Annual memorial match against Moray in Invergordon a strong test for Ross Sutherland Rugby Club ahead of 2024/25 season
Ross Sutherland Rugby Club kicked off their preparations for the 2024/25 season with their annual memorial match in Invergordon last weekend.
Having been played against a team of exiles around Christmas time in previous years, last summer it was decided to make the occasion – which remembers former players Daniel Rafferty and Dave Mackay – the Stags’ new curtain raiser in pre-season.
This time around it was Moray who made the trip through to the Naval Grounds, fresh off the back of promotion into the national leagues for the upcoming campaign.
Ross Sutherland have just earned a promotion of their own, playing in Caledonia One next season, but it was still a tough test against a team playing in a higher division.
The final scoreboard reflected as much, with Moray running out 52-26 winners, but it served as solid preparation for the Stags.
“The game was played in a good spirit,” game organiser Rob Parkes said.
“We’re hoping this will now become an annual fixture with Moray. It was a good pre-season fixture, a good run out for the boys, so it was a tough opening game but it was entertaining.
“Moray are a very well-drilled side, and last season they won promotion into the national leagues so they are in a league above Ross Sutherland now.
“Moray won Raff’s Memorial Cup as winners of the match, and the spirit of the game trophy which is Dave’s trophy went to a returning Ross lad who played with both of them, Joe Eaglesham.
“Joe is one of three brothers – his older brother Jake was great friends with both of the lads, but he is in Australia after emigrating a couple of years ago, so it was a big ask to get him back for the day, and their brother Kieran also played with both of the boys at some point as well.
“Joe held that flag for the Eagleshams, but he was absolutely solid and all over the park. It was absolutely brilliant to see him back on the field, and I think it’s given him the buzz to get back into rugby.
“He seems to be looking for a club in Edinburgh, where he lives now, so it was a good choice for Dave’s trophy.”
Eaglesham’s impact is a continuation of the traditional exiles side that would compete for the trophy, as a former player returning to Invergordon for the match.
With the fixture’s move to pre-season, that may become less of an influence in years to come, but Parkes does not anticipate the occasion feeling any less special as a consequence.
“As the boys get older, quite a few are not up for playing first team rugby or rugby much at all anymore,” he added.
“When you enter into competitive games like it’s now going to be, you need to be prepared, otherwise silly things happen.
“There will be a few who are always keen to pull the boots on, but I think more and more it’s played in memorial – rightly so – of those boys by lads who may not have known them but who have learned the history around it.
“Hopefully we can instil that ownership and belonging in new generations of players.”
