Weekends Pre-Match Preview – week 7

Pre- Match Review – Week 7

This weekend, we hear about the 1xv home win last weekend, our World Cup reporter, our development officer Arran’s report on the school rugby festival this week, in and around the clubhouse news. And also the current player points standings to date.

Grab coffee, sit back and relax and enjoy the read

Club President : Gavin McQuillan

It was great to see the club so busy last weekend topped off by a couple of competitive confidence boosting performances to take into the rest of the season.

Thanks again to Allan Hay Roofing for sponsoring the games and their continued support and all the volunteers who helped things run so smoothly.

As we look forward to the rugby weekend first up the Scotland Woman’s team is in action in their next World Cup match. Great to see that Sarah has been named in the match day squad and I’m sure she will be itching to get involved.

More to come on this from our roving reporter down under. Closer to home no mini or midi rugby this weekend due to school holidays and both senior teams away as they look to build on on last weeks results.

Best of luck lads and look forward to the score updates while I’m on holiday.

Special thanks this week to all our player sponsors who have so generously supported this new initiative this season. Its great to see such a wide range of local businesses getting involved helping the club progress. A personal thanks to Robbie and Gav Holmes for driving this forward.

Membership details can be found at https://penicuikrugby.org/online-membership/

2021 Rugby World Cup

3am this morning Scotland will have played (and hopefully won against) Australia. Sarah Law could be the first senior player from Penicuik to represent their country at a World Cup (although Simon Cross represented Scotland Under-19 in the 2000 IRB/FIRA Junior World Cup).

If your alarm clocks weren’t set, the game is available on catch up.

World Cup Diary

A week travelling around the north of the North Island has gone some way to erasing the disappointment of the result on the first weekend against Wales. Let’s not dwell on that. Let’s focus on the things that can be controlled from hereon in. So now we go again on Match Day 3.Back at the Northland Events Centre Stadium (which is a splendid little stadium with a real “feel good” vibe) for the now must-win game against Australia. Australia have shown that they can play with a couple of different styles so this will be a tough encounter but we travel in hope of a win and – if bench strategies play out – a Penicuik representation on the pitch.

The build up has been a bit fragmented. Three games back-to-back means limited time on the main pitch. The captain’s runs for all the teams are on a completely different pitch and each team is only allowed three players to practice kicking on the actual pitch with a maximum of 30 minutes. Add in to that the variable winds at the ground and the match balls seemingly being heavier than those that the teams (Scotland at least, hopefully the others too) have been given to practice with and you have an sub-optimal environment. Still, onwards and upwards as they say.

Whangaroa beach

We’ve now arrived at our base for the next couple of days and are ready to go. Tomorrow morning we head into Whangerai for the official pre-match events and then on to the ground for the full day. Scotland vs Australia starts at 3:00 (am/pm depending on time zone), with USA vs Japan and France vs England to round out the action. Fingers crossed everybody. Here we go.

Director of Rugby : Mark Blair

Penicuik 1xv 35- 27 Livingston

Tries : Dean (2), Sprott, Ketchen

Con : Malone (3)

Pens : Malone (3)

Last weekend was good, but not good enough. Having a bonus point win in our hands, we shouldn’t then have to defend in the last 10 mins to stop the opposition winning the game.

We made basic errors, then compounded these errors with further errors (ie. the first Livingston try)

Yes, our game plan changed on 5mins when we lost Hoggy to a dead leg and had to shuffle Dean to stand off but our continual errors continue to plague our performance.

An away day to Union Park is always a fun event, traditionally Corstorphine have piled on the pressure when at home and our defence has crumbled, lets not let that happen tomorrow

Weekend Squad

Stand off Hogg hasn’t recovered from last weeks leg injury, Dean therefore continues from last weeks 70mins at 10. Connor Mitchell starts at flanker for Young and Nick Alder returns from injury to form a solid centre partnership with Vodovakarua. Plenty pace on the bench with MacKintosh & Reid

2xv coach : Rich Mann

Penicuik 2xv 24 v 17 Caledonian Thebans

Tries : Jones (3) McCormick

Con : McCormick (2)

Last weekend was an interesting afternoon.

Thebans have been beating teams and had us worried. However guesting for us was Lachlan Jones from Aberfeldy who on his on loan debut scored a cracking hatrick of trys. Captain fantastic Ali MCCormick got the other in a closely contested match.

Credit to Thebans who scored 3 well worked trys. As ever the social was good with the club who live and breathe true rugby ethos.

Tomorrow sees us playing Edinburgh Northern for the 1st time since COVID lockdown. That day we lost by 2 points, whe a simple in front of the posts kick would have won us the match. Calm heads at Inverleith should see us win.

All we need to do is play our style of rugby. Dumbell Donald is back along with a Cameo from Colin Hawkins who is visiting from Canada.

Raise a glass to Paddy’s ever expanding family and toast young Lochlan a future Penicuik forward

Weekend Squad

Iain Sanderson surprisingly has no wedding duties and steps in for Paddy (see in and around the clubhouse below). Steven Hawkins comes back on to the wing and there is a rumour his brother may make an appearance from the bench (subject to International clearance)

1xv captain : Aidan Dean

Compared to how we played against Langholm, we were a completely different team in the we way played against Livingston. To come away with a bonus point win against an inform team was a perfect bounce back.

The Corstorphine game has always been a tasty ding dong battle for us. With a change up in the Midfield we will be looking to punch some holes and create space out wide.

A result here will put us into a great place heading into the halfway point.

Thanks to the boys for setting up my 2 tries last weekend, my brother Andrew was suitably impressed and I got a well done text from my mum.

On an unrelated note, I’m looking for suggestions for the Halloween social event on Sat 29th Oct if anyone wants to take this forward for me??

Penicuik School’s Rugby Festival

Arran Thomas – Penicuik Development Officer

Over 100 p7 pupils from Cornbank, Mauricewood and Sacred Heart visited the rugby club on Wednesday morning for a festival of rugby. Inter school games created some competitive matches and there was some sensational skills and footwork on show. The weather started off wet but as the competition heated up so did the weather which led to some high scoring games.

The pupils were a credit to their schools taking on refereeing roles as well as playing and showing great sportsmanship to their opposition after every game. Huge thank you to the teachers and parent helpers, who were well looked after by our own excellent tea and coffee waiter Skirv, without them being so supportive over the last few weeks the festival could not have gone as smoothly as it did, as well as support from the Peni High PE department who provided some young leaders to support the running of the event.

All in all a fantastic day for the schools, club, community and the game and another valuable opportunity for our children to become active, build relationships and try something new all through the game of Rugby at Penicuik RFC

In and around the Club House

It is great news to announce prop forward Paddy O’Sullivan and his wife Stephanie brought their second child into the world this week. Congratulations to the both of you, Paddy, your mat leave finishes for the games next weekend!

Former Penicuik player (and former Penicuik Hunter) Colin Hawkins is over for a few weeks from Canada, at the time of going to press he had dug out his boots and is on the bench for todays 2xv game. This could be the first time he’ll have taken the field alongside his brother Steven and best mate Simon Glen (and hopefully someone will take a photo??)

We are asking members to step forward and help cover the bar on match days 4-6pm, please speak to Robbie if you’ve got a couple hours you can spare, the more members help out the more we can spread the load

Halloween party planning is in full mode, our Mini’s are hosting their annual Halloween party/disco on Friday 28th October at 6pm. For tickets please see https://www.eventbrite.com/e/minimicro-halloween-party-tickets-440345082997

Please note the current early bird membership discount expires the end of this month. Please see this link to registered before we revert to full price https://penicuikrugby.org/online-membership/

Our 200 club continues to providing for all rugby activities. The winners of the 200 Club Draw for September were:

C.Martin (No. 57 – £87.75)
M.Jackson (No. 19 – £35.50)
A.Wilson (No. 59 – £17.75)

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

As always the club lounge is available for bookings for our members, wether its a birthday party, Christmas party or just a get together, our moveable seating allows us to meet all your needs

Player Sponsorship

our new player sponsorship for season 2022/23 is still going. Thanks to the local businesses and individuals who have already stepped up and contacted us. Thanks also to the players who have approached their employers, friends, family and neighbours. More sponsorship announcements are planned for next week.

If you’d like to join the Penicuik Rugby Family and sponsor a player please contact Gavin on sponsorship@penicuikrugby.org