Youthful Exuberance

Sandy Dundas, S3 coach along with Kenny Wilson and Gerald Cairns, has enjoyed more success than most in youth section rugby. Sandy, one of the most enthusiastic members of the youth section, has been coaching the side for the last seven years after the original coach left to become a tennis umpire. “The team was left without anyone in charge so I really got roped into it. I used to be a hill walker but I had to give that up as it also ran on a Sunday.” Rugby was not a new game to Sandy though, “I played at Lismore and Livingston before, mainly at hooker but had the occasional game at scrum half, I wasn’t fast enough though.”

Having won the Scottish Cup in S1, the S3 side have gone on to achieve much more this season, “We won the U-15s Scottish Cup, the Edinburgh District League Cup and finished sixth out of seventeen in an international tournament in France. This has been our most successful year.” However, despite this success there tends to be a problem keeping the boys on at U-16 level, as the club showed this year with not being able to field a side at all. Sandy doesn’t see any such problems with his squad though, “There has been conflicts recently with the Under18 at U-18 level but I don’t believe there will be anything like that with our boys, mainly because they’re all friends outwith the rugby and feedback has been positive so far.”

The success of the S3 team must be a good sign for the future of the club, “I would be disappointed if 6 or 8 of them at least didn’t go on to represent the club at a higher level and a few of those possibly even further. I think if the club can keep these boys loyal, and the bright prospects from other age groups, then there is no reason why there can’t be a bright future for the club.” It is also an encouraging sign for the boys’ final years in youth rugby, “If they show the same commitment and dedication as they have this year then there is no reason why they can’t be successful next year and in future years. They’re a great bunch of lads with some very talented individuals but importantly they play as a team. So I do believe they can continue the success.” Sandy is however concerned about the falling numbers in youth rugby, “It’s very hard now for the clubs to encourage boys to take up the sport. The clubs aren’t getting as much attention and also other sports like football are very attractive to kids, so it is a worry because the future of all rugby depends on getting people interested.” 

With the S3 side having gained a taste for winning so early in their development, surely they will be able to take  that through the ranks and add to the future of the club. The importance of youth rugby cannot be underestimated so the efforts of Sandy, Kenny and Gerald in coaching does not go unnoticed, neither does the success. As to thoughts of retiring from coaching when this set of boys reach the end of youth rugby, Sandy said, “I haven’t even contemplated that far in the future yet”. All we ask is more of the same next year please.

Boroughmuir Under 15 Squad - 2001