Ayr Rugby Club face fixture pile-up

Feb 5 2010 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

OH how the weather gods must have chortled as they concocted their latest wheeze.

Give them a few days mild, a bit of rain, soften them and the ground up, then hit them with another blast to remind them that winter is a long way from being over.

Anyway, as a result of the latest freeze up, Ayr's match against Selkirk at Philiphaugh was postponed, creating further problems in what is developing into a real nasty looking fixture backlog.

Ayr were certainly luckier than some on Saturday, however, Selkirk at least having the sense to call the game off before Ayr travelled, unlike some clubs who persuaded the opposition to make the journey to their ground only to have the match, which had no hope of going ahead, called off an hour before kick-off with the only winner the bus company.

This leaves Ayr now with five postponed Scottish Hydro Premier One matches to fulfil, against Heriot’s, Hawks, Dundee, Melrose and Selkirk with the match against Currie having to be re-scheduled since the game at Malleny on March 6 won't go ahead as Ayr will be in Cardiff fulfilling their final pool match in the British and Irish Cup.

The situation is exacerbated by the fact that on Saturday, Ayr travel to Musselburgh in the first round of the Scottish Hydro Premier Cup, a match they would expect to win, and if they do they will have to fit in the next round of the cup as well.

Assuming that the match at Stonyhill goes ahead on Saturday, Ayr will have a much changed squad out since five of the regular side will be involved in the Scottish Club international against France at Netherdale on Friday night (highlights on www.scottishrugbytv.com).

But they should still come away with a win to set them up for their third match in the British and Irish cup against Birmingham and Sulihull Bees at Millbrae (kick off 4pm) the following Saturday.

The Midlands side are toiling in bottom slot in the Championship with a points deficit, after they were deducted points after going into administration late in 2009.

A new management team and an injection of finance has rescued the club- at least in the short term – but they have lost to Rotherham Titans at home 29-0 in the championship and 52-10 in the British and Irish Cup.

Given that Ayr beat the Titans at Millbrae, form suggests that the Millbrae men will continue as Scotland's most successful side in the tournament with Pontypridd next up at Millbrae after Birmingham before the final pool match in Cardiff.

There is a huge amount of top class rugby to come and despite the fixture backlog, there is a quiet determination among the coaches and squad that this season, whenever it ends, will again be one which Ayr can look back on with pride both in terms of the league and as one of Scotland's representatives in the British and Irish Cup.

Finally, I received an e-mail this week from former Ayr centre Nick Lavelle, now back at home in Australia. This was part of his message:

“I hear you guys have had a good spell of cold weather over the xmas break. Maybe we can do a swap and you can send some of it over to Oz. We have had a uncomfortably hot summer here."

There really is no pleasing some people!