This Week @ Penicuik Rugby
We say hello to our new U13 side, hear from P4 coach Murray and look ahead to this weekends games
Grab a coffee, relax and have a read
Bar Opening Hours
Friday : We are hosting a private part function from 7pm, the bar will be open, however please be mindful of our guests
Saturday : We open 5:30pm where we will screen as much live rugby as possible
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Our U13’s opened their 2024/25 season with welcoming Cumnock to Montgomery Park on Saturday morning.
The team was captained by Matias Hay with Logan McCreath Vice captain, both of whom started their Penicuik Rugby journeys in P1 and have worked their way through our age grades.
This was the sides first venture on the full size pitch, with 3 of the players experiencing their first ever game.
The boys put in some great tackles, notably from Thomas Erskine and Arran Brash, plus some great breaks from Thomas, Arron and Logan.
The seasons scoring was opened with tries from Thomas (x2), Arron (x2) and Logan.
Despite the tries, line breaks and excellent tackles, Cumnock went away the winners. However, this was all about the boys taking their first steps into proper rugby with new team mates, rules and experiences.
It was a great first outing and the excellent numbers at training this week have seen the side working hard for their next outing.
Our Midi Youth side train Mondays 7pm & Wednesday 7pm with games usually on Saturday mornings. If you have a child (or know a child that would be interested please DM us or email info@penicuikrugby.org
200 Club winners – September 2024
The winners of the 200 Club Draw for September were:
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S.McManus (No. 9 – £87.50)
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S.Hogg (No. 44 – £35.00)
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A.Mitchell (No. 7 – £17.50)
If you would like to take part in the Draw, the profits from which help to keep the club afloat, please speak to Andrew Mitchell or Andy Law or email info@penicuikrugby.org
1xv
Penicuik 10
Royal High 52
Exactly like last week the team was much changed from the week before, by the warm up however the squad was down to 17, with a 45yr old covering the whole pack and a 18yr debutant covering the backs.
Both sides warmed up in summer sun conditions, then with 10mins to go the heavens opened and winter rain lashed down for kick off and the opening 20mins.
Penicuik struggled to get out their own half in the first 20 mins, some good Dunbar defence, however Penicuik were making basic handling mistakes with various knock ons, forward passes, butchering 3 v 1’s and careless protection of the ball in the tackle
By half time Dunbar had the their try bonus point secured leading 26-0
The 2nd half was a much better effort by the players, yes further tries were leaked by some horrific tackling at the breakdown however the boys fronted up better and managed to recover 2 tries.
The game however turned sour on 70 minutes when Penicuik back row Kolinio Nawale (who making his Penicuik debut and his first foray into Scottish rugby) was on the receiving end of a sickening punching assault from a Dunbar back whilst unable to defend himself lying on the ground. This is definitely not the kind of welcome a young player expects when stepping onto a Scottish rugby field for the first time.
Missing players need to start fronting up and being honest with their team mates about availability if the team wants to make a go of this season.
The undercover player
Click below to from 1xv captain Max Malone after the game
This Saturday we travel to Neilson Park to face East 1 side Haddington in Round 1 of the national shield.
At the time of writing there is no selected side, however the squad traveling to East Lothian is Dan Tava, Moape Cokanasiga, Robbie McTagggart, Greg Borthwick, Max Malone (c), Paul Smith, Semesa Maiyale, Euan Reid, Tom Winnington, Apenai Kororua, Lui Kurusiga, Andrew Cartwright, Roni Vatuloka, Scott Touchstone Hall, Lachlan Jones , Luke Randall, Ross Tubuna, Petero Canakaivata, Tekei GC, Junior Vudie, Alistair McCormick, Danny Bete
Haddington line up as
2xv
Penicuik 24
Thebans 48
Hear about last Saturday from 2xv head coach Rich Mann below.
No game this week as Musselburgh 3xv pulled out the fixture earlier in the week
Youth Rugby
Last Sunday our mini’s made the trip to neighbours Lasswade for a morning of rugby. Hear from our P4 coach Murray Anderson on how his side got on last Sunday and this week at training
This weekend our mini’s and micro’s are training at home 11am
Save the date for our Hunters Halloween Party Friday 1st November 6pm to 8pm, details will go live over the weekend.
Also watch this space for our new Wednesday Coffee Club for our Hunters Parents after the October break https://penicuikrugby.org/portfolio-items/the-wednesday-coffee-club/?portfolioCats=10
Josh ‘in’ around
Our club development officer Josh is in and around our local school. Here’s what he’s been up to :-
Join the Fun and Learn Rugby with Us!
This week, we launched the first new block of rugby sessions at Beeslack High School, while continuing our programs at Cuiken and Sacred Heart Primary Schools.
During these sessions, we focused on enhancing the children’s evasion and passing accuracy through a variety of drills and games.
At Beeslack, we introduced key skills such as passing and game understanding, using engaging games to reinforce these concepts.
Additionally, we started our first after-school club, which was a tremendous success, attracting a diverse group of both boys and girls.
**Benefits for Children’s Development:**
– **Physical Health:** Rugby promotes physical fitness, helping children develop strength, speed, and endurance¹.
– **Social Skills:** The sport encourages teamwork, communication, and cooperation, essential for building strong social connections².
– **Mental Resilience:** Rugby teaches children to handle both success and failure, fostering resilience and a positive mindset².
– **Life Skills:** The discipline and strategic thinking required in rugby translate to improved problem-solving and decision-making skills in real life³.
Overall, these sessions are not just about learning rugby; they are about equipping children with valuable skills that will benefit them both on and off the field.
If you’d like your child to try rugby in Penicuik’s primary schools please message Josh at do@penicuikrugby.org
Other News
History of Penicuik Rugby Weekend
We are delighted to note our history boards have been reinstalled in the clubhouse. Massive thanks to Brian and Ben who took time out their own busy time on Wednesday to carry out the work.
These will be available to view during our normal Bar opening times and during match days.
For those not in position to visit the lounge, they can be viewed here – https://penicuikrugby.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/100-Years-of-Penicuik-Rugby-Club-A3.pdf
Former North Berwick coach Ken McAuley was retrospectively awarded Scotland Cap 1215 in February, as a result Ken has decided to give something back to the game and decided to take on the challenge of raising £1215 for 4 charities through a gruelling 1020 mile cycle visiting the 76 clubs across Scotland which he played at.
Ken is due at Montgomery Park Penicuik on Wednesday 23rd October on Day 19 of his challenge, it’d be great if the Penicuik Rugby community could come out and support (timings TBC) for full details click – https://scottishrugby.org/cap-1215-the-challenge/
Player News
We bid farewell next week to 2xv player Fraser Wilson, who leaves Penicuik to start a new life with his young family down in Herefordshire. Fraser is moving to be closer to family and absolutely nothing to do with it only snowing once in Herefordshire last year as opposed to almost weekly here in Penicuik.
Thanks to Fraser for his commitment to the club alongside juggling shift work and a young family life balance. There will be beers in the club after training on Thursday to see Fraser away for those available.
Club Shop
We have been made aware of issues recently when attempting to order PRFC kit from PSL, with an error message “unable to ship to location”
The PSL tech experts have now solved this and any members sitting on a basket to check out can now proceed. Please also note following feedback the badge has reverted back to the standard Blue and White badge, for those with the centenary yellow badge your now engrained in history with kit that won’t be seen again (so take care)
Win Oasis Tickets
2 x seated tickets for Scottish Gas Murrayfield Friday 8th August 2025
Our position sponsor Dads Rock are fundraising.
Every year they support approx 3000 dads, children, and families who are most in need through our work including playgroups; peer support for new dads; one to one mentoring for dads referred to us by NHS, Social Services and other professionals; parenting workshops and online support.
They are here to support dads every step of the way, helping them thrive as parents and as part of their communities. You can find out more about their work here – https://www.dadsrock.org.uk
Children thrive when dads thrive. By donating to enter their Prize Draw you will make a real difference in helping dads and families feel confident, supported and connected.
The ticket draw will take place at 3pm on October 28th
https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/dadsrockprizedraw
Penicuik Rugby Principal Sponsor 2024/25
Penicuik Rugby Main Club Sponsors 2024/25
Penicuik Rugby Club Sponsors 2024/25
Penicuik Rugby Position Sponsors 2024/25
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