Jura Rugby Club plays first game in 30 years
NEARLY three decades after its foundation, the Isle of Jura Rugby Club finally held its first game this summer.
The Hebridean island has a population rising above 200, with 5,000 deer, mountainous Paps, wilderness and whisky, but some islanders felt it also needed a rival to the neighbouring Islay Rugby Club.
Auspiciously, on the eighth day of the eighth month in 1988, ‘a bunch of guys with Jura connections decided to form a club,’ explained Jura Rugby Club’s president Alasdair Watson. ‘This year we decided to do something about it - things move slowly.’
Mr Watson said: ‘There is now a sign saying: Welcome to Jura Rugby Club. We bought some rugby posts and had a game.’ The club, based at Mr Watson’s house in Craighouse, has applied to join the Scottish Rugby Union, and has a new dark blue and white strip.
‘We have got our own crest,’ Mr Watson added: ‘The badge has the Paps, deer and rugby posts.’
Men from all walks of life doctors, lawyers, policemen, dentists, upholsters, and even one former Scotland B player gathered for Jura Rugby Club’s first game in Craighouse on the weekend of June 3-4.
One member reassured potential players on the club’s Facebook page: ‘For peace of mind anyone worried about levels of fitness and/or sports injuries, I am a fully qualified First Aid instructor specialising in CPR and mouth-tomouth resuscitation.’
In the event, at least two dozen club members turned up.
‘We did a seven-a-side,’ Mr Watson said. ‘We played it on the hotel field which is an ideal size.’
The result? JRFC’s first fixture was a draw and players amicably relaxed with refreshing pints under the palm trees at Jura Hotel.
‘We will have another game next year,’ Mr Watson mused. ‘The ideal first 15 game is against Islay. It would be like Rangers versus Celtic.
‘There will never be a league. I do not think Jura could sustain a club that could play regularly, but we could have invitation games with holiday makers and islanders.
‘We have donated the posts to the island in the hope islanders will take up the game.
‘They are in my garage ready for anyone who wants them. Anyone who wants to play rugby on Jura hopefully will be able to do it.’