Warriors match can inspire local kids
Glasgow Warriors face off against English Premiership giants Harlequins in Perth next week.
And Perthshire Rugby Club’s development officer Rory McKay hopes the fixture can inspire more people to get involved in the game.
Scottish internationals and global stars of the sport will lace up their boots in front of a 5000-plus crowd on the Fair City’s North Inch.
McKay has witnessed first hand how excited youngsters at the club are for the pre-season challenge match, taking place on August 18.
But he also believes the spectacle has the ability to spark an interest for kids who are yet to pick up a ball.
“It’s nice to get Warriors coming to Perth,”McKay said. “It gives people the chance who wouldn’t normally get the chance to watch them.
“I remember, in 1994, South Africa came to Aberdeen for an international. I had been watching local clubs but had never seen international rugby.
“That was pretty cool for me when I was just getting into the game. As an event, that was good and stuck out for me.
“We’ve been running a summer camp and I could see some of the guys who have had their shirts signed, which are getting a bit faded now.
“I thought it’s pretty cool that they will have another opportunity to get some fresh signatures on their shirts.”
McKay, whose role includes taking the sport into local schools, reckons the event is the perfect platform to get Perthshire’s message out.
“Everyone is super excited and I’ve had so many phone calls asking how to get tickets,” he said.“It’s creating an excitement around the game.
“We’re hopefully going to use the event to springboard a few things in the year to come.
“The day before the match we’re holding the first round of our secondary school conference. Six secondary schools are involved in that.
“We’re running a community hub on the day to tell people about who we are and what we do.
“Hopefully we will be getting the message out that this is a great sport to be involved in and that we’re always welcoming new members.
“It’s great for us, especially in our 150th year, that we can use this as a springboard.”
McKay hopes the link-up between Perthshire and the Scotstoun-based side can continue.
He said:“Warriors have put a lot of time and effort into creating what is effectively a new rugby pitch. It’s going to be a good surface to play on.
“It’s for the good of the game because we don’t really have any adult performance rugby. We don’t see enough of it up here.
“If it happened again next year, then fantastic. Hopefully they will be happy with the whole set-up.”
Warriors, who have already been in Perth to run a rugby camp this year and return in
The North Inch pitch is primed for the big game with the stand going up next week October, are keen to show off their stars.
They have also invited eight primary seven age group teams to play in a round robin style tournament before kick-off at the North Inch.
All eight clubs will form a guard of honour for both men’s teams to run out onto the field of play.
At half-time, the top four placed teams from the pre-match tournament will play on the main pitch in front of the large crowd.
Perthshire, Blairgowrie, Highland, Dundee, Ross Sutherland, Howe of Fife, Mackie and Aberdeen Wanderers are all involved.