Head coach Gregor Townsend and stars such as Greig Laidlaw and Jonny Gray provided pupils with an up close and personal insight into the preparation of the national team ahead of their Six Nations clash with Wales this weekend.
Wallace High launched as the Scottish School of Sport in 2012, with rugby chosen as one of the five Schools of Sport which would support students and develop their talent in their chosen discipline.
School of Rugby students follow a programme designed by the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU), and they were joined by hundreds of pupils from the wider school, as well as young people from their Learning Community primaries, to watch the training session.
The day began with an exclusive Q&A for all of the school’s rugby players, before the team completed an extensive training practice that culminated in a signing and selfies session as the youngsters got the chance to meet their heroes.
Among the keen viewers was Wallace High S5 pupil Freya Walker, who made her own national debut for the under 18s women’s team against England this past weekend.
Headteacher of Wallace High School, Scott Pennock, said, “We were delighted to welcome the national rugby team to our school to showcase what it takes to perform sport at the highest level. It was a wonderful experience for all of our pupils, not just those involved with the school of rugby, and we would like to thank the Scottish Rugby Union for such an exciting opportunity.”
Convenor of the Children and Young People Committee at Stirling Council, Cllr Susan McGill, said: “Physical education is at the heart of our curriculum and this was a fantastic opportunity for all pupils at Wallace High to learn from some of the best athletes in Scottish sport.
“We want Stirling to be the best place to be active and part of this is ensuring that physical education and sport are embedded within our schools and communities.”
Vice Convenor, Cllr Margaret Brisley, said: “Being able to see the Scottish national players up close will not only inspire our young people to take up rugby, but also educate them about the participation, health and overall wellbeing benefits of sport and physical activity.”
The School of Rugby is open to both boys and girls in S1-S3. The Scottish School of Sport programme requires young people to be released from regular curricular classes to develop both their physical and social abilities through their chosen sport.
Scotland host Wales at Murrayfield this Saturday afternoon in their penultimate match in this year’s Six Nations Championship.
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Training Session (0) -
Training Session (1) -
S5 pupil Freya Walker - plays for under 18s national women’s team (2) -
Q&A Session in Wallace High (3)
