New head coach and captain in place at Glenrothes ready for next rugby season

New Glenrothes Rugby Club head coach Cosmin Popescu (Pic: Glenrothes RFC)

The former is Cosmin Popescu, and he’s already been seeing good numbers at pre-season training ahead of their first warm-up match of the summer, against Division 1 side Kinross at home at Carleton Park this coming Saturday, with kick-off at noon to avoid clashing with Scotland’s game against France in Edinburgh at 3.15pm.

Former Howe of Fife flanker Jamie Ritchie is expected to return as captain of the national team for that summer international after being rested by head coach Gregor Townsend, with Glasgow Warriors flanker Rory Darge standing in, for the Scots’ 25-13 victory over Italy at the capital’s Murrayfield Stadium on Saturday gone.

“It’s a new start for Glenrothes and for me as the new head coach,” said Popescu, from Dunfermline, looking ahead to next season.

“Initially, I didn’t know exactly where to set up my expectations, especially in regards to the playing group, but I soon found out that the club have a mix of young and more experienced players extremely motivated to prove they can win games.

“I felt welcomed from the first moment I stepped into the club, which is very important for me.

“The players have worked hard over the last three weeks and our three pre-season games will show us what we need to improve before the start of the league.”

Captaining the club will be Jack Bousie, voted players’ player of last season.

Glenrothes also have a new president for the coming campaign, Angela High, and she says she’s hoping for a successful season for the seniors and also looking forward to the resumption of youth training next week for the club’s under-13s and U14s and the week after for their minis, their U15s, U16s and U18s having continued to train over the summer.

She’s hoping too for increases in numbers of players at all levels, she says.

Glenrothes’ first XV’s season begins with a visit from Blairgowrie on Saturday, September 16, at 3pm.

Further changes are afoot at the Carleton Avenue club as well as they’re in the process of appointing a rugby development officer to deliver and support rugby coaching in schools nearby and they’ve also advertised for a part-time community coach.