AN away game against former holders Dollar Academy would not have been their first choice of opposition, but the boys of Dunbar GS can't wait until 30 October.
The East Lothian side beat Lasswade HS 26-20 last Friday to book their place in the third round of the Bell Lawrie Scottish Cup.
"We obviously know Dollar's history and tradition in schools rugby, but our boys actually believe they can go up there
and win," enthused Paul Huish, the school's sports co-ordinator.
"We have won five of our first six games and the boys see no reason why they can't cause an upset."
With Simon May, coach for a number of years taking a back seat this season as he has just become a father, Huish, Ian Maddox, a parent who looks after the senior XV, and a mixture of other teachers and parents, plus local club YDO Mark Coull, manage to field four teams most Saturdays, with an under-16 side playing on Sundays in youth rugby. The school have also just started a girls' team.
Maddox coached Dunbar HS's Under-15 side who won the Bell Lawrie Scottish Bowl last season, and he has moved up to the 1st XV with most of the boys, including sons Fraser and Euan.
Among the Dunbar boys catching the eye are centre Sam Atkin, a member of the Edinburgh and Scotland Under-18 set-up and Robbie Wilson, also in the Edinburgh squad.
According to Huish, links between the school and the club are now much closer and with Dunbar RFC recently starting mini rugby, the boys coming into school at 1st year in the future will have been coached the basics.
"We are happy with the way school rugby is going at the moment, and a cup tie against Dollar is certainly a great way to maintain overall interest," added Huish.
The full article contains 320 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
