Rob Moffat, the director of rugby at Merchiston Castle, one of Scotland's strongest rugby-playing independent schools, believes his school, and others, would benefit from widening their fixture lists.
"We have to play more state schools at whatever level is appropriate," said the former Edinburgh coach. "It's about getting the best games for schools players. I think it might be a good idea to scrap the current fixture lists and start again. We already play Stirling County and Boroughmuir and this season we had a game against Galashiels Academy. And our under-16s played an East Lothian schools select side. As it turned out they were too strong for us but that's the way we should go," he said.
Merchiston, who take on George Watson's at Colinton this weekend, have just returned from the St Joseph's Festival in Ipswich where they played some of the leading UK rugby schools. They were beaten 13-10 to Bedford, then 38-7 by a very strong Brighton College side and 22-12 by Royal Grammar, Newcastle. On the second day, Merchiston lost 15-10 to Portsmouth Grammar and 15-5 to Whitchurch High before finishing with a 22-0 win over Abingdon.
"Apart from the Brighton College match, all the games were winnable," said Moffat, who believes that this is the kind of competition which will stretch Scottish schools competitively.
In the west, two inter-Glasgow fixtures provide interest as schools ease back into action after the half-term break. Glasgow Academy take on Hutchesons' Grammar, with both sides having encountered difficult starts to their seasons. Academy, though, will be bolstered by a victory over Bell-Baxter High before the break and that, coupled with the return from injury of two players, will help restore confidence.
Glasgow High will be looking for victory over St Aloysius College ahead of their Brewin Dolphin Under-18 Cup quarter-final with George Watson's at Anniesland a week tomorrow.
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