Well, the “Ton Run” faltered slightly when, after 3 Lunches in a row with over 100 GROGs attending, rather than watch the Winter Olympics only 96 preferred to enjoy another of Gordon Craig’s fine lunches and to listen to the humour and rugby knowledge of Peter Laverie, Head Coach of Ayr RFC, member of the SRU Council and Chairman of the Premier 1 Forum . Once again the Lunch was chaired by the avuncular Alasdair Graham who couldn’t have set up a better entrance for the speaker when, having just announced his delayed arrival, through the doors strode Peter to tumultuous applause. Before warming up the audience with a number of jokes (some of which hadn’t been heard for a while), Alasdair auctioned a bottle of whisky, donated for the GROGS’ charity fund. He then introduced the guest speaker, a man with extensive rugby credentials gained from experience with an impressive number of different clubs. It would have been easy to think that Peter had made a mistake about the “gig” that day as he entertained his audience with a stand up comedian performance. His lines were delivered in deadpan style but, when he came to talk about rugby, he became all animated. He expressed disappointment with the start to the 6 Nations Championship and feared that, in spite of Scottish success in so many areas, globally and historically, there was a defeatist attitude that said we can’t do it in modern day rugby. He wished he could have been more optimistic, although he believes that when Scottish Clubs can equal their opposite numbers in England, Ireland and Wales in physicality, success will follow. While describing the national rugby coaching plan for youngsters (his own Club, Ayr RFC, has over 400 youngster playing there), he said the Clubs are the key to the survival of rugby in Scotland. Peter was forthright, and not with a flavour of controversy, in answering questions from the floor, including his own version of a job description for a national Director of Rugby. All in all, a most interesting and entertaining speaker who more than earned his reward of a bottle of GROGS whisky and a GROGS tie.
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December 2024
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