Carlin Isles to play charity fifteens for Co-Ops

The American arrived earlier in the year as a sevens specialist with the aim of building up to playing fifteens matches for Glasgow Warriors. So far he has turned out for Ayr in an RBS Premiership match against Hawick, when he knocked the ball on over the try line, before scoring some great tries as the Warriors won the Melrose Sevens.

Now he has been handed another fifteen-a-side match by the famous select side at Howe of Fife’s Duffus Park at 2pm on Sunday in an encounter raising funds for the Murrayfield  Centenary Fund.

Fred McLeod, honorary president of the Co-Optimists, said: “Out of the blue we were offered the services of Carlin Isles and fellow American Folau Niua from Glasgow Warriors and this offer was, with the approval of Caledonia Reds, gratefully accepted. The players will no doubt be a great crowd-puller. Some may question the inclusion of professional players against amateur/semi-professional players – however, both sides agreed that it would present a great opportunity for the others involved to play with and against such top players.”

Despite the club season having just finished last weekend the Co-Ops have managed to get a strong squad together with the likes of Ayr duo Murray McConnell and Craig Gossman joining Isles and Niua in the backline.

The forward pack includes players such as Gala prop Rory Sutherland, who has been watched by Edinburgh Rugby, and Currie captain and  Scotland Sevens cap Mark Cairns.

The Caledonia Reds squad  includes Murray Douglas and Cameron Ferguson, who won the RBS Cup with Heriot’s and they are coached by ex-Scotland captain Jason White.