Perfect Seasons: Ayr Triumph and Accies Earn Promotion

Ayr won the Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership after going through the competition undefeated, while Edinburgh Accies have been able to secure promotion back into the Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership after finishing their National 1 season undefeated.

Accies secured their promotion after a 46-12 win against Boroughmuir on Saturday 21 March. The side are no strangers to Premiership action, bouncing back up after dropping down to the National 1 only last season.

Graham Bonner, Edinburgh Accies head coach said: “The key to this success in my view is about creating the right environment for the players: one which is positive and rewarding. A huge part of being able to create this has been down to having an excellent coaching team in place, which included Simon Berghan, Charlie Shiel, Jamie Sole and George Hamilton.

“The squad are resilient and very talented, they’ve got very recent experience of the Premiership, so we believe we’ll do well. The physical challenge may be a step up so perhaps additional personnel will be required to bolster the group.”

Ayr’s success in the Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership cannot be understated; they dominated the season, winning every match with a bonus point and topping the table for the second season in a row, only to top it off with a dominant 41-27 performance against Currie Chieftains in the final.

Grant Anderson, Ayr head coach added: “Saturday’s match was probably our toughest challenge of the season, and it was quite fitting that it was in the Play-off Final. The weather and atmosphere made for a great game and I am glad the boys got, what I feel, they deserved.

“The level at which we train sets the precedent for our performances on a Saturday. We go full on every single week and the physicality levels that we expect are through the roof – from everyone. It’s a non-negotiable. Rotation is also a huge part of being in our environment. The boys know that there will be games they don’t start and games where they aren’t involved in the 22-man squad. That way, everyone knows that they will have opportunities to play but also know they need to perform or there is someone readily available to take their place.

“The core of the team has been together for a couple of years now, but we are very clear about what we expect. We reference this on a weekly basis – anyone without that mentality would be found out pretty quick. Pressure comes with that, but the boys enjoy that pressure and it brings out the best in us!”

Both squads have seen real success this season, with Accies moving back up into the Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership and Ayr looking to build on their success next season. It will undoubtedly be another showcase of exciting Scottish club rugby.