The Offside Line Podcast: The First for Scottish Rugby

After last weekend's welfare break, the Arnold Clark Men's Premiership returns.

With Robin missing in action, Iain Heard steps back into the breach to join Stuart and Barney for a look ahead at this weekend's fixtures, which includes a Borders derby between top of the table Melrose and Hawick, a west coast clash at Balgray between defending champions Ayr and still winless Glasgow Hawks, and a capital city showdown at Myreside between Watsonians and Edinburgh Accies.

Two teams with play-off aspirations but struggling for consistency this season meet at Goldenacre, when Heriot's host GHA.

Meanwhile, a highly charged afternoon is on the cards at Malleny Park, when Currie Chieftains will look to pay tribute to club legend Ally Donaldson the day after his funeral in the way he would have appreciated most when they take on Kelso.

The guys also run through National One and National Two with Stirling County and Highland, respectively, the teams to beat.

This episode is sponsored by KubeNet - a multi-award winning technology solutions provider based in Glasgow.

It's Cyber Security Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to take stock of your organisation's cyber defences. Championship-winning teams know success starts with a strong defence, and resilient businesses are no different. Our sponsors KubeNet provide managed IT services, cyber security solutions and proactive support to help keep your organisation protected against evolving threats. Don't wait until you've conceded a costly cyber attack. Get ahead of the game and strengthen your defence today. You can contact KubeNet at [email protected]t to learn more.

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Hello Offside Liners and welcome to this week’s show. Barney and Burnsy get out of the studio to record a special interview with former Scotland U20s, Stirling County and Heriot’s second-row Adam Sinclair about his life and career, which has taken him from Bannockburn to South Africa, France and England (as well as the Scottish Premiership). They also review all the latest URC action, schoolboy rugby, Jake Dalziel’s Prem breakthrough and World Rugby law changes.

This week we’re sponsored by Sterling Sinclair Group.

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Barney and Burnsy catch up to discuss the return of the Scotland Men's Sevens team this coming weekend, Edinburgh's gritty win over Stormers last Friday night and whether George Horne cost Glasgow Warriors a win over Ulster on Saturday evening.

There's also a revelation about how a missed deadline by Barney gave Burnsy his big break in the literary world!

This episode is sponsored by KubeNet - a multi-award winning technology solutions provider based in Glasgow.

It's Cyber Security Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to take stock of your organisation's cyber defences. Championship-winning teams know success starts with a strong defence, and resilient businesses are no different. Our sponsors KubeNet provide managed IT services, cyber security solutions and proactive support to help keep your organisation protected against evolving threats. Don't wait until you've conceded a costly cyber attack. Get ahead of the game and strengthen your defence today. You can contact KubeNet at [email protected]t to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Barney is back from his golfing jolly to join Stuart and Robin as they look ahead to the final round of matches before the Arnold Clark Men's Premiership 'welfare' break.

Game of the day looks like being at Myreside where Watsonians will look to bounce back from last weekend's agonising defeat at the Greenyards by getting the better of a Heriot's side on a high after becoming the first side to beat Ayr in a league match in just shy of two years.

Elsewhere, Ayr and GHA will each look to exorcise the demons of last weekend's defeats when they meet at Millbrae, while still winless Glasgow Hawks face a tough trip to the Borders to take on Kelso at Poynder Park, and Edinburgh Accies welcome Melrose to Raeburn Place.

The Hawick versus Currie Chieftains game has been postponed as a mark of respect following the new earlier this week that Currie stalwart Ally Donaldson had passed away following a short illness.

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A short sharp pod to start the week with Barney and Burnsy catching up to celebrate two bonus-points wins on the road for the Scots teamson the opening weekend of the URC ... and four Irish defeats!

Meanwhile, how much should we read into Arnold Clark Men's Premiership champions Ayr suffering their first league defeat in just short of two years against Heriot's at Goldenacre?

Congratulations to Garioch whose perseverance in the Arnold Clark Women's Premiership was rewarded with a first win of the season over Cartha Queens Park on Saturday, but it was a disappointing afternoon for Scotland Women who couldn't build on a positive first half against Australia and ended up slumping to a third defeat in as many weeks at Hive Stadium.

Finally, the boys reflect on the gut-wrenching news that Ally Donaldson – a Currie Chieftains and Scottish rugby legend – has passed away on Sunday evening following a short illness, aged just 60.

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Barney has gone golfing so Iain Heard - former referee turned pundit and champion of the club game - steps into the breach, and there's some big games in the Premiership to look forward to this coming weekend, including Ayr taking their long winning streak on the road to Goldenacre where Heriot's await in what looks like being game of the day.

Meanwhile Glasgow Hawks host Hawick at the other end of the table, there's a capital derby between Currie Chieftains and Edinburgh Accies at Malleny Park, in-formMelrose welcome Watsonians to the Greenyards, and it's GHA versus Kelso at Braidholm.

There's also a top of the table clash in National One with second in the league Gala hoping to burst Stirling County's unbeaten bubble at Netherdale.

And there's a fair old battle on the cards in the north with National Two leaders Highland heading to Countesswells to take on third placed Gordonians.

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With the URC kicking off this weekend, Barney and Burnsy popped into the Edinburgh Rugby offices at Murrayfield to catch up with the club's managing director, Doug Struth, for a wide-ranging chat. Including: David Nucifora's role in recruiting three Australian assistant coaches this summer, why Jamie Ritchie heading to Glasgow was a surprise but not a disaster and the importance of A team games.

There has been 60 percent turnover in rugby-facing staff over the summer, and Struth says there is a fresh buzz about the club ... but will that be evident against Ulster on Friday night?

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Some huge games on the menu this weekend with Heriots' trip to the Greenyards to take on Melrose in a clash of two of the form teams in the league perhaps match of the day, although the basement battle between Edinburgh Accies and Glasgow Hawks could also be a gripping encounter.

Barney, Stuart and Robin get together to look ahead at another exciting weekend of action in the top flight of men's club rugby in Scotland, and they also hear from Stirling County head coach Bob Mckillop

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Burnsy is on a mini-tour of the UK this week but has found the time to catch up with Barney to digest last weekend's Arnold Clark Premiership action and to discuss the importance of Murrayfield showing a bit more love and respect for this top tier of the club game in Scotland as it needs to be an essential step in the performance pathway for the long term health of the game.

The boys are also joined by Stuart Bathgate to catch-up on Scotland's WXV campaign, which kicked off with a heavy defeat to Canada at Hive Stadium on Saturday. Dave Butcher's side appear to be low on confidence but is there light at the end of the tunnel?

This podcast is sponsored by Kudos Sports Services.

Kudos Sports Services supports grassroots and community sports clubs with the work that happens off the pitch. From funding applications and sponsorship to club development, governance and project planning, Kudos helps clubs turn ideas into practical, fundable projects. If your club needs support to become more sustainable or develop its next project, visit kudossportsservices.com or follow Kudos Sports Services on LinkedIn.

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