A LEADING Scottish independent school have announced a new partnership with a Championship rugby union club.
Glenalmond College in Perthshire announced today the exclusive agreement to be the official school partner for London Scottish FC.
The partnership will see an ambitious programme of activity rolled out by the two organisations in the coming months.
The first of these events will take place in the coming weeks when a 40-strong squad from the Club, which is based in Richmond, London, will travel to Perthshire to take up residence in the stunning 300-acre campus at Glenalmond for a three-day training session, prior to their match against Edinburgh at Murrayfield.
Glenalmond’s partnership with the club is set to benefit the local economy by involving pupils from other local schools in training sessions to ensure the community benefit from the “pioneering partnership”.
Included in the plans is a series of events where Glenalmond College play host to players, coaches and officials who will be travelling north to train at the award-winning Perthshire school.
Glenalmond Warden, Hugh Ouston, said: “The partnership offers exciting potential for the school to develop further its London links, as well as being an excellent fit with Glenalmond’s long heritage of high-level rugby playing.
This includes a number of former players who have been capped, including Rob Wainwright and David Sole, both of whom have captained Scotland national rugby teams.
The agreement will see Glenalmond pupils benefit from professional training sessions with top London Scottish coaches. The school, which welcomes both day pupils and boarders, currently has 350 pupils aged 12 – 18, with an even split of girls and boys.
“We are delighted to announce this partnership. As well as building on our long-established links with the sport of rugby, Glenalmond College and London Scottish also share a great many values – such as the drive for constant improvement and fair play,” said Mr Ouston.
“We look forward to welcoming players, coaches and officials to Glenalmond in the months ahead and, in particular, to offering our pupils the opportunity to be inspired by male and female players at the top of their sport in this prestigious club.”
Carson Russell, Commercial Director of London Scottish FC, said the Club had been extremely impressed with the sporting and other facilities at Glenalmond College along with the passion and pride shared by staff and pupils at the Perthshire school.
“This is a really special new partnership with a very special Scottish independent school.
“Along with other London Scottish officials, I was hugely impressed with the school during our sponsorship discussions. Glenalmond College truly represents the very best of education with the added bonus of being set in one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland, if not the world.
“It was, however, the culture of the school and its pupils which really swung our decision to partner with Glenalmond. Their resilience and humility resonates strongly with our culture at London Scottish and we’re really looking forward to bringing the team to Perthshire this summer.”
