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Orkney Rugby Club set to celebrate landmark anniversary

Orkney Rugby Club's first ever match was against Caithness in 1967.
Orkney Rugby Club’s first ever match was against Caithness in 1967.

Orkney Rugby Club will celebrate turning 50-years-old this weekend, with a super Saturday of celebration to mark the milestone.

Not only is the club set to hold a dinner dance at the Pickaquoy Centre on Saturday night, playing host to over six hundred people, with ex-Scotland internationalist Al Kellock as guest speaker, the club will also welcome the UK’s premier touring rugby club, the Penguins, for a match against Orkney’s First XV at Pickaquoy, scheduled to kick-off at 2pm on Saturday afternoon.

Ex-Scotland internationalists Barry Stewart and Iain Fullarton are named in the 24-man squad, as well as ex-Ireland international Simon Best. Holder of 77 Scotland caps Nathan Hines will coach the side, which will also include a Belarusian and two players from Roma.

Vice-chairman of Orkney Rugby Club Ian Carse said it was a “huge boost” that the Penguins had agreed to visit the county.

“We’ve got some tremendous players coming — some of them well-known, some of them not so well-known. It’s fantastic,” said Mr Carse.

“I think what we will see from the Penguins is loads of energy. They will throw the ball around, and they’re as fit as fiddles. That, I think, will be the key factor; they’ll move our team around all over the place, so it’s just as well that we’ve got a young, fit team!

“It should be entertaining rugby, and that’s why we would like a big crowd there, because it will be well worth a watch.”