Perthshire women’s team produced scrumthing special to mark a milestone moment on Saturday.
It was the first time the women’s section had a full 1XV and they certainly made the most of the occasion in Milngavie.
Teaming up with players from Aberfeldy RFC, Shire put on a terrific performance to run out winners against West of Scotland 2XV.
Picking up a memorable victory went down as a huge achievement but, most important, was the excellent team work shown by all.
And it was a real proud moment for head coach Campbell Watson who hailed a terrific all-round display from the squad.
He said: “It was our first proper game of 15s for a while and the enthusiasm was just second to none.
“It was fantastic. They are so enthusiastic.
“As coaches, you need to curb the enthusiasm and get them concentrated so it’s channelled in the right direction.
“But there is never a complaint from the players. They knuckle down, work hard and absorb the information you give them.
“They played really well together against a range of skill from West of Scotland.
“For confidence going forward, it was a fantastic boost. Some of them maybe didn’t believe they would come away with a win.
“But they really pulled it together and played some really exciting rugby. It was a pleasure to watch.
“And even the opposition coaches congratulated them on how well they worked together, considering they hadn’t played many games.”
The women’s team was made up of players with plenty of experience and others who are new to the sport.
“One of the girls came down from Aberfeldy and it was her first ever game,” Campbell added. “So we have a mix of experience.
“Our eldest player on Saturday is 50 next weekend. There is a range from 18 right through to 50.”
Hard work on the training field has continued to build on the feelgood factor and Campbell reckons the team can only go from strength to strength.
He told the Perthshire Advertiser: “Pre-Covid we were struggling for numbers. Covid maybe did us a favour because people wanted to get out.
“We got four or five new players from a touch rugby series that we did with the women’s team. They have stuck with us.
“The majority were women who had never played before.
“It has genuinely improved week on week and especially when we knew we had more fixtures coming up after Christmas.
“They have stood up to everything that has been thrown at them. There is a core of them that go to the gym at Bell’s every week.
“They work hard on their own personal fitness and that makes life for the coaches easier on a normal training night.”
If you are interested in getting involved in girls or women’s rugby at Perthshire, send an email to managerwomen@perthshire-rfc.co.uk or message the club on Facebook.
