ALLY WARNOCK today hailed the kids for fame that can take the Currie club he leaves behind, as well as Edinburgh region, back to the top of the Scottish Premiership while he pursues his dream of regular pro rugby at English National League side Doncaster Knights.
Warnock, 25, signed off the Scottish 15-a-side scene last weekend as he helped Currie to a 25-12 victory over Ayr to ensure a fourth place finish and recalls the youthfulness of his colleagues, saying: "There were no fewer than seven teenagers, incl
uding three debutants in the latest Currie side.
"That has got to suggest a bright future for the club, especially with the under-15s enjoying a lot of success and moving players up through the structure."
Opportunities beyond Currie have proved elusive for the stand off and he admits when former Edinburgh coach Lynn Howells came along with an offer to join Doncaster at the end of the current season it was impossible to resist.
"The bottom line is I want to play pro rugby because it is every player's dream to do so. Doncaster are offering me that chance and it will be good to link up with Lynn Howells again."
As for Currie coach Ally Donaldson, he is hoping the effect of the departure of Warnock, who was regularly farmed out by Edinburgh, can be minimised by emerging talent.
"Given the youth in our squad, to finish fourth in the league when defending the title was not a bad achievement and if I have a disappointment it was bowing out of the Cup (at Ayr) in the quarter finals."
That setback was atoned last weekend and Donaldson added: "Our three debutants – prop Alastair Hamilton, scrum half Fraser Strachan and winger Jamie Harris – all fitted in particularly well.
"It was a bit nostalgic to see Fraser debuting because his dad Charlie and I made our first appearances for Currie in the same match, against Dalkeith, a few years ago.
"Similarly, Alastair's dad, Graham, was a stalwart second row for Currie and his offspring has really benefitted from a gap year in South Africa.
"As for Jamie, he comes out of the Scottish Schools Cup-winning Merchiston Castle side, though Currie connections are strong having played in our mini and midi sections."
Of the other teenagers, back-row pair Steve Burton and Michael Entwhistle have represented Scotland and Ireland respectively at under-20 level in the past season. Iain Downie has been making his mark in the centre and Gary Temple is beginning to flourish as a second season lock.
Donaldson adds: "Of the latest side, only Andy Adam and Andy Muir were aged over 25 and the good news is they'll be back again next season.
"Similarly, Johnny Smith looks like putting down roots now that he has a British passport while only Mike Fitzgerald, of our overseas players, is returning home.
"Add in the fact that Andrew Reekie, James Taggart and Scott Burnett are all just 21, while Richard Snedden (23), Ross Weston (24) and Mark Cairns (23) have their best years ahead and the new season is eagerly awaited at Malleny Park."
Where Donaldson, in building a settled squad for the future, is particularly anxious for upheaval, is in the structure of the domestic campaign.
Predicting issues to be raised at this summer's SRU annual meeting, he says: "There is far too big a gap between matches, especially in the second half of the season.
"The players want matches to run right through regardless of Six Nations fixtures.
"One solution could be to organise league games for Friday evenings during the February/March international period.
"As things stand, the programme is too much stop-start for club players."
The full article contains 629 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
