Farewell Arthur - One Of The Very-Good Guys

I HAVE a soft spot for Marr Rugby; (it's a bog just off the drove road between Muirkirk and Sanquhar). But seriously, with a couple of exceptions (you know who you are “Jack and Victor”) they are as fine a body of men as you could meet across the world of rugby – and the Troon Ladies are very-special as well.

 

 Arthur Dunsmuir - front row center, at Marr RFC's Fullarton ground

Marr remains, first and foremost, a genuine rugby club, largely free from the erse holes, wearing pink and black ties they didn't really earn on the park, you find elsewhere in Ayrshire.

My thoughts are with the Fullarton crew at the moment, as they mourn the passing of one of their own, since Arthur Dunsmuir has graduated to the great clubhouse in the sky.

Arthur was Troon Royalty. He was a past captain and president of Marr, and, during his tenure as Captain of Royal Troon Golf Club, he had hosted The Open in 2004 – you don't get greater honour than that in Troon.

Needless to say, he had learned the game at Marr College, going on to be a stalwart of Marr College FP, as Marr were known until 1971. The way things worked in Troon was simple – the likes of the late Brian Gilbert, and later John Sharkey, taught the basics of the game at the College, then you received your real rugby educatin from the likes of Arthur, with the club.

He was a Master of the Dark Arts of the Front Row, forming a fearsome trio with Tony McGuffie and Jake Connell. His lessons in how to play in the front five were passed on to some distinguished youngsters – Peter and Gordon Brown, and Billy Cuthbertson.

They moved on the star for Scotland, and in Broon's case, the Lions, Arthur remained in Troon, passing on the torch, as player, captain, coach and club official.

As a brash young forward myself, I received some bumps and a few hard knocks from Arthur in the white heat of Ayrshire inter-club games. He was a great competitor. If you took liberties with Arthur, he would respond in kind, but, when the final whistle blew, he was wonderful company in the clubhouse and a generous host in the Fullarton bar.

In their rise to their current exalted position within the club game in Scotland, Marr has had its share of set-backs. When times got tough, however, such as after the disastrous clubhouse fire, Arthur was one of the first to answer the call and get things sorted out.

Indeed, older Marr members will tell you, when Marr were struggling down in the regional leagues, it was Arthur, at an age when few were seen in a tracksuit, who came out of retirement to coach the club and set it on its way.

He was an inspiration and his coaching legacy is being carried-on by son Keith, still, today, one of the main men around Fullarton.

My sincere condolences to everyone at Marr RFC, and to the wider Dunsmuir family. We have lost one of the very-best of the good guys with Arthur's passing.

I well recall the last thing Arthur said to me – at one of the excellent pre-match Fullarton lunches. It was: “Most of the stuff you write is still shite, but, now and again, you get something right, so, keep it up.” I will try Arthur, I will try – and thanks for the advice.

I ENJOYED Friday night's Gallagher Premiership offering from BT Sport. Leicester v London Irish wasn't one of those WOW!! games, but, there was enough good rugby to satisfy.

What it did have was another bravura performance from the man who has now succeeded Nigel Owens as the world's best referee. Wayne Barnes has come a long way in the game – we used to rank him alongside the likes of George Clancy, but, today, he's clearly the top man.

He had one or two tough calls to make last night, but, he made them with clarity and precision and, to me, he got them right – even the red or yellow card calls.

Given the low standard of English referees at the moment, Wayne's Rugby World is in a different galaxy, he has become a class act.

I STARTED in Ayrshire, so I will finish there, down the coast slightly at Millbrae, where there is a mix of jubilation and sadness, at the news, Pete Murchie (pictured below), has been snapped-up by Glasgow Warriors, to replace the departed Kelly Brown on their coaching staff.

 

Since the FOSROC Super6 was put into cold storage at the start of the Covid crisis, Pete has been, if you like, auditioning, up at Scotstoun. He has clearly impressed Danny Wilson and been given the gig on a permanent basis. It is a return “home” for the Warriors' playing centurion and as such, he's a good fit for the club.

He will be sorely missed by Ayrshire Bulls, however, and it will be interesting to see who Billy McHarg and Glenn Tippett bring in to fill their coaching vacancy.

Pete has done well in his time at Millbrae, I wish him well in his new role up the road at Scotstoun.