In many sports, gaining promotion to a higher league is the catalyst for access to new-found wealth, but that certainly hasn't happened to the doughty members of Orkney RFC.
Ever since they advanced out of the Caledonia structure into the BT National League, the Pickaquoy pack have been preparing for Homeric odysseys to the likes of Dumfries, Berwick and Irvine. And while there's no doubting the resilience or commitment of the islanders, who are accustomed to leaving home on Friday evenings and getting back to base on Sunday, it would be a tough schedule for professionals, let alone amateur players with full-time jobs.
Yet Orkney's captain, Alan Brown, wasn't interested in offering excuses, following his team's 31-28 defeat in their opening fixture against Perthshire last Saturday. On paper, the scoreline might suggest a thrilling contest, but Brown cut to the chase in analysing the performance.
"We made a slow start and gave away some soft tries, then, before you knew it, we were 24-0 down and facing a big challenge," said the skipper. "We fought back well and the lads couldn't have worked much harder to turn things round, but it was too little, too late, and the reality is that we didn't switch on quick enough. We know that we should have done better and it was nothing to do with the miles we travelled – Perthshire is one of the shortest trips on the schedule – but at least the championship is up and running and we have the opportunity to get points on the board when Dalziel FP come up here on Saturday."
Self-sufficiency is in the DNA of Orcadian rugby. During the last five years, fuelled by a combination of local passion and the exertions of such redoubtable characters as the former Melrose stalwart, Bruce Ruthven, the sport has witnessed a revolution in and around Kirkwall. More than 2,500 youngsters, male and female, have been introduced to the charms of the oval ball, and that is a remarkable figure when you consider that Orkney's population is only just above 20,000.
But, there again, the behind-the-scenes efforts of a sedulous committee and a raft of volunteers have ensured there are no shortage of mentors willing to lend their experience and enthusiasm to the cause. The one notable exception is the First XV, who are working without a coach, just as they did throughout their 2014-15 campaign. It's hardly an ideal situation, but Brown is pragmatic about why this has happened. After all, Orkney isn't really a place which can be reached in an hour or two, or not without recourse to airports and flights.
"It seemed to be okay while we were winning most of our matches last season, but we know it is not the best set-up and we will have to consider a rethink if we move any further up the ladder," said Brown. "We are just hoping to find out feet in the weeks and months ahead and we are well aware this is a big step into the unknown. We simply can't afford to worry about the long distances involved in away games, because our opponents have to do likewise when they come up to Orkney.
"We all signed up for this chance when we started playing and it is a really exciting time for the lot of us. We have grown up together and there is a great camaraderie among the squad, which has only been strengthened by the hours we have spent together on overnight ferries and long-haul bus treks. That has brought us closer together.
"As well as that, just look at the clubs who we are up against in this division. There is GHK, West of Scotland, Royal High [RHC]....teams with a long history and a proud tradition and now we are in there with them. I think it is pretty clear there won't be any easy matches, and it will be very competitive as we move into autumn and then winter, but we knew what was going to be in store and it's what we wanted to aim for."
The seven-hour sea crossings might have created a Musketeer-style esprit des corps, but Orkney recognise that sojourns to Berwick and Dumfries might require a different approach. But, as usual, Brown talked about these challenges with an infectious relish. "I think our president is planning to fly us and our sponsors down to one or two of these matches and this is an adventure for everybody," he said. "We have lots of passionate supporters and youngsters in the various age groups and now it is up to us to keep the momentum going this year."
They haven't exactly found Arcadia. But Brown and his colleagues are somewhere pretty close to heaven.
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