Kevin ferrie chief rugby writer [email protected]

Two years ago Ayr became national champions for the first time, 12 months ago they claimed their first Scottish Cup and over the next few weeks, at the end of a season that has seen them become the first Scottish team to compete in the knockout stages of the British & Irish Cup, they hope to claim the double.

If they do so it will be time to set new, ever more ambitious targets.

So says Billy McHarg, the former footballer who turned to rugby relatively late in his sporting life, but who has become, along with Jock Craig, their director of rugby who has been involved with the club for the best part of half a century, one of their driving forces.

“We reached the quarter-finals of the British & Irish Cup this year, so we have to be aiming to go at least one better next season and three of our five matches will be at Ayr this time, as opposed to having three away from home,” said McHarg, the club president. “No-one will get an easy game at Millbrae.”

They hope to demonstrate that at the end of the month, when current national champions Currie visit for what could yet be a title decider.

Much rugby must be played first, with four teams still in contention, although Glasgow Hawks would have to repeat the 80-point thrashing they dealt to Hawick a few years ago to force their way into the mix, and then pick up a further bonus point win in what could be a title eliminator with Currie on April 23.

Currie, meantime, need a bonus point win over Hawks to stay in contention and could then, courtesy of their superior points difference, snatch the title by claiming a further bonus point victory at Ayr on April 30. That, in turn, requires Ayr to stop current leaders Melrose picking up any points at all at The Greenyards on April 23. If Ayr beat both Melrose and Currie the title will be theirs.

Not that McHarg and his clubmates dare think too much about any of that at the moment, because right now they are completely focused on another competition altogether.

“We’ve got Boroughmuir to think about first and they’ll certainly be up for it,” said McHarg.

That Scottish Cup semi-final at Meggetland today has, however, the potential to set up two weeks of ferocious competition with Melrose who have already reached the cup final.

The Borders club is, of course, involved on more domestic issues today, hosting their famous sevens tournament. Meanwhile, those of us who have long believed it was wrong to place so much attention on the sevens circuit in some of the season’s best playing conditions should be particularly grateful to Ayr for ensuring that there looks like being meaningful XV-a-side rugby every Saturday this month.

While, with so many variables in play, McHarg is not prepared to engage in too much discussion about what might turn into an April to remember, he will consider just what has been learned from this season and what Ayr’s aspirations should now be.

“Three years ago Ayr’s vision for the season was to get 40 points and avoid relegation. Now we are looking at being in the top three every year and getting into the British & Irish Cup,” he said.

“Our running costs come to around £150,000, compared with £1.5 million at Bristol, who I believe we would have beaten if we’d played our British & Irish Cup quarter-final at Ayr. We cover our costs because we have support from two major sponsors in Dawn and John Lynch Homes, who put in five-figure sums, other smaller sponsorships and fund-raising.

“Local people want to support Ayr and want to buy into the club and South Ayrshire Council are also very supportive.

“The people who moved the club to Millbrae in the sixties left a real legacy, but it may be that we have now outgrown Millbrae and within the next five years maybe we will move on again.

“That is what Jock and I see as our role, to ensure that there is a legacy left once more.”

On the competitive front, too, McHarg is not prepared to set any limits, although, as the case for Premier One clubs entering Europe grows, he insists the progress of this club will take place one step at a time.

“You just need to look at professional rugby after 15 years of it in Scotland. We have teams with no identity and no grounds. For me it’s sad,” he said.

While no immediate change to the structure seems likely, Ayr plan to be ready, whatever happens.

“Long-term, if something happened to Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh then Ayr would be among those at the fore [to replace them in the pro ranks],” said McHarg.

Given all we have heard about the net cost to the sport of those professional teams of late that may be no pipe dream, but for Ayr the immediate future is exciting enough.

This article was originally posted on 9-Apr-2011, 06:22 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 9-Apr-2011, 06:49.