East Ayrshire rugby stars make up a third of national youth team

Seven of the 24-strong Scottish U16 team were from Cumnock, or Auchinleck Academy, schools where rugby has been flourishing through the Schools of Rugby programme.

Representing Auchinleck Academy were: Frazer Littlejohn, Jack Lorimer, Jo Paterson, Alasdair Rogers and Lewis Young.

Players from Cumnock Academy were: Luke Donald and Connor Haining.

A further honour for the schools was that Auchinleck Academy pupil Alastair Rogers was named captain of the squad.

The team played two matches, the first against Nagasaki High School which they won 43-12 and a second match against the Nagasaki District Select which resulted in a loss of 29-0.

The players were also guests of the Japanese Prime Minister and UN Secretary General at the Nagasaki Peace Monument, to remember and honour the victims of the second atomic bomb.

Welcoming the players home after a gruelling 30 hour round trip, Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council said: “I’m immensely proud of our young players who have been brilliant sportsmen and perfect ambassadors for East Ayrshire, their families and their schools.

“We embraced the Schools of Rugby programme some years ago in Auchinleck, Loudoun and Cumnock Academies and it’s been an absolute joy to watch it grow, flourish and succeed like this.

“Year on year, we’re seeing increasing numbers of pupils taking part, girls and boys -  and the selection of seven players from local schools to represent their nation is proof that the programme is working in East Ayrshire.

“Playing for your country is the ultimate honour in sport and I’m looking forward to seeing rugby development accelerate even more, with the fantastic new pitches and facilities being built at the new Barony Campus, all of which meet international standards.”

The successful trip to Japan was one of many rugby highlights in East Ayrshire schools this year.

Loudoun U14s won the Ayrshire Schools’ Conference and Auchinleck U16s won the Ayrshire Cup and the Scottish Schools Rugby Bowl Championship.

Councillor Reid continued: “In addition to these successes, it is especially pleasing that there are growing numbers of girls taking part and the girls’ rugby team at Grange Academy won more trophies than the boys this year!

The number of female players at Cumnock has almost trebled and Loudoun girls also competed in the final of the U15s Girls’ Schools Cup – a superb achievement.”

Commenting on the tour to Nagasaki, Jack Lorimer from Auchinleck Academy added: “With so many of my friends being selected to play for Scotland, this felt like a really great, extended school trip. But it was amazing to get the call up to play for my country and to get to Japan where we were treated with respect and kindness by everyone we met.

Cumnock Academy pupil Connor Haining agreed adding: “On the pitch, the game is the same, but away from that, the cultural differences were amazing and I really learned a lot about the country and the people, with many life lessons coming home with me.”

The tour party was led by ex-Scotland captain, Al Kellock, while Scottish Rugby’s Gordon Lyon was Head Coach for the tour.

They were joined by Assistant Coach Stephen Raby from Auchinleck Academy (Auchinleck Academy PE Teacher), Tour Manager Steve Turnbull and Team Medic Mike Proudfoot, both from Scottish Rugby.