THIS MORNING'S sermon is directed at the club officials at Ardrossan Academicals, Carrick, Cumnock, Garnock, Irvine and Kilmarnock Rugby Clubs. My text is stark, taken from the Book of Ayrshire Rugby Lore: It is - If that bunch of bar stewards from Troon can do it – what's holding you lot back?
As we say here in God's County, it's nae loss what a frien' gets, so I am delighted this morning for my many friends at Marr: President Stephen Allum, “TP the VP”, Glenn D, Jim McGuffie, Kevin Quinn, Peter and John Brown, Billy Cuthbertson, Jim Park, Dave Haywood, Robin McEwan, John Sharkey, Coach Craig Redpath, not forgetting the guy who is the glue at Fortress Fullarton – Jim Caldwell, plus others too-numerous to mention.
Championees
Enjoy your success at Malleny Park yesterday, you deserved to win, your boys done good. Now comes the difficult bit – retaining it. We know, one or two are heading off to Super6, and good luck to them. You know, perhaps better than any of us, the likes of Currie, Hawick and whoever comes up from National League 1 will be coming for you. There is now a huge target on the back of the shirts.
But, to return to my theme. If Marr can rise from the depths,why is it that next season, West Regional League 1 looks like being an Ayrshire League, with up to half a dozen of the county's clubs involved there? Sure, that will be great, it will be ultra-competitive, but, I'd rather see them all playing in the same National League – if we are still to have National Leagues.
Marr were, not that long ago, down there with the deadwood, but, they got their act together and are now Scotland's top club – well, I ask the rest of the gang - what's holding you lot back? Let's get up there too.
IT WOULD be remiss of me not to pay tribute to Currie Chieftains, for their part in yesterday's match. It must be so-frustrating for them, leading the league for so long, only to fall at the final hurdle. They will be hurting this morning, but, they can be proud of their season and their part in a titanic struggle. There are too-many good men at Malleny, the likes of Phil Thomas and Mark Cairns and the coaching staff, for them not to be in the mix again next season.
A word too to referee Ross Mabon. The boy from Langholm played a blinder in demonstrating what rude health Scottish refereeing is in at the moment. A lot of hard work behind the scenes has gone into raising the standard of our referees. Not that long ago, our officials were a joke, now we have Mikey Adamson and Hollie Davidson recognised as among the best in the business, with Ben Blain and Sam Grove-White also now gaining international recognition.
Below that elite bunch, we have the likes of Keith Allen, Ian Kenny, Finlay Brown and now Ross, being recognised as very-good whistlers. Our refereeing has never been so-strong.
BUT, and what a shame, there has to be a but, Saturday's show was, for me, somewhat spoiled by the SRU's Amateur Hour presentation of their on-line broadcast.
It was supposed to start at 2.50pm. I didn't get a picture and words until around 2.59 and 30 seconds. This meant we missed most of ten minutes which could have been used as build-up, interviews with the coaches etc, a re-hash of how they got there.
Then there was the commentary!! Stuart McFarlane gave his normal, polished performance as the match-caller, but, FFS, from what Borders bog did they dig-up Dale Clancy – not a name with which I am familiar. A Google search revealed him as a former Peebles captain.
Well, I don't think he's ever been past Harthill Cross, he certainly hadn't done his homework on Marr and spoke in clichés. I was almost longing to hear Austin Healy by the end.
SATURDAY got worse, as I watched our Women lose to a fairly average Welsh team. But, given Toony's Troops fell to an even-more-average Welsh male XV, we should have expected Saturday's defeat. The longer the game went on, the more-obvious it was that Wales were going to win, and, as for that spell of pressure we had with the clock in the red, the one thing which surprised me was, it took us so-long to cough-up possession.
If the SRU is ever going to be serious about Women's Rugby, and Ah hae ma doots on this, then they need to start spending the cash. A Women's Super6 or Super8, with an element of full-time, centrally-contracted professionals, might be a good place to start. Or, how about trying to get full-time Edinburgh and Glasgow Women's teams playing?
THE SRU has been announcing their Regional Volunteer Awards this week. Too many to mention, but, well done to all the recipients, without volunteers and the many hours they put in, an essentially amateur sport such as Rugby Union fails.
But, please indulge me as I mention one particular winner. Glasgow South's Adam Grey Memorial Award, presented in memory of maybe the best President the SRU never had, the late Adam Grey, went to Adam's great friend and fellow Stewartry stalwart, John Low.
From player to president, 'Ludo' has done everything for the Castle Douglas club. To me, he has for more years than I care to remember, been Mr Stewartry. I am certain, up in that great committee room in the sky, Adam is delighted to see his award going to one of his oldest friends in the game.
Every successful club needs a John Low, it has been Stewartry's good fortune to have him over all these years. A fantastic honour for a great club man.
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