Peebles
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introduction to senior rugby. Peebles
High School is one of the best performing
state schools and unfortunately a
significant proportion of our youth
teams leave the area for university. We
try to encourage these players to join
teams in their new regions and regularly
end up playing against players we have
developed in league matches in Glasgow
or Aberdeen.”
Community
“We do consider our club very
much part of the community locally; the
clubrooms host parties and events for
other local sports clubs as well as charity
fund raising events. The clubroom is used
for coffee mornings and as a meeting
place for other local organisations. One
of my ambitions as Chairman is to try
to create closer links with other sports
clubs in the area to try to grow from a
rugby club to a more integrated sports
club.”
Challenges
“Rugby in Scotland is about to
undergo some significant changes
with the SRU proposing the creation
of a semi-pro level and enforcement of
amateur status on the club game below.
At Peebles we have already moved to
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a completely amateur set up. We have
previously paid one or two players from
overseas to strengthen our squads, while
this worked in the short term it often had
detrimental effects in discouraging local
players.
If the SRU successfully create a semi-
pro system we will most likely be faced
with a drain on players as effectively
over 200 players will be removed from
the amateur game. The knock on from
this will be felt all the way down the
system and second team rugby, which
is already proving very difficult, could
suffer significantly. Without strength
in depth clubs such as ours could
struggle to perform at the level required,
particularly with the requirement for
front row players.”
Ambitions
“As a club our rugby ambitions are
clear; we would like to have a first team
performing comfortably in the top two
or three divisions of amateur rugby in
Scotland. We would like to produce the
vast majority of our players through our
own youth system and we would like our
colts and U16 teams to be challenging to
win the Border semi-junior league.
We would also like to increase the
representation from Peebles at age
group District and international level.
Off the pitch, we want to develop our
infrastructure, improve our gym and
training facilities and to renovate our
clubrooms to make them more attractive
for events. Becoming more outward
looking and involving other sports clubs
and local groups in our community
activities will also prove vital in setting
the club at the heart of the community.”