facilities, free parking and excellent transport links provide the perfect excuse for a great day at Musselburgh Racecourse.

Our premier Jump season racemeeting - The Scottish Cheltenham Trials Day has quickly grown into one of the most important jumps fixtures of the entire season. Sunday, February 1 will represent the 11th running of both the Scottish Triumph Hurdle Trial and the Scottish County Hurdle. So far, three horses have used this unique Musselburgh fixture as a launch pad to Cheltenham Festival success just a few weeks later.

This year sees the Scottish County Hurdle upgrade to a Listed Race with prize money of £25,000 to complete the £152,000 prize money on this seven race card. A great day out for racing enthusiasts and novice racegoers alike, come along to Musselburgh to enjoy

the thrill of Jump racing this winter - and don’t worry we have plenty of facilities to keep you warm throughout the day including access to our Cheltenham Marquee, with fully equipped bar and heating. Great group discounts and packages are available online at www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk.

Alternatively, book a table in our exclusive restaurant and enjoy racing from the comfort of your private table and a delicious 3 course meal in the

Epperston Experience package. For more information see our website or call us in the office on 0131 665 2859. It is advisable to book this package early as it does sell-out.

Join us for an exciting afternoon of great quality racing, that it will attract some of the best Jumps horses on their way to the Cheltenham festival and Aintree Grand National.

For more information: www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk

“Our customer service, stylish facilities, free parking and excellent transport links provide the perfect excuse for a great day at Musselburgh Racecourse”

WWW.SCRUMMAGAZINE.COM

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SCRUM LIFE

WELCOME TO THE QUEENS ARMS… A hidden jewel below the cobbles of Frederick Street. The Queens Arms prides itself on being a pub for locals and visitors to Edinburgh alike; Stewart’s Melville’s Nick Kesley and Joni Hare from Boroughmuir certainly enjoyed their evening there on a recent visit. The Queens Arms is everything a comfortable, quality pub should be, steeped in heritage with a passion for quality.

From home cooked seasonal produce from great Scottish suppliers cooked and served with care, to handpicked cask ales from Scotland’s top independent brewers, a cracking range of malt whiskies, wines, bottled beers and draught lagers, teamed with a house cocktail list - we’ve it all covered! The Queens Arms is an unusual mix of socialising whilst relaxing. The after-work crowd enjoy a well earned pint, this might lead into watching sport and grabbing a midweek bite and The Queens Arms know how to enjoy the weekends!

Leather chesterfields whilst reading the papers is always a treat, or please stop by for an intimate and cosy dinner for two in one of our copper table booths, meet for coffee and enjoy free wifi or pop in to watch Champions League football and all other major sporting events.

For more information: www.queensarmsedinburgh.com

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SCRUM LIFE

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ISSUE 65 - NOVEMBER 2014

CLUB NEWS

BT CLUB OF T H E M O N T H

CARRICK RFC

The BT Club of the Month for September was awarded to Carrick RFC after a flying start to the campaign saw them sitting atop BT West One with the help of an interesting initiative, whereby Carrick Academy became the main source of player recruitment, an idea that has benefitted both parties.

Director of Rugby Gordon Brown told The SCRUM: “When I stepped down as coach of Kilmarnock in April 2012, I was approached by Willie Wyllie, the club President at the time, to take over as Head Coach of the club.

“Having restarted the school’s rugby 10 years previously, this was an attractive proposal as it would allow the school and club to work closely together and as the head of both it allowed me to create something I see as unique.”

Gordon is refusing to get carried away in terms of how far he thinks the club can go under their new model: “We are still the new kids on the block having secured promotion last season.

We are taking each game as it comes and keeping our feet on the ground.

However, with the structure we have in place from P1 to club first XV then I believe whatever we achieve can be

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sustainable. We have also benefitted from my old coach John McHarg assisting me over the past two years and from June, Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors and Scotland) becoming our Backs Coach.”

“On Saturday (October 18), 14 of our 19 players were FPs and I would think around 85% of all our players have come through Carrick Academy with some having come through our other local school, Girvan Academy. We have also benefited from the likes of Craig Davidson (DO) and Stephen Raby (Captain and PE teacher) returning to Carrick rugby from spells at Ayr and Stirling County respectively.

Stephen was in my first ever school side and he was a big factor in the re-establishment of rugby at Carrick Academy.”

Both school and club are committed to ensuring that the hard work undertaken in recent times continues and, with that in mind, they have an extensive system in place: “We now have a development team of five full-time coaches. We have Craig Davidson (DO), Yan Young (Assistant DO), Kyle Johnson (Volunteer Coordinator), Marc Nisbet (MA) and

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Ross Ferrol (MA). The club is the official employer of the first three positions however the school rugby through fundraising is still the biggest financial contributor alongside the SRU (School of Rugby), South Ayrshire Council, Carrick RFC and the Volunteer Action Fund. The club supports the sides on a Saturday morning with some coaches, as many are FPs who want to put something back into the system that they benefited from. The training sessions for our sides are mostly delivered within the curriculum, however each side has one after school session each week, which is predominately delivered by our development team and myself.”

As Gordon states, the vision for rugby at Carrick is a clear and well-mapped one; they also run three girls’ sides and are piloting a senior rugby course for pupils in their final year which allows them to receive three periods of rugby on top of their standard two team periods per week.

Congratulations once again to Gordon and all at Carrick RFC on their award for September and good luck to them as the season progresses.

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CLUB NEWS

NEWS FROM THE BORDERS

by Stuart Cameron of ITV Border

Plenty of things going on down here in the Borders. We recently welcomed back to Galashiels the first man from the area to experience what it’s like to beat the All Blacks!

Very few Scots have done it (as part of Lions tours) but Richie Gray, former Gala Captain and Head Coach, is now employed by the South African Springboks to look after the vital contact area of the game, and when the ‘Boks took New Zealand’s two year unbeaten record a couple of months back, the feeling of elation, he tells me, was hard to describe.

There are many who believe that Scotland have missed a trick by not signing Richie up to look after the Scottish national team’s contact requirements. The man lives and breathes the contact area. He is obsessed with the subject and is not known as ‘The Collision King’ for no reason. He invented the machine which has revolutionised this part of the game and has almost two dozen rugby-related inventions in the market place having impressed one of the biggest equipment manufacturers in the world. Put simply, Richie is hot property in world rugby right now. He has served his apprenticeship, got to where he is with sheer hard work, and to top it all, is one of the most genuine and nicest guys in the game.

Kelso have sacked their Coach, Jammy McFarlane, after just eight games in charge, and is the first

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casualty of the rugby season. When hearing the news, his Assistant, Gerry McGuinness, resigned, leaving the club temporarily without a coach as I write this. It’s a bold move by Kelso, who have won just 25% of their games this season, which has put them in a dangerous position in the bottom end of the National League Division 1 table. Jammy was voted “Scottish Coach of the Year” only a few years ago following a remarkable five years in charge of Hawick YM, working with Gerry. Kelso have missed out on success in recent years and it is no surprise that the custodians of the famous Borders club want to bring that back to Poynder Park. The decision will split people - some will agree that they need to be seen to act now, and others will say that more time should have been given for the chemistry to work. Either way, the decision has been made and anyone who takes on a job as head coach of any club knows that they are stepping into an arena where results are key; it’s the only currency that counts and it’s a tough and unforgiving business.

There was plenty of reaction from the Border region when news came through that the IRB had decided to axe Scotland as one of the hosts from the World Series. There are many who feel that Melrose should have been the venue in the first place instead of Murrayfield, and I have to admit I am firmly of that opinion too. It was well

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documented that Melrose was in the running to be the Scottish venue and a feasibility study was done to see if it could happen. All boxes were ticked, including the accommodation issue.

Talking to players of other countries it was clear to me that if they were to play 7s in Scotland, Melrose would be their first choice. Melrose is the trump card which never got played.

Staging it at Murrayfield was a big mistake, and moving it to Scotstoun was another. The sad part for me is that Melrose may now never get a chance to show what it could have done. I am confident that if the right people were given the chance to work their magic on organising it, we would be hailing the Scottish leg of the IRB Series at Melrose even now. The banks of empty seats at Murrayfield and Scotstoun has been embarrassing and not at all what the IRB wanted to see. The Borders is a special area for Sevens. Nowhere else in Scotland is as passionate for it. The gamble made to ignore Melrose and plump for Edinburgh then Glasgow backfired. It could be a very long time before Melrose gets the chance again - if ever. The fall-out from losing the Scotland leg will be interesting to watch. There’s certainly plenty of pressure on Calum MacRae’s squad to do their talking on the pitch and I wish them well because the future of sevens rugby in Scotland could well be decided over the next few months.

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CLUB NEWS

New Hay Lodge Park facility in Peebles

Peebles Rugby Club will be the main beneficiaries of a complete revamping of the town’s Hay Lodge Park, an area around seven times the size of the two rugby pitches situated there. The park is enjoyed by local residents, tourists and community organisations such as the Beltane Festival.

The club’s President, Gordon Brown, described how badly needed the recent refurbishment was: “The pitches were regularly waterlogged and we had found it nigh on impossible to train and play games there for three or four seasons.

The floodlighting was of the home made

variety using old street lamps.”

Although the rugby club, who play their second XV matches at Hay Lodge, are not the sole tenants of the facility, Gordon is happy with the way in which rugby plays its part in the local community: “It’s a large public park on the banks of the Tweed of which the two pitches and our pavilion take up around 15% of the total area and although we are now responsible for the upkeep of the pitches and immediate surrounding area, the Scottish Borders Council retain the final say in letting out the various areas of the park.”

The brainchild of the late Honorary Vice-President Gerard Bony, the project was funded by a mix of SportScotland, Scottish Borders Council, the Peebles Common Good Fund, the Agricultural Society and Peebles RFC, the new Hay Lodge Park is already reaping the rewards of its facelift. Gerard was a Frenchman who arrived in Scotland in 1968 and was a keen supporter of community rugby, serving as joint Treasurer at Peebles as well as holding various other roles.

His legacy was summed up by Gordon: “Parents can now send their kids up to the mini sessions on Sunday mornings without the fear of them returning home with stinking kit due to the stagnant water from the waterlogged pitches. The youth and senior teams now have a first class facility for playing and training on with two floodlit pitches and a first class surface.

We can also help the local High School to fulfil their fixtures when their ground is unplayable and with night games under the floodlights if required.

“And the same applies to the other users mentioned earlier with the new drainage system offering less chance of their events being called off at the last minute due to bad weather, while I would think the general public and the many tourists who use the park will be pleased not to set their travelling rugs down on soggy turf which even in the summer, at times, gave off an unpleasant odour. The town now has a well-drained, well maintained and level grass area which can be enjoyed by all.”

Young sevens star looking to make the grade at London Scottish

Young Scottish prospect Alec Coombes impressed suitably to earn a one-year deal at English Championship club London Scottish and has his sights firmly set on international honours in the immediate future.

The former Millfield School pupil, 18, was a star of their sevens team last year and ended up helping them claim the famed Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens tournament, leading to his Scottish deal.

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Alec was called up to an initial Scotland under-20 camp by Sean Lineen and explained his delight at the news: “I was very pleased to hear that I was selected for the first camp in Edinburgh.

“To represent my country at the under-20 6 Nations would mean that I would have finally achieved what I have been trying to do for my whole childhood. And after so many injury setbacks to be able to hopefully play for Scotland would be a brilliant way of showing that hard work does pay off.”

The Hong Kong-born back has had his ambitions seconded by London Scottish Director of Rugby Mike Friday who said: “Alec turned heads during the sevens season last term and was probably unfortunate not to be picked up by one of the Premiership academies.

“We are the beneficiaries and since Alec joined us on trial during pre-season, he has settled in fantastically well.”

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Alec is aiming to get some minutes under his belt for Scottish this term, and has also recently turned out for a Harlequins ‘B’ team: “To get some first team action at London Scottish would be brilliant.

I hope to get some game time in the British & Irish Cup.” A sevens specialist in his embryonic career to date, Alec is hopeful that his skills can translate into the fifteen man game: “I do really enjoy a bit of sevens. And the ability of attacking with a little more space is a very attractive area of rugby for me. But I’m not sure where I’ll end up at the moment. I guess it is dependent upon my physical development and what aspects of my game improve the most.

“Being at London Scottish with some Old Millfieldians, such as Miles Mantella, is nice as you automatically have something in common with them.”

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CLUB NEWS

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YOUNG COACHES LOV I NG L I F E I N N E W R O L E S

A number of ex-pros have made the transition from player to coach of late - Gary Heatly spoke to three of the most recent converts

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CLUB NEWS

When you are a rugby player making your way in the sport it is understandable that all you think about and all you want to do is play rugby.

As you move up the levels from your school team, to your region, to your club and so on your mind is totally focused on training and the 80 minutes at the weekend.

Coaches on the other hand have to focus on many more aspects before they can get their team out on the pitch.

They have to plan training sessions, liaise with the committee and Physio, keep all of the players happy and select a side that they feel can win a given match.

Playing is on the minds of players most of the time, whereas coaching is on the mind of coaches all of the time. Even when a match finishes on a Saturday they do not switch off from it because they often think ‘could I have done X, Y, Z differently?’ while on a Sunday they will often analyse the match thoroughly.

Some players do not fancy the idea of coaching when they stop playing, but currently in Scotland there seems to be a group of young players who, having retired for varying reasons, are throwing themselves into coaching.

It has been really refreshing to see and if you look at the BT Premiership for example recent full internationalists Ben Cairns and Nikki Walker are now Head Coaches at Currie and Hawick respectively and former Scotland Sevens man Calum Forrester is in charge at Ayr. Steve Lawrie is also Assistant Coach at Heriot’s while others who were playing not long ago like Marcus Di Rollo, Gavin Kerr, Stuart Corsar and Craig Sorbie are involved in BT National League One. 1. Ben Cairns Ben was one of Scotland’s brightest talents and served them and Edinburgh Rugby well until the trajectory of his career was curtailed by a knee injury 2011, which saw him miss the 2011/12 season and, while he made six Edinburgh appearances the following year, injury set-backs ruled out a long-lasting return.

He has returned to Currie, a club where he cut his teeth, and has taken over from the long-serving Ally Donaldson as Head Coach.

He stated: “I’ve really enjoyed my first season as Head Coach so far. It’s been a massive learning curve but the challenges are what make it so enjoyable.

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“One of the big things for me coming from a pro environment was how to best use the three hours or so a week that you have with the players. In saying that I have had massive help from the likes of ‘Greco’ Hogg and Ally Donaldson as well as my Assistants Fergus Pringle and Campbell Reynolds.

There is obviously nothing quite like pulling on the jersey and performing yourself, but since I am unable to play coaching for me really is the next best thing. I still get a similar buzz from match days. The matches themselves are definitely more of an emotional roller coaster than they ever were when playing, but not quite the same physical toll on the body.

“I am definitely someone who enjoys being part of a team and although I am head coach I definitely still feel part of various teams. The club and its members for me are one big team beyond that there is the senior squad and beyond that there is the coaching team.

Everyone has a part to play in growing the club and making it successful.”

2. Calum Forrester At time of going to press Ayr were second in the top flight and Calum, who played backrow for Glasgow Warriors, is learning a lot in the hot seat at Millbrae He said: “So far I have enjoyed the challenges of being Head Coach. The first five games of the season were too close for comfort with there only being one score between the two sides. I found that I was mentally exhausted at the end of each game instead of being physically tired from playing.

“It is a different type of preparation for matches in terms of reviewing the previous match and planning training to make sure that everything is covered for the following week to make sure that the players are as best prepared as they can be, but I still get the same excitement in the lead up to games as I did when I was playing.

“We are happy to be where we are in the league at the moment, but have had a couple of disappointing performances along the way. We have had a number of challenges so far particularly with injuries to key players but it is testament to the quality of the squad that we have at the club that we have managed to get through this period.

The quality of the league has risen again this year and there are no easy games given that any team can beat one another on their day.”

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3. Stuart Corsar

Former Scotland ‘A’ prop Stuart Corsar is now Head Coach with Aberdeen Grammar in BT National League One. His previous clubs include Garioch, Aberdeen Grammar, Glasgow Warriors, Rotherham Titans and Doncaster Knights.

Corsar returned to Aberdeen Grammar in 2011, where he also took up the role of club Development Officer, but was forced to retire from playing in September 2013 due to injuries which left him susceptible to concussion.

He said: “It has been interesting start to coaching, a lot different to a professional environment when you know who is turning up and numbers for training, but it’s a good challenge and the boys are reacting well as we give everyone a shot at playing at their highest level.

“We have not imported anyone or recruited actively from clubs as we want to build a culture where players want to come and give to the club rather than other way round.

“I am always learning and that is the most important part especially when you make mistakes regarding sessions or dealing with players.

“I am glad there is plenty of younger coaches in the Scottish game now as they bring a fresh approach and are maybe more positive and forward thinking.

I think honesty is very important from coaches and players and my organisation has improved a lot in recent months and I get players to review the previous month and how the coaches are doing.”

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CLUB NEWS

SAINT NO DOUBT ABOUT DUMFRIES’ TITLE CREDENTIALS BT National League Three was seen as one of the tightest leagues to predict before the season got underway but in Dumfries Saints, a clear favourite has emerged before the harsh Winter conditions come into full effect.

The Park Farm club have made a quite stunning start to the championship and sat top of the division with a perfect record after eight fixtures. Their only blemish by them was a rather heavy defeat to Falkirk in the opening round of the BT Cup at the end of August, but the past two months would suggest that an impending promotion would be something that Saints are equipped to deal with, both on and off the pitch.

After years of mediocrity and insecurity, Dumfries can now boast a rugby club that should be the envy of many others. A thriving youth set up, with teams running from P1 right through to Colts, is complemented by a strong adult section whereby two men’s teams are fielded every week.

Of course, the success story of the moment is the first XV, who continue to bulldoze their way through Scottish club rugby’s fourth tier unabated.

Winning bonus points are being chalked up with almost as much ease as the victories themselves.

A healthy rugby community in the South West of the country is something that Scotland needs, and Dumfries Saints certainly have an opportunity to monopolise the region’s support if they can sustain their run of positive results. Despite the difficulties that can arise with a playing staff pulled predominantly from an

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agricultural background, Senior Team Manager John Steele says that the Saints have benefitted largely from a new coaching staff.

“There were no new players at the club for the start of the new season, so in that respect it is a surprise to see how well they’ve been doing. But the new coaching team of Nic Humphries and Kenny Brown, have really helped the team improve week on week.

“The players made a commitment to them before the season started and have bought into a game plan that Nic and Kenny have come up with. We were up against it when we played away at Perthshire (October 11) and actually went down to 14 men but the team persevered and it paid dividends when they got the win.”

Dumfries’ Senior Team Manager John Steele

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Without a hint of assumption, John also revealed that he believes Dumfries have the requisite abilities to compete in BT National League Two, should they gain promotion.

“We lost up in Falkirk in August when a lot of our players weren’t available - although Falkirk are a good team.

They’re one of the best sides in the league above us but in a 12-team division, there are certainly a few clubs I believe we can compete with.”

From almost falling off the precipice of Scottish club rugby a little over a decade ago to where they now find themselves, Dumfries Saints are a prime example of a community side that have braved hardships and are now stronger than ever.

Head Coach Nic Humphries

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CLUB NEWS

LASSWADE’S PARTNERSHIP WITH A F NOBLE REAPS NEW CLUB VEHICLE A longer and wider model than previously, the Qashqai is perfectly equipped to get loaded up with all the rugby paraphernalia used

by Lasswade for training sessions and match days. It is well known that the sport carries with it a significant amount of kit, including balls and tackle bags, and the club’s new vehicle can easily accommodate such items with room to spare.

Club president Ian Barr was understandably buoyed by the new addition: “Primarily, Alex F Noble and Son’s sponsorship is crucial to our efforts to deliver rugby as a curriculum sport to schools in Midlothian. This

Bernie Hennessey, Ian Barr and David Noble

Lasswade have enjoyed a bright start to the 2104/15 campaign but will expect to really get motoring after they became the recipients of a brand new 2014 Qashqai as part of the sponsorship deal between the club and Alex F Noble and Son.

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Whilst the gifting of vehicles is not something new in Scottish rugby, the Qashqai offers its new owners some excellent attributes such as low CO2 emissions, a mightily impressive mpg of up to 74, and state-of-the-art stop/start technology to really ensure optimum, fuel efficiency.

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new car is the best we’ve ever had and its extra space, additional safety features and brilliant fuel efficiency are all incredibly useful as we visit around 14 primary and two secondary schools across the region.

“There are exciting times ahead for the club next season and beyond and we would find it incredibly difficult to operate without the help of all of our sponsors, but I’d especially like to thank David Noble and the other directors at Alex F Noble and Son for their continued support”.

For more information: www.afnoble-nissan.co.uk

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NORTHERN ISLES RUGBY

An insight into rugby in

ORKNEY It may not be numbers or facilities that make rugby in the Northern Isles more complicated in terms of organisation, but rather the various geographical hurdles that need overcoming in order to keep the game healthy where Edinburgh is almost the same distance away as Torshavn in the Faroe Islands.

Orkney RFC Chairman Neil McCartney went into a little detail about playing for the club: “The boys meet for the ferry at 10.30pm, spend a bit of time together and because they’ve been working all week, they generally just like to get their heads down until the morning. They get into Aberdeen at about 7am and depending on where their game is, a bus will be put on to go to their destination.”

“After the game has finished, the boys get on the ferry back to Orkney from Aberdeen at around 4.30pm and are usually home for 11pm. There’s the odd time that the club have had to drive to Wick, stay the night

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and then get on the ferry the next day.”

“We play in Caledonia League One and so the furthest south we go is to play Glenrothes and Morgan Academy so in that scenario, or indeed for a cup game against a side even further away, it’s a two night job.”

recent past, with a new primary school, a new grammar school and three all-weather pitches being installed.”

“A Development Officer could start straight away because of the facilities and the structure Bruce has left at the club.”

Neil knows well the job that previous Development Officer Bruce Ruthven did at Orkney in terms of helping make the club into the community vehicle it is today. Bruce has moved on to pastures new after taking up a post at Stewart’s Melville in Edinburgh, and Neil says the vacancy has attracted some interest: “It’s a great opportunity to continue what Bruce did at the club. There has been a lot of investment here in the

Orkney has a thriving youth rugby scene as well, and earlier in October osted a minis tournament with schools from Shetland and Caithness involved. Neil reckons there are about 30 P1-3 children getting started in the sport in Orkney, and over double that amount participating up to the end of primary school. They have under-14, under-18 and Girls teams, and have been known to have crowds of around 300 for first XV matches.

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NORTHERN ISLES RUGBY

An insight into rugby in

SHETLAND The logistical situation at Shetland Rugby Club is another matter entirely, with the island lying as it does some considerable distance further away from the mainland. In a competitive BT Caledonia League Division Two North, Shetland have their resources stretched to the limit with the travel itinerary as demanding as it is; Stornoway, Garioch and Lochaber are trips that are understandably timeous.

Club Captain and Travel Secretary John Nicolson gives an insight into the life of a rugby player in Shetland: “We check in and board the ferry from Lerwick on a Friday at around 4.30pm and don’t arrive in Aberdeen until 7am the next morning, before getting on a bus to the away destination. After arriving at the ground late, we usually have an hour before kick off and then it’s straight back onto the bus after the game in order to catch the ferry home.

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“A similar time is taken on the ferry back and we arrive back in Lerwick at around 7:30am on the Sunday morning.”

Playing rugby in Shetland brings with it advantages and drawbacks, the likes of which are not encountered on the

In terms of Shetland’s short-term ambitions, they are seeking to stay in BT Caledonia North Two this season and can point to what John calls a “significant increase in the youth section” as cause for optimism for the continuation of rugby on the island.

mainland; for instance, in the Summer months, they experience almost 24 hours of daylight, which is countered by a sun setting as early as 2pm in the long Winter period. Weather also plays a huge role in what the club can and cannot do, with rain often putting paid to training and games with the waterlogging of pitches and ferry sailings always being at the mercy of the mood of the wind.

Their remains a certain level of competitiveness with their archipelago cousins as well: “We do have a strong rivalry with Orkney,” says John, “and try to get a fixture between the two counties once a year, taking it in turns to host.

“We do on occasion meet up with the Orkney team on the boat for a social evening when we return home on the ferry from our respective fixtures.”

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

THE R U G BY S C H E D U L E

DON’T MISS A MINUTE OF THE ACTION There can be few things more frustrating to an excited rugby fan than planning your day of watching the live action only to find that at the last minute, the pub that you have settled on won’t be showing the action after all.

It is a situation that many of us have been in before and somehow seems to happen when the rest of the planned activities have gone off without any logistical problems.

With the advent of The Rugby Schedule, these issues need not necessarily happen again, provided you make sure to download to upcoming application to your ios or Android device before setting off for the big game.

Starting out as a team of devoted rugby fans from all corners of the UK, and brought together by a shared vision, The Rugby Schedule team have developed the exciting possibility that supporters can find out exactly when to watch their beloved teams, and exactly where.

We have carefully constructed working relationships with rugby governing bodies and TV networks to ensure that a wide range of fixtures are accounted for in an age when games seem to come around thicker and faster than ever before.

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Amongst the corporations that The Rugby Schedule have worked with are Sky Sports, Virgin Media, BT Sport and ESPN; names that are forever at the forefront of live rugby union in the UK. The Rugby Schedule’s Founder and Chief Executive, Jamie Harris, explains how the company came into being from a simple yet common occurrence: “The idea of TRS was created through our own personal misfortune of missing rugby matches; we would go into bars and pubs who would promise to show the game and then don’t. I therefore created a twitter account dedicated ensuring others don’t suffer the same misfortune and 23,000 followers later here we are.”

In terms of the continuing success of The Rugby Schedule, Jamie is confident of growth because of their commitment to improving all the time: “Firstly the company is set up to reinvest any funds back so we can constantly improve the service to rugby fans - we want people to come to us for the most comprehensive website featuring their favourite teams on TV. Secondly, we want to be able to roll this model out into other sports and develop the same community that we

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have found on twitter. We are rugby fans before anything else and we actually use our own service to find out when a game is on.”

Like every other company with a vested interest in the sport, Jamie knows that The Rugby Schedule has a busy year ahead with the Autumn Internationals, 6 Nations, Rugby Championship and World Cup all looming large on the horizon: We’re gearing up for the RWC by collecting the most accurate and upto-date information regarding next year’s tournament. With over 750,000 fans coming to the UK who don’t have tickets, we are finding pubs that are dedicated to rugby so they’ll have no problem finding somewhere to watch it.”

The Rugby Schedule’s brand new app is due to be launched by the end of November and don’t forget, you can also find out details about where to watch your rugby through the following platforms: Web: therugbyschedule.com Twitter: @rugbyschedule.com Facebook: facebook.com/ therugbyschedule Email: info@therugbyschedule.com

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LIVE RUGBY ON TV CATC H A LL OF TH E AC T ION LIVE - NE VE R MISS T HE RUGBY S EE WH AT RU GBY IS ON T V WIT H ONE SIM PLE PAGE

www.therugbyschedule.com

FIT TO PLAY

James with Al Strokosch - the Doctor always has the players’ best interests at heart

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FIT TO PLAY

GA RY C H ATS WI T H

JAMES ROBSON Dr. James Robson has been there and done it all in the world of rugby - Gary Heatly spoke to the pivotal member of the national squad ahead of the viagogo Autumn Tests

Having gone on his first Scotland tour back in 1991 and having been on six British & Irish Lions tours, Dr. James Robson is a well known and well respected name in the world of rugby.

James - who stays in Dundee, where he was a GP for many years, but hails originally from Whitehaven in Cumbria - is Chief Medical Officer within Scottish Rugby and, with a busy year coming up for the national side, this unassuming character is as excited as ever.

Speaking from Scotland’s pre-viagogo Autumn Tests camp in Newcastle, James said: “The buzz of meeting up with the national squad never goes away even though I have been doing it now for over 20 years.

“I just feel so privileged to be involved with top athletes within a sport I love and although there are always challenges I would not swap it for anything.”

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James on… his day-to-day work When he is on tour with the Scotland squad or working with them during a big run of games such as the viagogo Autumn Tests or the RBS 6 Nations, James gets to see the players face-to-face every day.

However, once the players all head back to their respective clubs he still has to keep tabs on their medical condition - so how does this work?

“As I am based out of BT Murrayfield, I get to see the home-based players quite a lot and I work with Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby one day a week so that is very helpful.

“With the players who are at other clubs down south or abroad, Paul McGinley [Head of Medical Performance at Scottish Rugby] or myself have regular communications with them and the medical teams at their clubs.

“Really it is just a case of having good,

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open dialogue with all of the players so that we can keep on top of everything and make sure they are getting the best care they can or that we don’t miss an injury that they may have picked up while they have not been with us.”

James on… the medical team that he works with “Over the years with Scotland and the Lions I have been privileged to work with some superb medical staff and the group that we have together at Scottish Rugby is great.

“It is important that all of us, whether full-time or part-time, full international squad or age-grade players, work in similar fashions so that we can record and communicate information between ourselves easily.

“With Scotland at the moment I am very pleased to be able to work with Paul

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James with Duncan Weir

McGinley, Stephen Mutch [Physiotherapist with the Scotland team for many years] and Lisa Casey [Physiotherapist from Glasgow Warriors].

“They are all great professionals and I think between the four of us we work well together. We talk to each other a lot when the squad are not gathered and then when the squad are together the hard work starts and we really enjoy feeding off each other.”

James on… being in camp The day can start early with the medical staff often up at 6am getting things in order, but this is needed to make sure that when the players and coaches get up we are ready for the day ahead, and you have all the information at your fingertips.

“When the players arrived in the camp in Newcastle on the Sunday night, all 36 were given a medical check by one of the medical team and then we put up all of the players names on a board in the team meeting room.

“Beside all of their names we put their up-to-date notes in either green, amber or red. Green means that they are fully

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fit, amber means that they have a slight knock or cannot take part in a particular part of training, while red means they cannot train.

“We then have a thorough briefing with the head coach so that he knows exactly the state of play and if he has any queries then we can answer them. The following morning we then meet with the rest of the coaching team to make sure that they know about the various injuries and such like.

“Then, when training for the day begins, the four of us in the medical team split up to work with particular players. For example, on the first full day in Newcastle Lisa and I were pitch-side, Paul took injured players to the pool for a rehab session, and Stephen did some running rehab with other players. It’s important we maximise our time with the players.”

James on… building up a good relationship with the players Having been around rugby players for many years, James is aware that each individual is different and responds to instructions or treatments differently than another.

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“In the old days players were not so clued up regarding medical advice and injuries, while they felt that if they came to see us they would be putting their place in the team in jeopardy.

“However, the players nowadays are so professional and because they have been brought up in that environment they have learnt a lot about strength and conditioning and injuries and they can sense when something is not right with their body. In fact, they eat so well now that it is often them telling the support staff off for a poor diet.

“On a serious note, they know it is their duty to come and see us if anything is not 100% and that mutual respect and two-way communication really is helpful.

“Even if they have a minor sniffle or cold we advise them to come and see us because we can sort these things out at source and stop the germs spreading throughout the group.

“In this group of players there are of course a few of the experienced guys who I have got to know well over the years, but part of the fun of the job is getting to meet the new players.

For example in this group we have the likes of Sam Hidalgo-Clyne and Zander Fagerson.”

James on… building up a good relationship with the coaches “Of course just as important as working well with the players is working well with the coaching staff. They need to trust everything we as the medical team say and do while we need to explain to them everything so that they have a clear picture as to where their players are at.

“Again in the past coaches, like players, were not as clued up as they are now on medical issues they will often come to us and say that they don’t think a player is quite right and this really helps our process.”

James on… the physicality of the modern game “The game has changed a lot over the years. The players are all fit and prepared to deal with what comes at them during a big match.

“Sometimes you get a quiet match, though you just have to be ready for all eventualities.”

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FIT TO PLAY

James on… the concussion issue Sport has been enveloped by the concussion debate in recent months.

Scottish Rugby is currently collaborating with research experts with regards to head injuries and the possible link with long-term effects. They are examining whether neurological conditions can stem from knocks to the head.

James has played a big part in this and said: “Those involved in all sport, not just rugby union, have realised in recent years that head knocks are something that must be looked at very carefully and something which cannot be put on the backburner or hidden away.

“There is some great work going on at the moment by experts to make things safer and the really important thing is that everyone involved in the sport, not just the medics, learns about head injuries and the signs to look out for and that everyone takes it seriously. There is progress being made and it will continue in the coming months.”

James on… the day of a big match We often hear about how players build-up for a match, but how do the medical team get ready for the day out at BT Murrayfield?

“There is nothing quite like being involved in these matches. Of course we arrive at the stadium pretty early to get ourselves organised and check the players for any last minute issues or concerns, but when you hear the ground filling up, and the crowd noise, it is really exciting.

“To be so close to the action during these occasions is a huge honour, but like when we are in camp we have a job to do at all times and cannot let our concentration levels drop at all.

“As I said we can have a quiet game or a busy one. The best days are always when we have a quiet time and Scotland win, but as long as we play our part to make sure the players are looked after and are safe then I am a happy man.

“Our work does not finish when the full-time whistle goes though and there are often many players to be seen in the evening to make sure their recovery has started properly while the next morning, once swellings and things have often died down and the players’ have had a night’s rest, we often have to make decisions on the best course of action too.”

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James on… the next year with the Scotland squad “The year leading up to a Rugby World Cup is always really exciting because everything is building up towards it and everyone is working together to make sure the Scotland squad is in as good a shape as it can be.

“The big events are always the best and I cannot wait to be involved in another in just under a year’s time.”

James on… his career in rugby Six Lions’ tours, 23 years with Scotland and some great memories - how can you possibly sum that up?

“I have loved every minute of it. As mentioned a lot has changed in the game and in medicine in that time meaning the challenges I face are different, but

three things keep me going: the people you meet, the countries you get to visit through rugby, and of course the support of my long-suffering family; my daughters Eleanor and Emma and my wife Christine.

“It’s the families that make the true sacrifice, while the rest of us we pursue the sport we love so much.

“It is such a social sport and I have made some great friends through it and worked with some of the finest players while I am such a lucky guy to have been to all the places that I have been on tour.

“My daughters bought me a map last Christmas which you mark off all the countries you have been to. I amazed myself when filling this in as to where I’d all been and it brought back some great memories. Here’s to many more in the future.”

James has been at the forefront of recent advancements in concussion testing

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Stobo Castle The SCRUM Editor Stuart MacLennan visited Stobo Castle to experience exactly what was on offer at Scotland’s only spa resort and wasn’t left disappointed.

“I travelled on a Tuesday morning to Stobo Castle and in under an hour had escaped the rigours of city life and entered the grounds of a most stunning 19th Century building, which lies a little over six miles outside Peebles. I took my brother Ian as my guest and we were warmly greeted at the reception and made to feel at ease, which was important because the pair of us were experiencing something for the first time.

“After a brief tour of the facilities and details about where we had to be and when for various massages and treatments, we decided that the first port of call would be the gym to build up a sweat for less laborious activities later in the day. I was surprised at just how well stocked the room was, with all standard cardiovascular machines readily available and an excellent array of free weights enabling a full workout, if you can resist the other temptations of Stobo for a little longer.

“I noticed that there was a tennis court and duly enquired about it at the spa reception, where I was told to go to

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the main reception for details of how to collect racquets and balls; by the time I had made that short walk, the staff had already organised it for me, having obviously called ahead, and I thought it was a touch of class; much more so than mine on the court.

“Having endured the rigours of a tie-break, we decided that it was high time to experience the swimming pool and its sundries before going any further. Overlooking the River Tweed, the pool certainly offers a better vista than most aquatic centres and visitors can also choose from the delights of a sauna, two steam rooms and Jacuzzi in what turned out to be my most difficult decision of the day.

“A back massage before lunch would be a prerequisite upon any lottery win and I had that very opportunity at Stobo, Nicky doing her level best to rid my shoulders of knots over the course of 30 minutes as I drifted in and out of consciousness. Freshened and extremely hungry, we then sauntered off to lunch with arms so relaxed it was almost a chore to lift any cutlery.

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“The inclusive lunch was the perfect amount; cream of courgette and butterbean soup followed by lemon sole and veg and finished off with decadent crème brulee was about right to set one up for the afternoon’s pursuits.

“Lunch was worked off by having a 30 minute soak in one of three outdoor hot tubs before I experienced my first ever facial massage, courtesy of Donna, which lasted about 25 minutes and very nearly sent me off to sleep in a daze.

“The day was completed with a coffee in the palatial drawing room by an open fire and perhaps one of my only concerns would be the energy levels needing to be found to raise oneself for the journey home!

“I had no idea that men could actually enjoy getting pampered for the day until my visit to Stobo Castle and will most certainly be making a return visit. Many thanks to Jenni Watts for organising the day; it’s already in mind as the perfect Christmas or birthday gift for loved ones or indeed yours truly.”

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The Concierge Life’s about to get a wee bit easier

The Concierge is one of life’s little necessities; coming to the rescue when the time constraints of your busy lives are simply too much to manage without a wee bit of help.

And what worse time to have to be running around doing all manner of chores than at the weekend when you should be unwinding and relaxing after a busy week; enjoying time doing the important things in life like watching your child’s aspiring rugby career flourish from the sidelines or enjoying the full match day experience rather than sandwiching the game in between that ever-expanding to do list.

Assistance is at hand from the team

at The Concierge, led by its founder and committed Glasgow Warriors supporter, Gillian Snowden.

The Concierge is a modern day service designed to solve that age-old problem of there never being enough hours in the day. Whether it’s running everyday errands, organizing and overseeing tradespeople for your home, organizing your social life, events and trave plans, the Concierge can do it all.

And with Christmas just around the corner, why not give the gift of time this year? With Gift Vouchers available at a special festive rate of only £25 per hour, The Concierge’s services can be purchased by many

and appreciated by all, meaning that Saturday afternoons can be spent watching the rugby and relaxing safe in the knowledge life’s chores are being taken care of.

Gillian expressed her delight at Warriors’ recent win over Bath in the European Rugby Champions Cup, even though she found it hard to receive regular updates on the game: “It’s a shame I couldn’t make it down to Scotstoun but I was taking some clients on a whisky tour of Islay.

“With limited network coverage, it was a struggle to check the results and I had to double-take when I saw how Glasgow had done. It was fantastic.”

Time is your most precious commodity yet your job, personal and domestic chores eat up so much of it. Often the things which really matter; you, your family, and your friends; end up taking second place.

By offloading your personal ‘to do’ list to The Concierge you’ll be making your life just a wee bit easier and restoring quality into your time.

Our services are far reaching: The Personal Concierge - taking care of the everyday to do list and chores; The Home Concierge - property management; house minding: relocation services; The Lifestyle Concierge - organising your personal and social diary; celebration planning and organising; The Travel Concierge - researching and itinerary planning; booking; travel preparation The Wedding Concierge - wedding day management; supplier sourcing; full wedding planning; The Corporate Concierge - concierge as an employee benefit; virtual assistant for your business.

To find out more about our services, prices and gift vouchers please get in touch. website: theconcierge.org.uk phone / text: 07841 790 529 email: gillian@theconcierge.org.uk

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FIT TO PLAY

For better performance, choose Dr Vapor Kick your habit and improve your game with the help of Dr Vapor Based in Dalry, Edinburgh, Dr Vapor was started by Directors Ian Rarity and Richard Gray, both of whom were smokers for over 10 years.

Commented Richard Gray: “We then both started vaping around four and a half years ago, managing to get off cigarettes completely within this time by starting on the highest nicotine strength and then working our way down gradually.

And because we found it so effective for ourselves, we then wanted to help other people do the same - this was the whole ethos of why we started Dr. Vapor in the first place. Our previous smoking history has allowed us to

provide first-hand information through our experience and to be ambassadors for the products we offer.”

Customer Care Dr Vapor has a wide scope of customers spanning from 18 through to 75 years old, and everyone in between.

Added Gray: “The vast majority of people we work with are looking to quit smoking, rather than try to use e-cigarettes or vaporisers as an alternative to smoking.

“We can offer all the help, support and advice you need to quit for good.

Depending on roughly how many cigarettes you smoke a day, we will chat with you and find out more about your lifestyle and advise what sort of strength of liquid is best.

Then we will plan out the process of how exactly how to come down the nicotine strength levels until you are no longer addicted.”

Product range Dr Vapor offers a comprehensive stock list from standard refillable electronic cigarettes right through to more advanced products.

Rest assured there is the right product to fit every requirement and budget.

“Our store holds everything you will need to kick the habit from batteries, clearomizers, tanks and the e-liquid itself.

We have over 120 different flavours available, which ranges from tobacco through to Strawberry Kiwi,” added Richard Gray.

Advantages “Previously, I played rugby for Stewarts Melville in school and have always led a very active lifestyle even while I was smoking, but I found my sporting abilities were really restricted because of it.

This was one of the reasons that prompted me to quit smoking and move on to vaping - I have never looked back. Personally, I noticed a massive difference in my overall health within a month or so, and not only could I breathe so much easier, I didn’t smell of smoke all the time and my taste and sense of smell came back quickly.

What a lot of people may not realise about cigarettes is they contain around 4000 different chemical compounds when you start burning it, and around 69 of those are cancer-causing including hydrogen cyanide

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and carbon monoxide. This was a big reason for me switching to vaping,” said Gray.

It is significantly cheaper to vape than it is to smoke - the Savings Calculator on our website will give you a good idea of how much you could save by choosing Dr. Vapor.

What makes Dr Vapor unique?

Dr Vapor really pride themselves on providing exemplary customer service standards by providing and welcoming and friendly environment to all.

By relating to everybody’s individual needs, and taking onboard their requirements, the team at Dr. Vapor will give you a tailored solution to move you away from cigarettes altogether.

Concluded Gray: “Our flavours also stand out from other e-cig shops as we offer unique flavours which can really help the overall process and make vaping a very enjoyable experience.

“Our Premium range liquids are all made with British grade ingredients, with British-sourced propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine, nicotine and flavourings.

This ensures you have the confidence knowing exactly what the ingredients are, and where they come from.”

Improve your endurance and better you game.

For more information: www.drvapor.co.uk

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FIT TO PLAY

EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY Reaping the rewards of top class facilities

Taking one look at the training on offer at Edinburgh University is enough to know that they are very much top of the range for any rugby institution across the country; the very fact that the All Blacks insist on training at the university gymnasium when on tour is about as ringing an endorsement as the game can offer.

The man in charge is David Adamson, Head of Men’s Rugby, who enjoyed a playing career that took in age group international honours up to and including under-21 as well as stints at Stirling County, Falkirk and London Scottish.

He has been working at the university for five years now and explained that although Edinburgh are blessed with great facilities, they are up against it in order to consistently compete with their opponents across the UK: “We are lucky being based in Edinburgh, which is a rugby city, and so we have a wealth of ex-players we can call on to help out.

“We’ve got Iain Berthinussen to work with the defence and he’s been here for three years, Steven Turnbull, who retired from Edinburgh two years ago, helps out with the forwards. We also have the boys in at the High Performance Gym twice a week so we just try and get our coaching, our training and style of play to as high a level as possible so that when we do come up against the guys that tend to be a bit bigger than us, our fitness, technique and general gameplay is better.

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“We’re really fortunate with the 3G pitch here; we play a lot of games on this in the winter and obviously train on it which means the players never get their kit ruined in bad weather.

Up at the Pleasance we have the performance gym and we’re really fortunate to have that as well.

In terms of Edinburgh Uni’s targets this season, David acknowledges that they have quite a young team after losing a number of leavers in the summer: “The target was promotion but we’ve had a few injuries and there are four Freshers in the backs and six in the forwards so that’s quite a high number to expect to gain promotion, but in the next year we would hope to push for that.”

Going to university and making it at the highest level of rugby is a rarity but has been known to happen; Jamie Roberts famously picked up his medical degree in the same year he toured with the British & Irish Lions

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and Scotland’s own Matt Scott was studying Law when he won his first cap but it’s maybe changed days now: “The fees are so high now and there is a real focus that degrees are taken seriously and so making it as a player whilst studying is very difficult. It’s all about getting the balance right.”

Rugby at the University is in rude health, with a total of 20 sides training and playing on a regular basis, made up from four men’s sides, medics, vets, women’s and other societies. One of the reasons for its popularity is the amount of foreign students intrigued at giving the game a go: “We get a lot of international students who come over here and, because Edinburgh is such a rugby city, they really want to give it a go. Sometimes it’s just a case of getting some touch games set up for them, so there are opportunities for everyone.”

For the top team, there are major tours from the university to locations around the world every couple of years; two years ago they travelled to Brazil and played the national team twice, drawing one game and narrowly losing the other. They have also played in sevens tournaments in Casablanca and Milan, and hope to travel to Romania to face some of the top teams there this year.

David has been working at the University for five seasons and is understandably enjoying his time at the helm: “I’m really lucky, working for what is essentially a hobby and I can see myself doing it for a few more years, results depending of course.”

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

TEXACLOTH Covering every corner of the UK wool market

Jim Currie

Texacloth are one of the leading wool merchants associated with Scottish farms, and for decades now they have dealt with acquiring of the merchandise whilst trying to ensure the very best prices for their loyal customers.

A family business started in Ireland 1972 by Aiden Walsh, Texacloth have been exponents of buying wool for over 40 years now, and began branching overseas towards the end of the last century. Former Lord Provost of Perth, Alec Murray, brought Aiden over the Irish Sea in the early 1990s, as he was unhappy with a lack of competition within the industry.

Texacloth excelled in the market and have had bases in Scotland and Northern Ireland for over two decades now, and in England and Wales for the past fifteen.

Since making a first business trip to China in 1980, founder Aiden has visited the Middle East on over 70 occasions and admits that desire for wool from that part of the world is driving his business on to even greater heights.

As a leading wool merchant of the United Kingdom and Ireland, Texacloth can be found in every corner of the country, from

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Lairg in the North of Scotland right the way down to Cullumpton in Dorset on the Southern peninsula in England; they even have branches in Estonia and Latvia.

Run as a tight-knit family business, Texacloth has members of the Walsh clan running through its core. Alan, son of founder Aiden, is the purchasing chief for their Scottish operations; Texacloth has five depots in the country as it stands, but is working to ensure that further expansion can take place should the right opportunities arise.

As proud a wool-producing nation as any other in the UK, Wales houses a further six depots at Gwynedd, Llanfyrach,Trefnant, Crosseny and two in the county of Powys. To further emphasise the way in which Texacloth is heavily family-run, one only needs to look at the chief buyer in Wales and see that it is Roy Walsh, brother of Alan.

In England, where Texacloth boast six another six storehouses, the operation is equally as impressive. Locations vary from Dorset to Devon; from Somerset to Hampshire.

Even the clerical side of Texacloth has the name Walsh written all over it; Aiden’s

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daughter Anne-Marie runs that side of the company. It is easy to understand why Alan Walsh is keen to describe Texacloth as “a proper family business.

“You know what you’re going to get.

Farmers know they’ll be talking to me or someone they’ve dealt with in the past and forged a relationship with, and they know that won’t change.

“We are here to help farmers get as much as they possibly can for their wool. Of course we need to turn a profit at the same time, but it’s important to have a system of trust.”

The success story that is Texacloth has seen their decades of hard work enable them to export all of their wool to the market in China, where quality and volume of product is extremely high.

The company have also started trading in India, and so are perfectly placed to further expand their healthy business model and in doing so, be of benefit to the thousands of British farmers that are keen to work with a reputable and loyal wool merchant.

For more information: www.texacloth.co.uk

“A family business started in Ireland 1972 by Aiden Walsh, Texacloth have been exponents of buying wool for over 40 years now, and began branching overseas towards the end of the last century” WWW.SCRUMMAGAZINE.COM

texacloth Ireland’s Leading Wool Merchant Alan Walsh 07836 547987 Scotland Andy Woodburn jnr 07710 488679 North Ayrshire Roy Walsh 07873 493367 Wales Geraint Jones 07887 772804 North Wales Harriet Sheppard 07970 347166 South of England

Texacloth Limited

The Moate, Firmount, Clane, County Kildare, Ireland

BOOK REVIEW

BO O K R E V I E W

THE FINAL WHISTLE: THE GREAT WAR IN FIFTEEN PLAYERS Winner Rugby Book of Year: Times British Sports Book Awards 2013

The Final Whistle: The Great War in Fifteen Players is about as perfect a book as you could wish for if you happen to be a rugby enthusiast that has any interest in the turbulence that beset Europe at the start of the 20th Century.

Indeed, as people across the continent mark the centenary of the start of one of the most bloody and combative wars in history, it is fitting that the 2013 British Sportsbook of the Year (Rugby) winner is the aforementioned novel

by Stephen Cooper. I picked it out for a bit of light(!) reading before setting off to sunnier climes for a week and found myself as engaged as the most intense of scrums.

Stephen has clearly spent a great deal of time and passion on the book, which tells the tales of 15 Rosslyn Park rugby players who made the ultimate sacrifice in the face of German aggression those many years ago; and how their fascinating backgrounds contributed to other aspects of British life in that time.

Set so that every player has his own section, The Final Whistle: The Great War in Fifteen Players offers an insight into what life was like during the Great War and how one rugby club brought men of all ages together through

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adversity. Stephen told me: “Every person tells a different story and there are so many political and sporting touching points - although a reader can only take so much misery at one time!

“The men at Rosslyn Park were not necessarily great rugby players but it gives them a chance to have their story told. I’ve since discovered many more men who have equally interesting accounts and could write a ‘Second XV’ book.”

The story of these 15 gallant heroes is beautifully written by Stephen and, a century on from the start of a most unimaginable period in Britain and Europe, it allows the lives of some of the lesser-known courageous Great War victims to live on into the next 100 years.

The Final Whistle: The Great War in Fifteen Players is available from all good online bookshops

The 1909/10 Rosslyn Park team

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Next Auction 26th November 2014 at 2.00pm Trades Hall of Glasgow

SVA Property Auctions Ltd. 13 Great King Street Edinburgh, EH3 6QW Tel: 0131 624 6640. Fax: 0131 624 6630.

Email: info@sva-auctions.co.uk www.sva-auctions.co.uk