First match for Kirkcaldy for 18 long months

Kirkcaldy Rugby Club President, Dave Foster (Pic: Fife Photo Agency)

Co-captains Dayle Turner and Craig Letham will lead out head coach Quntin Sanft’s 1st XV at Beveridge Park in the first Division 2 match of the new season against Peebles on Saturday.

It will be the Blues first match since a home defeat to the same opposition in March 2020.

A member of the club for over 40 years, and a past player and captain, Foster was the perfect choice to take over as club President in May, a position he previously held from 2000-02.

He says that seeing the team back on the pitch once again will be an emotional moment for all.

"To say I'm delighted would be an understatement,” he says.

“This is the path back to normality and the guys are champing at the bit to get back out and play properly.

“Some of them have found just getting back to training to be very emotional.

“Fitness levels I think have suffered during covid but that will crank back up.”

He describes the last 18 months for the club as “hugely difficult” in all aspects, with training held under strict conditions.

“It was a slow progression from fitness training, to touch rugby, from only being allowed a certain number in an area of the pitch, to contact but only under strict conditions - it was anything but rugby.

“It is fantastic that restrictions are now lifted and we are back into full contact rugby.

“It's been a long time coming.”

With the countdown to kick off well underway, Foster says that the club are now able to make plans for the future, both in the short and long term.

"First of all we have to make sure that we maintain a safe environment for everybody - players, spectators, coaches, staff and all attendees at the club.

“The other aspect to work on is how does the season look? We have to get all the players who were training regularly back at the club, at all age levels, because some have fallen by the wayside.

“With a bit more certainty, we can start to looking forward to getting back to a situation where the club environment is the welcoming, all inclusive environment that everybody knows and loves.”