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Articles by Matt Vallance

About Matt Vallance
Matt is a former member of Cumnock Rugby Club's 'Mean Machine' - motto: "Well, we won the fight". He has written about some 60 sports in a long career, mainly spent freelancing for, amongst others: The Herald, The Scotsman, The Sunday Times, Scotland on Sunday, the late-lamented Sunday Standard and just about every national paper. He survived a spell at the Paisley Daily Express, covering St Mirren and the Paisley Pirates every week. He now writes a lot of sporting obituaries, since he saw many of his subjects play. Opinionated, passionate and, as one Bill McMurtire once said: "The only Cumnock member (other than Mark Bennett) who can be let out without an escort". In his 70th year, Matt, known to many as: 'Snuff', still has a few noses to get up. Unfulfilled ambition - to live long enough to see Scotland beat the All Blacks.
John Roxburgh was Scottish Rugby's first technical director
Features

Obituary: John Roxburgh: rugby player, coach and pioneering administrator

31 May 2023 Matt Vallance 1

Was also director of rugby at Glasgow Hawks when they were the dominant club in Scotland at the start of this century …

Blair Jardine smashes his way through Musselburgh's defensive line to score his second try. Image: Kevin Quinn
Clubland

Premiership: champions Marr pick up from where they left off against Musselburgh

27 August 2022 Matt Vallance Comments Off on Premiership: champions Marr pick up from where they left off against Musselburgh

Victorious head coach Craig Redpath says his team is still a “work in progress” …

Niven Rose (front and centre) played for Scotland B and was part of the Kilmarnock seven which was the dominant force i the west during the 1970s. Image courtesy: 'Rugby Memories Scotland'
Clubland

Double blow for Kilmarnock as two stalwarts pass away

24 July 2022 Matt Vallance 10

Niven Rose and Eddie Harris played central roles in club’s rise to close to the summit of Scottish club rugby in the late 1970s …

Watsonians made it five from five in the Super6 Sprint Series with win over Ayrshire Bulls at Millbrae. Image: George McMillan
Ayrshire Bulls

Super6 Sprint: Watsonians hold on to clinch win over Ayrshire Bulls

21 May 2022 Matt Vallance Comments Off on Super6 Sprint: Watsonians hold on to clinch win over Ayrshire Bulls

Edinburgh side finish pre-split section of the season with a record of five wins from five matches …

Scotland and Lions legend Tom Smith presented the match ball ahead of Scpotland'sm Autumn Test match against South Africa last November. image: © Craig Watson - www.craigwatson.co.uk
Features

Obituary: Tom Smith: a giant of Scottish and Lions rugby

8 April 2022 Matt Vallance 3

Understated character with an iron will, who was the prototype modern prop …

GHA v Jed
Clubland

GHA v Jed-Forest: season ends in a flurry of tries as home team prevail

12 March 2022 Matt Vallance Comments Off on GHA v Jed-Forest: season ends in a flurry of tries as home team prevail

GHA 38 Jed-Forest 21 MATT VALLANCE @ Braidholm THE Tennent’s Premiership season 2021-22 ended with a nine-try flourish in the Braidholm sunshine. Neither of these sides will be involved in the end-of-season play-offs, but, they …

J Anderson and J Kirk remain uncapped despite being part of this Scottish XV which beat the New Zealand Army.
Features

President’s Caps would be the ideal way to recognise Scottish rugby’s war heroes

29 December 2021 Matt Vallance 6

Matt Vallance urges the Council of the Scottish Rugby Union to move swiftly to recognise players who represented Scotland in the ‘Services’ and ‘Victory’ Internationals …

Craig Redpath, who now coaches Marr, sat on the bench for Scotland during the Grand Slam season and played a non-cap 'Test' against Samoa in 1993. Image: © Craig Watson - www.craigwatson.co.uk
Features

Is it time for the SRU to recognise Scotland’s uncapped international heroes?

28 December 2021 Matt Vallance 29

Matt Vallance lists 23 players he believes should be retrospectively awarded full caps after appearing in non-cap internationals …

Ernie Michie was one of the greats of Scottish rugby, and a Lions tourist in 1955. Image courtesy: Highland RFC
International

Obituary: Ernie Michie: 1955 Lions tourist who helped end Scotland’s 17 match losing run

17 November 2021 Matt Vallance 2

Scotland and Lions second-row, who has died at the age of 88, was a tearaway on the park and a gentleman off it …

Ayr's ambitious plans for a redevelopment of Millbrae and purchase of a second venue have been given the green light by club members.. Image: © Craig Watson - www.craigwatson.co.uk
Ayr RFC

Ayr Rugby Club unveil big plans for £3 million legacy windfall

5 November 2021 Matt Vallance 7

The McDonald Legacy has been set up to help the club redevelop Millbrae and purchase nearby Dam Park from South Ayrshire Council …

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