Show of strengths in Lanarkshire Cup
The Fraser Watt era at East Kilbride Rugby Club got off to an encouraging start on Saturday when the club picked up the Lanarkshire Cup at Dalziel.
Historically the competition was played at the end of the season but it has been revived after many years in hibernation as a preseason tune-up for the local clubs.
A narrow defeat to Hamilton was followed up with wins over Dalziel A and B teams, a Strathaven / Cambuslang combo and Uddingston to put them into a final with the hosts’ A unit.
A Craig Ferguson Snr try and five points from the boot of Bert Blackwood saw East Kilbride captain Paul Rosie lift the trophy.
While nobody is reading too much into the afternoon, particularly as Hamilton had players committed elsewhere, there were a number of positives to be taken.
Front row looks good for the first time since the old century and it could be an area of strength following a summer of recruitment.
Even without last year’s captain Gareth Jones, the back row looked good, with the low-slung power of Scott Shankie at number 8 backed up by rangy flankers Roddy Beaton and Alex Irvine.
The midfield pairing of a slimmed-down Michael Dixon and a bulked-up Robbie Greenfield caused problems for all opponents with their strong running.
This Saturday EK host Preston Lodge at First and Second XV level as preparations for the opening league game at Oban on August 27 intensify.
The club are well represented in the Glasgow sides at the junior Scotland trials, which moved into stage two on Sunday at Broadwood with inter-district games at various age grades.
Second-row Matthew Fletcher played for the under-16s, wing / flanker Simon Mukulami turned out for the U18s and Scotland cap Paul Cairncross was in the Glasgow U20s.