Three Aberdeen Grammar stalwarts will play their final match at Rubislaw this weekend as they prepare to hang up their boots.
Winger Doug Russell, who has been with the club since 2003, centre Tom Aplin, who is in his 11th season with the club, and hooker Ben Inglis, who joined the club in 2018, are all retiring at the end of the campaign.
Co-lead coach Greig Ryan insists all three senior members of a youthful side will be sorely missed.
He said: “We’ve got a few lads playing their last games at Rubislaw tomorrow in Tom, Doug and Ben.
“They’re retiring at the end of the season so we’re expecting big performances from these lads.
“Doug and Tom probably have more than 200 caps for the club in the firsts and seconds.
“It’s one of those things, much like when I retired a few years ago. It feels like a changing of the guard, but these lads can go out knowing they’ve given the club good service.”
Grammar looking to the future with optimism
Grammar will regroup at the end of the campaign as they begin preparations for National Two next season, but Ryan hopes the team can end a tough term in National One with a home win against Gala tomorrow.
He said: “We’re looking for a strong home performance. It would be great for the guys to get a win in our last home game of the season and send the fans home happy from Rubislaw.
“The time for reflection will be after the Watsonians game next week. I’m sure there will be a coaches’ debrief with the players to discuss the season and see where we go from there.”
Ryan believes the squad can take confidence from recent performances ahead of their final home game.
Grammar came up just short following a battling display in a 24-21 loss at Biggar, but Ryan is feeling optimistic about the future of the club as it rebuilds.
He said: “We’ve played well in our last two games. We took Highland all the way before they got a last minute score which made the scoreline a little flattering for them.
“We then took Biggar all the way two weeks ago – we went left instead of going right and would have scored. Had we done that, the game would have ended as a different result.
“But certainly the guys have stepped up in the last couple of games and shown the potential we’ve got in the squad.
“It has been good for the guys to see that and enjoy playing rugby again.
“The pressure of relegation has gone now our fate is sealed, but it is good to see the guys going out and playing pressure-free rugby.”
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