Stewartry RFC’s men’s team are on their way to Murrayfield for just the second time in their history.
The Blacks beat Dunfermline 35-19 in the semi-finals of the National Shield at Greenlaw on Saturday to book their trip to the capital.
They’ll face East Kilbride in the final on May 6 – potentially on the hallowed turf.
Head coach, Sandy Currie, said: “It is massive for the club, it is every boy’s dream to play at Murrayfield and there’s not many sports where you get the opportunity to play at the national stadium.
“It’s a once in a generation – these boys likely won’t get another chance.
“If we get promoted this year, we move up to the national leagues. You play in the National Cup which is much more difficult for teams like ourselves.
“Going on everything that has happened in previous years, our game will be on the main pitch.
“It’s the same weekend as the coronation, which may be an issue, and we’ve not had any correspondence yet other than it will be on May 6 at Murrayfield.
“It’ll be only the second time in the club’s history – 2002 was the last time.
“It’s the fifth semi-final we’ve played in and that was only the second time we’ve won.”
Stewartry are pushing for promotion from Tennent’s West Division One and on Saturday came up against a Dunfermline side who have won the first division in the Caledonia Region.
It’s the second round running they’ve been up against unfamiliar opponents but that doesn’t go for their final foes as they play in the same division as East Kilbride.
Currie said: “We’re well above them in the league but they beat us up there.
“We would probably have liked to play North Berwick as it’s a cup and a bit more exciting. The semi-finals and finals have been against teams from the East and the North rather than teams we play regularly.
“That’s the good thing about the cup, you play teams you don’t know that well, whereas we know East Kilbride really well. We’ve been in the same league as them now since about 2017.
“On Saturday we went two scores up early on but they came back really quickly and did make life very difficult for us.
“It was quite nervy as there is so much at stake and boys don’t want to make mistakes. We played within ourselves a bit in the first half but in the second half we were quite comfortable.”
Stewartry head to Cumnock on Saturday looking to get the result that will give them a shot at promotion to the National leagues.
“If we win this weekend we secure second and go into a play-off process with the other second placed teams.”
