Ayr Rugby Club honour heroes

May 1 2009 by Mike Wilson

CHAMPION Ayr Rugby Club honoured their heroes at the annual players’ dinner.

With a glittering array of players, wives, partners, girlfriends and guests in attendance, Norrie Lymburn ran the show with his customary style, leaving his audience in stitches which only created more work for special guest, cub medic Doc Holland!

The vote for player of the year was greeted with a roar of approval when the announcement was made that the chosen one was Jeff Wilson, the hugely popular Aussie flanker who had been such an influential part of taking Ayr to the Premier One title.

His try against Edinburgh Accies on that unforgettable day when they clinched the title was only one of the many memories with which he will be able to regale his grandchildren. Although he returns to his native Australia in a week or so, the shaggy haired big fella will always find the warmest of welcomes back at Millbrae.

The young player of the year award went to Richard McCallum whose game improved out of all recognition over the season and whose tackle in the fifth game in the last minute at Stirling was not only a try saver but a game saver and one which kept Ayr on the winning run.

He is another who will be playing his rugby furth of Millbrae next season as he leaves for France to further his studies.

The players’ player of the year was Frazier Climo, who not only contributed 318 points (18 tries, 54 conversions and 40 penalties) but who showed that when former Ayr captain Scott Lines pointed his young New Plymouth clubmate in the direction of Millbrae, he did them an enormous favour.

The Taranki stand-off is quite simply a class act, his reputation having spread throughout Scotland after only one season. Now on his way back to New Zealand, there is every likelihood he will be back in pink and black colours next season.

Gibson Simo collected the 2nd XV player of the year award, just reward for a great season with the second string and gaining the recognition of his talent by being frequently in the 1st XV squad.

For the 'Mighty Millbrae', champions of West Division 2, that club stalwart and no stranger to player of the year when he captained the 1st XV, Jim Lymburn picked up the same award.

Perhaps the most heartfelt praise came for one of the unsung heroes of the backroom staff, team manager Ronnie McKinnon, whose meticulous attention to detail and organising skills allowed both the punctual and more errant members of the squad to concentrate on what they needed to do most, on the field.

Club president Billy McHarg succinctly summed up the success of the side when he said that he never known a happier dressing room, the team spirit engendered among the players one of the major factors in Ayr becoming champions.

It was also revealed that at the SRU awards dinner at Murrayfield in May, the coach of the year award will go to Kenny Murray for his efforts in successfully bringing a new style of rugby to Millbrae, one which the players enjoyed, embraced and subsequently became the envy of the rest of Premier One.

So the season comes to a close, on the horizon lies the possibility of an even greater challenge as the long discussed cross border competition looks as though it could well be in place for next season. It will involve the top club sides from England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland and as club champions, Ayr will fly the flag for the country.

Congratulations to Carrick and Belmont U15s and Carrick U18 and Marr Development U18 for two cracking games in the Ayrshire Schools Development League finals night at Millbrae last Friday (highlights of both games on www.scottishrugbytv.com).

Carrick won the U15 final 35-20 but not before Belmont had fought back from 29-0 down just after half time. In the U18 final, the 0-0 scoreline at half-time showed just how keenly contested the match was and although Marr held the lead after Marc Tracy's try just after the beak, Carrick stayed on their tails and were still within an equalising score at 13-6 when the final whistle went for Marr to celebrate retaining the trophy.

Much credit is due to development officers Stephen Main, Damien Kelly and Greg Sinclair for putting on a marvellous night’s rugby.