Rugby: Shire sign-off successful season with another win

May 21 2010 by Johnathon Menzies, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

PERTHSHIRE Rugby Club brought the curtain down on a magnificent season by performing admirably on three fronts this week.

With the Perth-based outfit’s First XV already signed-off for the 2009/10 campaign, the Eagles’ second-string took centre stage and secured their National League status for another year.

Dom O’Connor was the Shire hero as a well-taken try helped his side record their second victory in-a-row over a strong Kirkcaldy team Fife’s Beveridge Park.

Scottish Rugby bosses had been mulling over whether to continue with the league’s current two-tier set-up, but it has now been confirm that Perthshire will compete in Division 2 next term, as expected.

Bob Ock’s charges have faced-up to the marquee names such as Hawick, Melrose and Biggar over the course of the year and have said they are now looking forward to next season with renewed vigour.

Elsewhere in the club, a seven’s side travelled to the central belt and took on an exceptionally strong field in the Glasgow City 7’s showpiece.

The field included the likes of Sale Sharks, home favourites Glasgow Warriors and the Scottish Academy players.

Shire acquitted themselves extremely well and thrilled the huge crowd by reaching the quarter-finals.

Club captain Ali Anderson led a team consisting of Adam Pattinson, Andy Elder and Duncan Barrie in a 29-mile challenge across the Southern Uplands, from St Mary’s Loch to Melrose.

The Shire boys beat-off competition from over 500 other competitor to finish the charity challenge in second place – with Adam finishing the tough course in five hours 18 minutes.

A little further behind, the Dunkeld branch of the Eagles’ supporters club – namely Bob Lindsay, David Scott, Barbara Dunlop and Evelyn Menzies – also completed the course and were crowned the fastest team in the over 50s category.

The two Big County teams raised over £4000 for the ‘Hearts and Heroes’ charity, which supports Poppy Scotland in their efforts to help servicemen and women in need.

A portion of the money will also be donated to Scottish Rugby’s ‘Hearts and Balls’ campaign, which provides support for severely-injured rugby players.