(^2021)
Broughton’s centenary fling
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WITH JUST A FEW WEEKS until
their competitive season gets
underway with a home fixture
against Leinster on 20 September
Edinburgh Rugby (ER) were put
through their paces by the Army.
Arthur’s Seat was the backdrop
as soldiers from the Royal
Regiment of Scotland’s 2nd
Battalion (2 SCOTS) pushed the
players to their physical limits.
A gruelling session under Sgt
John Fleming included carrying
heavy logs, dummies and jerry
cans across tricky terrain.
Ben Vellacott, Edinburgh scrum
half, said: “We’re used to hard
training and know we need to be
at the top of our game,
particularly when approaching a
new season. Training with the
SCOTS was the definition of
intense and really pushed us to
our limits mentally and physically.
It was a great way to train
differently, and I know we all
benefited from it.”
Sgt Fleming said: “Our training
is tough and acts as a reality
check for even the fittest of
people, but it provides invaluable
insights into the discipline and
resilience required at the highest
level of physical training. It was
a pleasure to deliver the session
and they handled the pressure
very well. We SCOTS wish
them the best of luck in the
new season.”
Mark Robertson ER Head of
Strength and Conditioning said:
“It was refreshing to see the
players outside of their usual
training comfort zones, being
pushed to their physical limits by
the SCOTS. These players are
tough and resilient, but it’s always
good to keep them on their toes.”
THE VOICE OF SPORT
Championship win
for Grange
GRANGE CRICKET CLUB are the 2024
Cricket Scotland T20 champions after a
successful finals day hosted by the Stirling
County club.
In the final Grange’s total of 134-
featuring 43 from Chris Greaves and
supported by Finlay McCreath (35) proved
too much for Falkland. The Fife team was
restricted to 116-6 with Robbie
McGlasham and Jasper Davidson taking
two wickets apiece.
Earlier Grange had overcome
Forfarshire at the penultimate stage.
After finishing on 112 the capital side
got home with nine runs to spare.
Grange CC used the same eleven
players in both ties.
The squad included: Angus Brown,
captain, Liam Smith, Chris Greaves, Finlay
McCreath, Jasper Davidson, Ben Davidson,
Callum Swanson, Campbell Swanson,
Charlie Peet, Robbie McGlasham and
Louis Bennet.
Grange are champions
DURING THE NEW CLUB rugby season north
Edinburgh’s Broughton club will stage a number
of events to mark its centenary.
First up will be a “President’s Day” lunch
scheduled for 12 October – almost exactly 100
years to the day when Broughton kicked off
against the long defunct United Colleges.
President this year is Kevin Mcarthur
although among Broughton’s claims to fame is
that they are believed to be in a rare breed who
have had TWO women serve as overall club
president.
These are the pioneering Rebecca
Glendenning (née Long) and more recently,
Steph Fleming.
Mark Brown, who is producing a book on the
club’s history, said: “In 2003 Rebecca became our
first female president in 89 years and the club
takes pride in the way we have embraced the
women’s game. It signals inclusivity and the
women bring a lot to what is now essentially a
player run club.
“Things have changed to the point where we
find rugby teams are much more transient;
players tend to come along because their friends
have told them it is a good place to be involved
rather than through any structured pathway.”
Many who have played at Broughton’s home
ground of Wardie will be familiar with a
notorious sloping pitch.
Mark explains: “Our slope is to do with
drainage issues from when Nissan huts occupied
the ground commandeered by the Royal Navy
during the second world war.”
If that remains a talking point then older
members recall with pride, too, a Broughton
team of talents including Eric Donaldson, Neil
Mayfield Bowling Club
150 years not out
LOCAL MEMBER GAVIN THOMSON
scooped the £400 prize for winning Mayfield
Bowling Club’s 150th anniversary tournament
and is pictured receiving the trophy from past
president, Ian Miller.
A further £600 was distributed between
competitors in women’s and junior events.
The Mayfield club, in Cobden Road in
Edinburgh’s Southside, was founded in 1874 by
residents of the newly built surrounding houses.
The first work on the green started on 25 August
1874 hence the club held a celebratory “Birthday
Bash” in August with a toast at midnight.
Other festivities included a home and away
match against the Bainfield club who are
celebrating their 100th birthday this year.
Over the years the club have produced
Scottish internationalists in R Ogilvie (1932),
Alexander McEwan (1938 and ’39), and Walter
Cossar (1962) as well as Scottish singles
Lorem ipsum
Ireland’s Des O’Brien.
Irishman Syd Millar, a British Lions player,
coach and manager, once spoke at the annual
Broughton club dinner.
All these events could not have happened
without a stalwart backroom team and Mark
Brown pays tribute to the likes of Sandy Scott
who ran the clubhouse bar for over 30 years,
Tom Richardson, Hwyl Williams, Gordon
McMillan, club secretary for 34 years and Olive
Lyall, an SRU “Volunteer of the Month” award
winner.
Mark said: “What today’s players are unlikely
to understand is that these officials would often
run up to five teams each weekend using only a
pay phone and postcards notifying selection
unlike the internet world of today.”
Fisher, David McIntosh, Dougie Gallagher,
Jimmy Calder and Gordon Hockaday, among
others, who enjoyed a halcyon period largely
before league rugby was introduced in 1973.
Latterly, Broughton have been particularly
well served by Duncan Nicolson, a prop forward
who many felt could have gained much more
exalted status.
One promotion came in 2004-05 when
Division Five (East) was won 24 hours before a
fixture against the touring Swedish national side!
Broughton has welcomed many international
stars thanks to their ‘hottest ticket in town’
pre-international lunch towards the end of the
amateur era with speakers such as British Lions
John Taylor and Gerald Davies from Wales
happy to give their services for free along with
CORSTORPHINE ATHLETIC
CLUB’S Together Officer Harry
Baird has been named as one of
the first ten recipients of the 2024
Eric Liddell Recognition Awards.
The awards recognise the
passion, compassion and integrity
of outstanding individuals who
contribute to Scottish athletics.
The purpose of Harry’s position
has been described as
“contributing to a thriving
development structure, focusing
on recruiting and developing
coaches and fostering athlete
pathways, to ensure a vibrant
athletics club sits at the centre of
sustainable athletics
development within the
community”.
scottishathletics, the governing
body, will select 20 winners this
year as part of the Eric Liddell 100
programme of events and
activities to celebrate the athlete,
who won his legendary Olympic
400m gold in Paris a century ago,
and whose story was
immortalised in the 1981 film
Chariots of Fire.
Harry, who also acts as Club
Together Officer at Forth Valley
Flyers, Falkirk Victoria Harriers
and Lasswade AC, was chosen for
his commitment to the role and
becoming a Level 4 official.
In its announcement,
scottishathletics said: “Harry’s
passion is further highlighted by
his collaboration with local
authorities and Active Schools
teams to support pathways and
athletics development,
showcasing his unwavering
commitment to the sport and its
community.”
Harry received a unique pin
badge and signed Scotland Joma
vest from Liddell’s niece, Sue
Caton, at the Eric Liddell Senior/
under-17 Championships at
Grangemouth.
Harry said: “Although I was
aware of the programme, I had no
idea I had been nominated until I
got a message informing me that
I had won one.
“The nomination came from
Forth Valley Flyers, whom I have
supported through a very
turbulent 18 months.
“As the nominations come from
our peers, it is satisfying even to
be nominated.
“But it’s very humbling that it
was rubber-stamped by
scottishathletics among so many
other worthy nominations.
“Having been raised in
the church, I was aware of Eric’s
story even before the film
brought him wider exposure.
“It is utterly surreal to have my
name mentioned in the same
sentence as such an icon.”
Harry keeps it together with award
Stewart’s Melville
women are T20 champs
Padethon serves up
boost for charity
STEWART’S MELVILLE won the
Beyond Boundaries Scottish
Women’s Cricket T20 competition
for the first time when they defeated
the holders West of Scotland in the
final held at the home of Stirling
County CC.
An unbeaten partnership of 86
from Emma Walsingham (45) and
Lucy Pillinger (26) led Stewart’s
Melville home with nine overs to
spare after West had been restricted
to 85 runs.
Earlier, in an all-Edinburgh
semi-final, Stewart’s Melville
notched 96-5 to edge past Carlton’s
95-6 with seven balls remaining.
The winning line-up from
Stew-Mel includes Emma
Walshingham, Lucy Pillinger, Lucy
Forrester-Smith, Emily Duguid, Lois
Wilkinson, Faatima Gardee, Iris
Conlin, Izzy Armstrong, Mariam
Akram, Diya Shukla and Megan Hay.
BELIEVED TO BE the UK’s first non-stop
padel extravaganza, at Hatton Club
Kirknewton, (the annual Hatton
Padethon) raised more than £10,000 for
charity Marie Curie. This was a gesture of
support for the hospice which has
assisted members of the club.
Highlights included a visit by ex world
veterans champion, Fermin Novillo, who
provided an exhibition while an East of
Scotland team captained by Ross
Murdoch defeated West counterparts.
The exercise, a repeat of last year’s
successful venture, was again organised
by Craig McBride.
Donations are still being accepted.
Look for padethon2024 on Just Giving.
Edinburgh City
champion Andrew Binnie (1972) and Lorraine
Ross (East of Scotland ladies champion, 1993).
The club’s ladies section was formed in 1957
and a highlight of the subsequent period was
providing training facilities for the Fijian
bowls squad who contested the 1986
Commonwealth Games.
President Scott Kearsley said: “Currently we
have over 90 bowling members ranging from
13-90+ years of age. In addition we have a Social
membership of around 40 who attend events
such as live acts, quizzes, bingo, pool and darts.
“Local residents association called “The
Waverley Feuars” hold their AGM at the
bowling club as well as social events such as
quizzes and ceilidhs.”
A more recent innovation has been a link up
with Edinburgh Thistle Football Club. T
he bowling club sponsor the jerseys of the
footballers who, in return, use bar facilities p
Edinburgh Rugby whipped into shape
ost match.
Mr Kearsley said an emphasis had been
placed on youth recruitment including from
the 28th Blackford Scout Troop who use the
green occasionally. He said: “We look forward
to a bright future. Following recruitment
campaigns we have attracted 39 new members
in the last 18 months. We have reduced our
entry age to eight years old from March 2025
we hope to complete the fund raising to install
a defibrillator on the outside wall of the club
for the entire community.”
Broughton
going strong
Edinburgh Rugby being put through their paces
Gavin Thomson gets his
trophy from Ian Miller
Corstorphine Athletic
Stew Mel women
Mark Brown
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