Head Coach Views

The Season Ahead

Welcome to the new season and to Premier 1 rugby!

Last season we proved that with the right plan, hte necessary player buy-in, the correct attitude and the continual desire to improve, anything is possible in sport!

Our success last season presents a greater challenge in the forthcoming season as we turn our sights to Premier 1 and the big dogs in the game!

Timing is crucial and this season will see all P1 clubs competing to be in the top 10 for the following season as the SRU reduce the top league from 12 to 10 clubs with an emphasis on narrowing the gap between the professional clubs and the top club teams.

So what are our ambitions for this season?

Some may think that survival should be the aim, others may consider that to be conservative! In some ways this decision has been taken away from us as Scottish Rugby move the next step towards a semi-professional Premier league next year when only the top ten clubs will form Premier 1 - we must aim to be in that top 10!

The league format remains the same as it was deemed to have brought a keen competitive edge to all P1/P2 fixtures and we can certainly confirm that with Rubislaw being the venue for so many exciting encounters and hosting that epic final promotion game against Watsonians.

I have accepted the invitation to continue as Head Coach for the forthcoming season and I am all too aware of the massive challenge that lies ahead of us all - players, management, spectators and supporters.

I am convinced that for our club to succeed we all need to play our part - if we are to be a real challenge in P1 then we need the Rubislaw faithful to show their dedication and commitment as you did with the tremendous numbers that turned out for our victory over Watsonians. There is no doubt that the level of support plays a positive part in player performance and also has an impact on the opposition. This season we have the big clubs visitiing Rubislaw early on with Melrose, Currie and Ayr all visiting within the first five weeks.

We have also been able to add to our successful coaching team from last season; Rod Aspe has come on board as strength and conditioning coach and is already making a significant impact with pre-season training and, in addition, Rob Potter and Iain Stanger are to support Craig Parslow with our 2nd XV coaching.

During the close season Kevin Wyness, first XV coach, has been working with Neil Brown and RGU to create an elite rugby rugby developmnet programme using their specialist assessment technology and expertise. To date 30 players have gone through rigorous assessments and are on specifically designed strength and conditioning programmes.

Rob Lawson has accepted the role of Club Captain and will be joined by a leadershipp team of senior players who will have responsibilities for on-field management and training standards.

We are delighted that Julie Campbell (SPEAR physiotherapy) and Louise McCullough (doctor) will again provide the quality of medical back-up that we will require next season.

We have several changes at committee level and there is an evolving agenda to promote a sustainable future at the club by working with other local clubs, by promoting our own home-grown talent and by looking for smarter solutions to player development.

This season we will continue to work with local clubs to provide progressive pathways for our up and coming players. Our elevation to P1 has attracted a number of talented players and for the first time in many years we have had over 30 players training on a regular basis since the beginning of pre-season in June.

We currently have 12 new players who will be competing for first team places in the new squad that will be announced in August. Some of these players come with existing P1 experience, some have been prominent in national league clubs and two have experience in top level English clubs. I addition we have retained the services of Rob Aloe and Apelu Alapati, while recruiting a midfield back from Australia and a hooker from Otago with ITM cup experience.

We will also be in line for the first pick and then three others from the pro-draft in August when we pick four professional players from Glasgow who will be available to play for Aberdeen Grammar if not selected in the Glasgow squad of 23.

This will be a season to commemorate the memory of Brian Clark who sadly passed away in June. Brian was the model club man, always a "doer" and always delivering on the tasks that require to be done in a rugby club. We hope to make this a season he would have been proud of!

May I extend a warm welcome to all visiting coaches and players, the warmth may not be shown on the pitch but it will be shown over a couple of drinks at the bar. I wish you good fortune this season and relish the banter that helps us put the rugby world to rights.

To all new players I extend a very warm welcome - Aberdeen Grammar is an excellent club and for sure you will enjoy the experience on the pitch and the craic that goes with the social side of the game. To all coaches and players from Minis up, I hope this season you achieve the goals you will have set yourselves. Every week there will be new challenges to accept - each one must be embraced, taken on board, completed and then look forward to the next challenge.

So with this “new” era ahead let us embrace the new challenges and strive, with your help and support, to secure our Premier 1 ststus next season!

Alex Duncan (Head Coach Aberdeen Grammar Rugby)