LAST WEEK AT ANNAN RUGBY

Big week at Annan Rugby for the 1st XV as they try and secure West 1 rugby for next season.

Note: Most likely senior training will be at the Everholm but at time of writing still a TBC

New players always wanted and welcome for any of the training going on.

Monday

Walking Rugby – all welcome.  6.30pm to 7.30pm at the Annan Academy Playing Fields

See Walking Rugby for more details on Walking Rugby. All ages welcome for the Walking Rugby

U14-U16 Girls/Boys Strength and Conditioning returns up at the Violetbank Gym. 6pm to 7pm. All players welcome

Thursday

Men Ages 17+ training. 6.45pm to 8.30pm at Violetbank or Everholm

Women Ages 17+ training. 7.15pm to 8.45pm at Violetbank or Everholm

Join the team!

Friday

P1-P7 Boys and Girls. 6pm to 7pm/7.15pm at Annan Academy

See Training for more info on training. All ages welcome. No rugby experience necessary.

Saturday

U16 Boys at Stewartry Sevens. 12pm start

1st XV away to Strathaven. 3pm KO

2nd XV away to Strathaven. 3pm KO

Sunday

U14 Girls combine with Stewartry Girls to take on Biggar at Greenlaw. 1.15pm KO

#OneClub

1ST XV IN ANOTHER MASSIVE MATCH

STOP PRESS: Strathaven 1st XV 15 v Annan 1st XV 19 / Points: Josh (2T, 2C), Aitken (T)

After 2 wins from 2, the 1st XV have got themselves into the position that if they win on Saturday away to fellow strugglers Strathaven, West 1 survival could be achieved.

Only could be as there are quite a few permutations that mean the Annan might need a result in their last match away to West 1 Champions and unbeaten so far Ardrossan to avoid the drop.

The coaches and players will be pleased though to have got themselves into the position that a bonus point win on Saturday, coupled with preventing Strathaven any bonus points means West 1 rugby for next season. (based on just 1 team going down which I am 66% certain is the case!)

It will be a tough ask though as Strathaven at home are always a hard team to beat and the home side are also wanting that win to take the relegation battle to the last match.

Any other result than a bonus points win and no bonus point for Strathaven will mean Annan will most likely need to match or better Strathavens result in their last match and even then they might need other matches (namely the 2 involving Dalziel) to go their way.

Biggest match of the season as the lads enter week 3 and match 3 of the Great Escape attempt!

3pm KO

Annan Starting XV: 1 Ryan Glass 2 Murray Forbes 3 Kieran Warrick (C) 4 James Morrison 5 Callum Smith 6 Ryan Armstrong 7 Stewart Livingston 8 Sean Haren 9 Josh Whiteside 10 Fraser McMillan 11 James Kirby 12 Alex Halliday 13 Aaron Carmichael 14 Aitken Render 15 Andrew Jancey

Annan Subs: 16 Eben Le Vin 17 Callum Taylor 18 Ollie Ferdinand 19 Adam Torbett

2ND XV ALSO AWAY TO STRATHAVEN

STOP PRESS: The 2nd XV go down 10-5. Unlucky lads.

Try from Wallace Alexander

The 2nd XV are also away to Strathaven in their last match of the 2023/24 season.

It’s been a tough season with a lot more defeats than wins but as always the numbers are there at Annan with close to 70 players having played for the 1st and 2nd XV this season and so as season 2023/24 winds down, it will be hoped that next season the 2nd XV can bounce back and be challenging nearer the top of the West Reserve 2 league.

Just need a few more turning up regularly to training.

3pm KO

Annan Starting XV: Josh Cairns, John Palmer, Ewan Campbell
Matthew Blaylock, Murdo Bruton, Wallace Alexander, Kyle McRoberts, Lex Stevenson, Bradley James, Simon Dix, John Glendining. Jack Ogilvie, AN Other x 5

YOUTH TEAMS IN ACTION

STOP PRESS: The combined Stewartry/Annan U14 Girls team beat Dumfries 45-31. Well played girls.

2 Youth teams in action this week

On Tuesday the U14 Girls will join forces with their counterparts at Stewartry to take on Dumfries at Greenlaw. 7.15pm KO.

On Saturday the U16 Boys are off to the Stewartry Sevens. 12pm start

While on Sunday the U14 Girls are combining with Stewartry U14 Girls to take on Biggar U14 Girls at Greenlaw. 1.15KO

Best of luck to all the teams this weekend