INSIDE TODAY
Blair RFC win annual 10s tournament
Blairgowrie RFC won their annual 10s tournament for the second year in a row on Saturday.
Held for the 22nd year – the third in conjunction with the club’s annual ale festival – teams from Dunoon, Fort William, Fintry, Crieff, Montrose, Dundee and Forfar competed against the hosts for the Ian Bissett Memorial Trophy.
The JJ Coupar Recreation Park pitches were in immaculate condition thanks to the efforts of Jock Turpie and before the tournament itself there was a veterans’ match between Blairgowrie and Dunkeld Ospreys.
Blairgowrie beat Dunkeld by three tries to one in what was a keenly contested match, with the Blairgowrie tries coming from Duncan Campbell, Gordon Black and Mark Sherriffs.
Following a minute’s silence observed in memory of young Billy Haggart – a promising Blairgowrie rugby player who tragically lost his life in a road accident – the tournament got under way.
There were two groups of four teams with Blairgowrie emphatically winning their three group matches.
Following the group matches, the eight teams contested the four finals.
In the bucket final Lochaber beat Stobswell 45-7, in the bowl final Cowal scored 31 points to Strathmore 2nds’ five, and in the plate final Montrose beat Crieff 29-12.
The cup final was fought between the winners of the two groups, Blairgowrie and Strathendrick – the team that the home side beat at JJ Coupar back in March to secure their place in the national finals at Murrayfield.
And Blairgowrie triumphed again, beating Strathendrick 29-7 with Rory Grant, Liam Tweedie, Mathew Michie, Fraser Black and Euan Constable scoring tries for Blair.
Duncan MacRae from Blairgowrie RFC organised the competition.
He said: “This was a tremendous effort by the Blairgowrie squad against a strong Strathendrick team who were rather unfortunate to lose a number of players with injury throughout the afternoon, but we are glad to report that the Strathendrick player who suffered what appeared to be a serious neck injury was not as seriously hurt as first thought.”
Iain Fairnington, representing tournament sponsors A Proctor Group, presented the trophies and medals to the winning teams with Moreen Milne presenting the Ian Bissett Memorial trophy to Blairgowrie captain Peter Duncan.
Mr MacRae thanked the Proctor Group for sponsoring the event once again, and thanked the referees Rebecca Wheater, Stephen Greenhill, Malcolm Cheyne and Ted Coutts who did an excellent job throughout the afternoon.
He also thanked Dr Jo Nelson and nurse Eilidh Cathcart – who professionally carried out First Aid duties throughout – Peter Ireland and all those who helped to make the tournament a success.
Pre-season training continues on Tuesdays and Thursdays at JJ Coupar Recreation Park. New players welcome.
The club’s first league game of the season is away to Carnoustie on Saturday, August 26.
The first home game is Saturday, September 16, against Kirkcaldy 2nds.