Rugby stars gain Warriors wisdom
Oban High School has been rubbing shoulders with some of the country's top rugby players while competing in the 2019 SP Energy Networks Warriors Championship at Scotstoun Stadium.
Five schools took part in the qualifying day last Wednesday with Oban High School up against Falkirk High School, Cumnock Academy, Maxwelltown High School and winners Lenzie Academy, who qualified for the semi-finals.
A total of 204 tries were scored during an entertaining 30 matches involving an S1 and S2 boys' team and an under-15 girls' team from each school.
Oban High School pupils once again made the long journey down the west coast to compete but their S1 captain Finlay Brown said the trip south was worth it.
‘We have a really great team and I enjoy the camaraderie of playing in this competition. I also like the challenge of competing against all the other schools and trying to work out how we beat them.'
Finlay has been involved in rugby since he was in primary two.
‘I really enjoy the contact and team work involved,' he added. ‘I play full-back and like tackling and running from full-back like Stuart Hogg.
‘I'm also a fan of Edinburgh Rugby's Magnus Bradbury because he is from Oban and I used to know him when I was younger.'
Across their 12 matches, Oban High School's three sides scored an impressive 62 tries, winning eight and drawing one.
Scotland and Glasgow Warriors rugby star Huw Jones took time out from his injury rehab to watch the Oban High School players in action. He also passed on some advice during a break from play.
Jones was joined on the sidelines by fellow Warriors DTH van der Merwe, Ryan Wilson and Stuart Hogg. Jones said: ‘Watching all the girls and boys today reminds me of my past and when I started. Seeing them having so much fun brings back fond memories.
‘My two older brothers played and my dad was a rugby coach when he was a school teacher.
‘We had rugby balls lying all over the house and garden so I was playing from a very young age. I played football, cricket and other sports but when I got to 16 I decided rugby was my favourite.
‘It was the sport I was best at and I would say to the youngsters today, if they enjoy playing rugby, keep playing.'
At the beginning of the 2017/18 season, Glasgow Warriors announced a landmark three-year partnership with SP Energy Networks which saw them become the club's official community partner.
More than 1,000 girls and boys from 25 schools are competing in this year's competition.