Golden Oldies Shine in Perthshire

Sunday 19 Apr, Blairgowrie Rugby Club entered a team into the first Scottish Golden Oldies Festival Tournament at the North Inch in Perth. Basically the “veterans” game is for players over 35 years of age who wish to play and enjoy the game they have loved for years. The rules of the game are that scrums are uncontested, the ball may only be kicked in your own 22 metre area and players must observe the restrictions on tackling ‘older’ players who are identified by different coloured shorts.

Blairgowrie started off the day with a game against a strong and experienced Dunfermline team eventually losing 4 tries to 1 with Duncan MacRae scoring Blairgowrie’s solitary try. In the second match of the afternoon Blairgowrie raised their game against Forth Valley RFC winning 5 - 1 with tries from Kevin Brown, Billy Campbell, Peter Ireland, Cally Gordon and Al Robertson.. In the final match of the afternoon Blairgowrie met local rivals Strathmore RFC and proceeded to beat them 9 - 1 with tries from Peter Ireland (3), Cally Gordon (3), Ian Fairnington, Mickey Todd and Billy Campbell.

Bearing in mind that this was the first time that many of the Blairgowrie players had donned the boots for a number of years this was an excellent effort by all the players with Peter Ireland, Kev Brown, Cally Gordon and Mickey Todd leading the way for the Blairgowrie ‘oldies’ with Euan Drummond, Bob Smith, Billy Campbell and Joe Gribbens making an impressive debut for the ’berry-pickers’.

With the emphasis on fun, friendship and fraternity this was a most enjoyable day of rugby and thanks must go to Dave MacDonald (European Golden Oldies President) and Perthshire Rugby Club for organising the event and ensuring and everyone enjoyed the occasion both on and off the field. 

See the pictures here...