Open invitation to watch famous club
Glenalmond College is inviting the community and former pupils to watch a London Scottish training session being hosted at the Perthshire school this week.
And local primary schools from the region are also being offered the chance to watch the morning of action on Thursday, August 29 from 10.30am until 12pm.
Glenalmond, the official school partner of London Scottish, is opening its gates to welcome local people of all ages to enjoy watching the famous rugby club on the field.
Gavin Hastings OBE will also attend the training session to support his former club which has fielded more Scotland international players than any other since it was founded.
The training session at Glenalmond will be the club’s final preparation for the team’s friendly match against Edinburgh Rugby at Murrayfield on Saturday, August 31.
The former Scotland captain will perform an official opening of Woodburn, a former bothy which overlooks the first XV playing pitches, which has been converted to a facility for visitors and players.
The building, which will also host a medical bay, has been developed as part of a £325,000 programme of investment in the rugby facilities at the school.
Glenalmond’s first XV rugby team will be among those spending time with the 40-strong professional squad, which will be taking up residence at the school as part of the three-year exclusive partnership between Glenalmond College and London Scottish.
Graham Smith, director of sport at Glenalmond, said: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming the London Scottish squad to Glenalmond.
“They will have an opportunity to train on our excellent pitches, which have some of the most stunning views in the world, as well as making the most of the other sports facilities we have to offer.
“We are also looking forward to sharing the opportunity to come and watch the training session with the local community so they can also enjoy being a part of our pioneering partnership with London Scottish.”
Mr Smith said the rugby investment was part of a wider programme of investment in the sports facilities at
Glenalmond. In recent years this has included an international standard water-based astroturf pitch for hockey with a hospitality lodge for spectators.
Glenalmond has also invested in a second all-weather multi-sports pitch as well as upgrading its strength and conditioning facilities.
An expansion of the school’s golfing facilities is underway as part of the new golf school.
Carson Russell, commercial director of London Scottish FC, said the club was extremely impressed with the sporting and other facilities at Glenalmond College, along with the passion and pride shared by staff and pupils at the Perthshire school.
Mr Russell said Glenalmond College and London Scottish share many values – such as the drive for constant improvement and fair play - and that this is a special new partnership to be involved in.
“Glenalmond truly represents the very best of education with the added bonus of being set in one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland, if not the world,” Mr Russell added.
“The whole squad is very much looking forward to heading to Perthshire this week to stay at Glenalmond.”