THE fixture schedules for schools, youth and adult club rugby next season have been published with the campaign to kick-off on 4th September.
The first round of matches in the Tennent’s Premiership – the top tier of the men’s game – is as follows:
- Musselburgh v GHA
- Jed-Forest v Selkirk
- Aberdeen Grammar v Edinburgh Academical
- Hawick v Currie Chieftains
- Marr RFC v Glasgow Hawks
To see the full fixture schedule for all leagues, click HERE.
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Carrick and Caithness men’s 1st XVs have elected to step down from National League Division 3 to their respective Regional League Division 1 competitions. No teams have moved up to replace them, therefore creating a 10-team league for National 3 for the coming season. Below National 3, the leagues remain in separate regional competitions.
There is promising news in the women’s game, with eight new teams from across the country set to enter the Tennent’s League structure for the upcoming season.
Women’s 1st XV teams from Dunfermline RFC, Dundee Valkyries, Turriff RFC, Fraserburgh RFC, Perthshire RFC, Bishopton RFC and Caithness RFC will transition into the competitive league structure from their previous regional development structure. Cartha Queen’s Park also see the addition of their first Women’s 2nd XV enter the competitive set-up.
Further changes are reflected following the decision to accept the request from Ayr Rugby Women’s 1st XV to step down from the Premiership to National League Division 1 and their place in the Premiership offered and accepted by Heriot’s Women’s 1st XV having been the runner up in the Premiership Play Off in Season 2019.
Oban Lorne Women’s 1st XV have also stepped down from National League Division 1 to West Regional League Division 1 and their place in National 1 is being taken by Kelso Women’s 1st XV as runners up in the Regional Play Off Final in Season 2019.
The upcoming season for the school game includes eight Schools Conferences for boys at U13, U14, U15, U16 and U18 levels in: Borders Town, Caledonia A, East A, East B, East C, East Development, West A and West B.
Outcomes from the above Conferences will determine progression to the National Schools Cup and Shield competitions, set to take place between January and March 2022.
School Conference fixtures were communicated to participating schools on Monday 14 June and can be found, HERE.
“I’m so pleased we are able to confirm the Youth and Schools and adult fixtures for the upcoming season. We know players, coaches and volunteers have been looking forward to getting back to the sport they love and now it is at last in sight,” said Scottish Rugby’s Director of Rugby Development Sheila Begbie.
“It has been an exciting few months seeing the domestic game come back to life as training and friendly fixtures have resumed across the country. To see all this activity met with such enthusiasm from clubs, schools and players has been really heartening.
“Whilst we still need to remain cautious because of the nature of coronavirus, today is a positive step forward towards what we hope will be an enthralling season of rugby.”
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Hate to be pessimistic but given how difficult it is to run professional rugby with its budgets for bubbles and testing, can’t really see this new season being viable. We can’t even get the A team international played so how are we going to have a full amateur season? Would very much like to be wrong
The peak month for births is September.
Surely 1st January is the simplest annual date.
Do we still continue with the scenario that youths can still play both school rugby & club rugby as I am out of touch here with current best practice.
Will school conference sides be required that all players are still at school vs say being U18 on Aug31 but having left school? It is a grey area as Club U18 sides can have players who have left school. It can create real disparity in physicality of competetion likely only exacerbated after a season off. Safety, equity and payer retention need to be balanced.
Do we still continue with the scenario that youths can still play both school rugby & club rugby as I am out of touch here with current best practice.
No above u16 you cant due to playing time restrictions. The issue is allowing school leavers into a school side allows multiple players from school year above to play down a year. It is in some ways no different to preponderance for age shifted private school pupils in Edinburgh where large numbers of Sept-Feb born are “held back” and as such are often 18 month older than the opposition. It is a problem which is best acknowledged. The only sure fix would be to stick to Jan1-Dec31 dates as per all grade Rugby. A clear 1 year window. Not a pick and choose 18 month one….