The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
RugbyForce’s road to the isles
FROM DIY TO COUNTY SHOWS, SPORTING STARS AND ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND ARE HELPING COMMUNITY RUGBY GROW
It has often been said that rugby clubs can be a force for good in the local community – and Orkney Rugby Club certainly are just that.
The club played their first ever match in 1967 and as they celebrate their 50th year things at Pickaquoy are going from strength-to-strength.
Last year the club held their Royal Bank of Scotland RugbyForce day and then hosted a gala dinner to mark a half century of scrummages.
RugbyForce helps clubs inspiring grassroots players and giving another reason for celebration, it delivered a financial package of £1000 to the Orkney club in 2016. It also arranged for Edinburgh Rugby stars Blair Kinghorn and Ben Toolis to travel to the islands to help man theirs tall at the town’ s annual County Show.
Steven Groat from the club said: “It was great to have Blair and Ben up in Orkney and at the County Show and it certainly got people talking and interested in the club.
“It also really inspired the young players from Orkney because they don’t often get to meet the big stars, but the pro players were very approachable and it was great for the youngsters to chat to them and learn about their lives.” RugbyForce has been designed to help clubs tackle any challenge in front of them. For Orkney, one challenge was the facilities. Steven said: “The package of £1000 has been put to very good use at the club because we are currently doing up the clubhouse. That is where a lot of the money is going and it is helping us create a club for the whole community as we head into our next 50 years.”
There were over 600 people at Orkney’s gala dinner, including some well-known faces from the international rugby scene, such as Al Kellock.
Kellock, who played for Scotland 56 times between 2004 and 2013, said: “When I went up to the dinner the local people could not have been more hospitable and it was great to hear that the visit of Blair and Ben had made such an impact on so many people.
“It was also pleasing to hear that, with help from Royal Bank of Scotland RugbyForce, Orkney has been able to press ahead with improvements to their facilities and it really is a brilliant example of a community club.
“The senior players have to travel long distances sometimes for matches, but they do not moan and it is great to see that they are passing on their love of rugby to the younger people from the islands.”