STIRLING COUNTY have confirmed the departure of 11 players from their FOSROC Super6 squad following the 2019-2020 season.
Second-row Cameron Henderson has signed a professional contract with Leicester Tigers, making four Gallagher Premiership appearances since making the move south.
Following a partnership deal with both Stirling County and Glasgow Warriors last season, Sean Kennedy has joined the Warriors on a short-term deal until the end of the year.
Fly-half Josh Henderson has made a move to Hong Kong to pursue an international career in his mother’s homeland, while Ross Bundy has moved to France to join RC Narbonne’s youth setup following a loan spell at Darlington Mowden Park in the second half of last season.
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Centre Robbie Kent, who played a key part in County’s campaign last season – making an appearance in nine of the ten league games – departs due to a busy work schedule.
Three players step away to concentrate on their studies. Fergus Bradbury will pursue further education whilst Bruce Sorbie has moved to Aberdeen and Aaron Thomson has made the move down south to study in Leeds.
Prop Charlie Brown, who has moved back to England, and Mark New, who travelled from Stonehaven last season, will both now focus on careers outside of rugby. Winger Andrew McLean takes a break from rugby with an ongoing injury.
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Head coach Ben Cairns will announce new additions to his squad in the coming weeks.
“It’s always sad to see players leave,” he said. “All of these players had an impact at Super6 level so it’s a shame, for varying reasons, that they will be moving on.
“We will continue to build for the new season. We wish those departing the club all the best in their new pursuits and hope to see them back at Bridgehaugh in the future.”
After the first season of Super6 was cut short and then declared null-and-void due to the COVID-19 lockdown, a ‘sprint’ competition which will feature all six teams playing each other once (either home and away) is due to be get underway on 31st October, running through to a finals weekend on 5th December.
Henderson is class
He was excellent in u20 last season but fact that he’s getting solid game time (and scoring tries) for Leicester, Callum Hunter Hill starting for Saracens shows we have some conveyor belt for second row in Scotland. Let’s also not forget Hammy Burr starting again for Waikato alongside All Blacks and he’s even made bench for the Hurricanes in pre season.
EdC and Dogmc
You are spot on, plenty talent shining elsewhere when given a chance.
Add the likes of Sam Johnston in Japan, Murray Douglas in Aus, Robin Hislop who has plugged away and is now getting games at Saracens, Scott Steele scoring a cracker at London Irish. Good on them all for seeking opportunities elsewhere.
So why do Glasgow need a Welsh Aussie prop on loan and Edinburgh last week were considering a SA second row on loan?
Remind me the purpose of S6?
Sam Johnston said in the Sunday Times this week “if you are a superstar you get looked after……if you are a squad player you are basically just a tackle bag”
We now have three lots of “tackle bags” in Scottish Rugby: Fringe pros; fringe S6 and the Sevens Squad.
Why don’t we have smaller squads all round and lots more playing up?
Just like Hamilton Burr going to play club rugby in NZ and ending up training with the Hurricanes: if it works for the best country in the world why not us.
Well put Keith
There is the old adage about small companies having to run very fast just to keep up. We could use that analogy with Scottish Rugby. Given our playing numbers we need to work extremely hard to compete with other nations. We should be doing all we can to uncover talent where ever that may be.
The other aspect of that is agility. Trying things and when its not working changing things. S6 is patently not working
Henderson is class
Completely unconnected to the ending of the Furlough scheme I would imagine.
Dissallusionment me thinks with most of them. More will come from other teams when it dawns on players they’re wasting their time getting nowhere
Will be remembered as Dodson’s folly .
Hit it on the nail Walter