Emotional evening for Ayr as

AYR rounded off a stunning season at Murrayfield last night when they picked up the RBS Club of the Season award, even if their coach was not there to witness it.

kenny Murray had a good excuse. His wife kirsteen gave birth to their second child, Orla, on Thursday and while his players and fellow coaches were enjoying a night out in the capital he was returning home from hospital with his wife and daughters.

That has merely added to the feeling of celebration around Ayr RFC, however, after the club claimed its first league and cup double. Club president Billy McHarg stood in to lift the silverware last night and assistant coach Peter Laverie admitted it was an emotional end to a season that Ayr will never forget.

“everyone is delighted for kenny and the family,” he said, “and it does sum up what has been a very special season for the club.

“Looking back, the first league win [in 2008-9] changed the whole feeling around the club, from being perennial challeng- ers, under-achievers, boys from the backwater maybe, to a team that deserved its place among the Melroses, Hawicks, Curries and Glasgow Hawks of the game. To then win the cup in 2010 and 2011 and compete in the British and irish cup kept interest high at the club, and maintained the momentum among supporters.”

So, which was the more important – the league, cup or the first “double” for Ayr, which lifts the club into an elite group with Melrose, Hawick and Glasgow Hawks of “double” teams in 18 years of league and cup competition? “To get the double was a