Scottish Rugby Club Awards Dinner

While it would be overly cliched to say that rugby was the winner it was clear that, at the end of the evening, the President’s Suite at Murrayfield was awash with celebration of the essential elements of rugby, which so many hold so dear.Unlike previous awards dinners at Murrayfield, this year the event (witnessed by a plethora of club ties) focussed wholly on recognising and rewarding member clubs and the role they play in ensuring the game of rugby in Scotland goes from strength to strength.Thanks and congratulations go to each and every club present at the evening, who work tirelessly to ensure that the next generation of Scots are able to savour the camaraderie and fun that has for so many of us here tonight encapsulated a life-long affection for the game.Read on for tonight’s award winners…While it would be overly cliched to say that rugby was the winner it was clear that, at the end of the evening, the President’s Suite at Murrayfield was awash with celebration of the fundamentals of rugby which so many hold so dear.Unlike previous awards dinners at Murrayfield, this year the event (witnessed by a plethora of club ties) focussed wholly on recognising and rewarding member clubs and the role they play in ensuring the game of rugby in Scotland goes from strength to strength.Thanks and congratulations go to each and every club present at the evening, who tirelessly to ensure that the next generation of Scots are able to savour the camaraderie and fun that has for so many of us here tonight encapsulated a life-long affection for the game.SCOTTISH RUGBY CLUB AWARDS DINNER WINNERS 2009/10Scottish Hydro Club of the Season (men’s): Currie (selected from Dalziel, Orkney, Greenock Wanderers, North Berwick, Garioch, Lasswade and Currie)The notable achievements of Currie rugby were recognised with the Scottish Hydro club of the month award for April – making them the last club to be nominated for tonight’s ultimate club of season prize.But it’s not just their 1st XV that are table-toppers, Currie’s success permeates throughout the club with this season’s resurrected 3rd XV bringing home league silverware, the 2nd XV securing promotion and, in youth rugby, their S1 side ended the season undefeated while the National Under-15 and Under-18 Youth Cups also take pride of place in the Malleny Park trophy cabinet. Scottish Hydro Club of the Season (women’s): Stirling County (selected from Edinburgh University, Stirling County and Broughton) Stirling County Women have gone from strength to strength following their debut season, two years ago in 2008 where the team has grown from a squad of 10 to 25 players, across various different age groups. Getting off to a great start, the team won the National Development League followed by the National Two League this season. Stirling also entered the Sarah Beaney Cup and put up valiant displays against stronger, more established sides, before knocking out Glasgow University (from the league above) to reach, and ultimately win, the Plate Final with a 34-10 victory over Morgan. In addition to playing for the club, several players have gone on to represent Scotland with one player in the current Scotland squad, one player reaching the A Squad, three joining the Women’s Academy and four playing in the under-18 Scotland Squad – an immense achievement for a team that, just two years ago, had only three players with any rugby experience. Try of the Season: Peter Gannon (North Berwick)Scottish Hydro Premier 1 player of the season – Gordon Reid (Ayr) Scottish Hydro Premier 2 player of the season – Craig Wilson (Kirkcaldy) Scottish Hydro Premier 3 player of the season – Iain Cook (Cartha Queens Park) Scottish Hydro National 1 player of the season – Craig Simmonds (Dalziel) Scottish Hydro National 2 player of the season – Keiren Smith (Greenock Wanderers) Scottish Hydro National 3 player of the season – Alan Auld (Allan Glen’s) Scottish Hydro Caledonia Regional Leagues player of the season – Ross Lumsden (Aberdeen Wanderers) Scottish Hydro East Regional Leagues player of the season – John Grant (Lismore) Scottish Hydro West Regional Leagues player of the season – Ross Gilmour (Cumbernauld) Women’s Premier Leagues player of the season – Sarah Smith (Hillhead/Jordanhill) Women’s National Leagues player of the season – Gillian Inglis (Melrose) Youth Coach of the Season – Michael Hunt (Dumfries) Coach of the season – Jimmy Sinclair (Dalziel) Spirit of Rugby Award – Bill Smith (Forrester) Referee of the Season – Mhairi Hay (Kirkcaldy)