Neilson will relish rugby challenge

Strathaven Rugby Club coach Grant Neilson says the club are delighted with the challenge they have ahead of them this season.

The W3ST club are in Conference 3 of the West Competition 1, where they’re up against Annan, Stewartry, Wigtownshire and near-neighbours East Kilbride for a place in the play-offs at Murrayfield.

Neilson says it’s a great test for his side and gives his players something to prepare for, finally.

He said:“It’s great having some fixtures and it’s giving the boys something to look forward to, and that we can start to prepare for.

“It looks like a really tough competition for us but it’s really exciting against three or four teams from the league above.

“That is going to be a challenge and we will need to perform at our highest, so it’s great.

“We’re really looking forward to it, and it should be an exciting year if it all goes ahead.

“It gives them a wee bit more drive and determination, and having fixtures to look forward to just helps.

“It’s a shame that stage five [of the routemap out of lockdown] has been pushed back a wee bit, we were looking forward to having full team sessions, but with the situation the way it is I was always thinking that was going to happen.

“Just having the competition there gives us something to aspire towards.”