A Sustainable Sparkle: Silver Saturday Goes Green with Oak & Black awards

In a first for the event, the traditional winners’ and runners-up medals will be replaced with beautifully hand-crafted, sustainable oak medals, thanks to a new partnership with East Lothian-based company Oak & Black.

Some 300 players taking part in this season’s national finals at Silver Saturday will each receive their own oak award, marking their achievement with something both meaningful and environmentally conscious.

Oak & Black’s creations are already familiar to many across the rugby community — having featured this season as part of the Regional Community Recognition Awards. But this step onto the Silver Saturday stage signals a powerful shift in how we recognise sporting excellence.

Freddie Main, Managing Director of Oak & Black, shared his pride in the partnership:
“We make all of our medals and trophies in our East Lothian workshop, and every single one is hand-sanded and oiled with care. Working with Scottish Rugby has been a huge goal for us — to see our work in the hands of players from all over the country is incredibly special.”

“This move by the national body is a real game-changer. It sends a clear message about sustainability and leadership — and it’s helping to shift the narrative around what it means to honour achievement.”

More than just producers of awards, Oak & Black has built its reputation around values that align closely with the rugby community.

“What’s inspired me most,” Main adds, “is meeting the people at clubs and schools who care so deeply about their players. Seeing their passion makes us proud to play even a small part in how they celebrate. At Oak & Black, we live by Kindness, Creativity and Sustainability — and we see those same values reflected back at us in this community.”

For Scottish Rugby, the move to sustainable awards is about more than aesthetics — it reflects a broader commitment to community, innovation, and doing things differently.

Vicky Cox, Head of Competitions and Compliance, said: “We’re thrilled to be presenting these incredible awards to every participant at Silver Saturday. Not only do they look fantastic, but they’re a powerful, sustainable alternative to traditional medals.”

“It’s fantastic to partner with a local company that shares our values and vision for the future. These awards are more than tokens — they’re symbols of creativity, achievement and progress.”

As the players take the pitch this weekend, they’ll do so knowing that what awaits at full-time isn’t just a trophy — it’s a lasting reminder of what rugby stands for, and where it’s going.