Hamilton Rugby Club to start competitive pre-season warm-ups

Jul 29 2010 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

HAMILTON Rugby Club will start their competitive pre-season programme next month as they prepare for another crack at Scottish Hydro Premier 3.

The Bulls will take part in the Lasswade 15-a-side tournament alongside Workington, Peebles, Musselburgh, Haddington, North Berwick, Forrester and the host team on Saturday, August 7.

Hamilton then visit last season’s Premier 3 champions Hillhead/Jordanhill on Tuesday, August 10, before travelling to take on Premier 2 cracks Kelso on Saturday, August 14.

On the same day, the 2nds travel to face former coach Ian Morrison’s Garnock.

Hamilton complete their programme by hosting Ellon and Scunthorpe at Laigh Bent on Saturday, August 21.

New head coach Dale Lyon is looking forward to the challenges ahead and said: “It is a tough schedule but with a number of youngsters coming up from the youth ranks we want to give as many members of the squad as much game time as possible.

“I still hope to add a couple of players to the squad after losing Craig Sangster and Ali Marshall to Falkirk over the summer but the bulk of the squad have remained and a number of last season’s 2nds will be pushing hard for a 1st XV place this year.

“Last season, the 1st XV finished fourth in Premier 3 and the 2nds went one better, finishing third in the National Reserve League Division Two, with only Melrose and Currie ahead of them.

“This year I expect the squad to build on this experience and I look forward to the new season with confidence.”

Lyon is also looking forward to the new-look Premier Cup competition, which pitches Hamilton in with Currie, Aberdeen Grammar and Howe of Fife in Pool A.

He said: “While over the years, the old National Cup provided some exciting matches and the odd giant-killing results, in the most recent past there were just too many mismatches, with Premier sides running up massive scores against weaker opposition.

“I think this new approach will provide more balanced games and give more teams the opportunity to progress in their respective competitions.

“The new format for the Premier Cup is exciting and, with each side playing the others in the pool, guarantees them three games.

“We face a tough challenge in our first game against Currie, which will be extremely difficult, having never won a competitive game at 1st XV level against the Edinburgh side, but with home advantage and a big Laigh Bent crowd behind us, we will look to take something from the game.

“Over the years, our games against Howe at Duffus Park have been fiercely competitive. Last season, we lost our league match by just two points and I expect it will be another close contest.

“Having Aberdeen at home in our last game is ideal. We haven’t played the Rubislaw side in the last two seasons but had some exciting games when we were both in Premier 2.

“I suspect they won’t relish the trip south in February.”

Meanwhile, the Laigh Bent club report that the newly re-laid pitches at Laigh Bent are on course for the visit of Ellon and Scunthorpe on August 21, and the first home game of the new season against Ardrossan Academicals on Saturday, September 4.

Lyon is looking forward to getting back to home soil and admitted it has been difficult to find alternative accommodation over the summer.

He said: “The facilities haven’t been ideal as the club continues on their major refurbishment programme but I am sure that the long-term benefits of the new facilities will be well worth the short-term challenges we have faced.

“We have had to work in a restricted training area as the contractors continue to prepare the new playing surface and with the club gym also having a make-over our new conditioning coach Lawson Steele has had to set the fitness programmes and then leave it to the players to undertake it on their own.

“Despite this, the boys have responded well and our grounds convener Sandy Kilpatrick has made sure that the training area has been set up to allow us to undertake all of our planned sessions three times a week over the summer.

“With the start of the league season now less than a month away, we have stepped up preparations and move to competitive games next week.”

The club are again running their August summer camps for youth players.

The P4-S2 age group session takes place on August 10-12, with the under-15-18s on August 12 and 13.

Further information can be obtained at: www.hamiltonrugbyclub.co.uk.