Jamie McAughtrie – A Rising Star at Ayr RFC
Jamie McAughtrie’s transition from youth to senior rugby has been impressive. From training with the Ayrshire Bulls to gaining senior experience with Glasgow Accies, Jamie is now making his mark at the top of Scottish club rugby. Mark Carrick caught up with him to talk about his development, training with the Bulls, this season’s partnership with Glasgow Accies, and the unforgettable moment of scoring in his Arnold Clark Premiership debut.
In his first year with Ayr U18s, Jamie was given the opportunity to train with the Ayrshire Bulls, an experience that would prove pivotal in his development.
Jamie was involved in the Glasgow and the West regional programme at U16 and U17 level but was dropped when the programme moved to U18s as he was deemed too small for the back row. Despite the setback, Jamie found support from key figures at the club, particularly Robbie Fergusson and Frazier Climo.
“When I was dropped, I messaged Frazier, and he invited me back into training with the Ayrshire Bulls—which was a massive opportunity for me. As soon as I went into that environment, I was so excited, and I learned so much.”
Jamie trained with the Bulls squad for a couple of months during the 2024 Sprint Series, and he didn’t take it for granted. “I got called back in as a hooker and progressed from there, the opportunity then allowed me to get back involved with Scotland U18s and Glasgow Warriors U18s. I don’t think I would’ve had that opportunity if I hadn’t trained with the Bulls. Pat MacArthur took me aside and taught me how to throw as a hooker, and that was such a cool opportunity.”
His hard work paid off, earning him a spot in a Bulls pre-season game against Watsonians, and therefore became the youngest ever Ayrshire Bulls player at just 17 years old. “When I got asked to play, I was astonished—of course, I’ll do it! The wind that day was brutal, which was scary for lineout throws!”
At the beginning of this season, Jamie spoke with Ayr 1st XV head coach Grant Anderson, about the opportunity to join Glasgow Accies as part of a partnership aimed at giving him exposure to high-level senior rugby in National 1. “Immediately my answer was yes, but I was a bit nervous going into it.” Initially playing for the Accies 2nd XV, Jamie quickly transitioned into the 1st XV. “As soon as I went, the environment was so friendly, I didn’t feel unwelcome at all. Kane Greggain, in particular, made me feel very welcome from the beginning. The coaches are Scotland internationals: Ryan Grant, Ruaridh Jackson, Duncan Weir. It’s a really high standard of coaching, and I really enjoyed my time there.”
Jamie credits the experience with improving his game in several ways. “It’s benefited me loads, helped me adapt to a new environment, meet new people, and get consistent game time. My confidence in lineout throwing has improved massively. Coming from U18s, stepping up to senior rugby is a big jump in the set piece.”
Ayr have a number of talented forwards in the squad, particularly at the hooker position with James Malcolm and Alex McGuire, who have been incredibly supportive.“Both have been at Ayr for a long time. James has played with the Warriors, and Alex is one of the most capped Super Series players. The support they’ve given me has been amazing—the little bits of advice and encouragement at training have helped develop my game so much.”
This past weekend, Jamie made his Premiership debut, and it doesn’t get much bigger than Hawick away, the 2023 Premiership champions. “With Alex out injured, Grant gave me a call, saying, ‘Potentially got a big opportunity for you.’ I was wondering if I was going to be in the squad or not. Then at training on Thursday, my nickname was up on the teamsheet, and I was buzzing when I found out.”
Coming off the bench in the second half at Mansfield Park, Jamie made his mark, scoring Ayr’s final try of the game—the one that was celebrated the most by Ayr players, staff, and supporters. “It felt unreal. When I saw Robbie Orr had the offload opportunity, my eyes lit up. As soon as I scored, the whole team surrounded me, which was so so good. A few people told me after that it got the biggest crowd reaction of the game, which is great to hear as a player.”
Through all the challenges and opportunities this season, Jamie remains grateful for the support from Ayr RFC. “I really appreciate how much Ayr stayed connected with me while I was away at Accies. They were always communicating with me, and the coaches were in close contact with each other. That helped me a lot, and made me feel like I was still really involved with the club.”
Next up, Jamie is set to be in action for Scotland U19s this Sunday against the Scotland U18s, a game he never had the chance to play in last year. Beyond that, he’s set to represent Scotland U19s against England and Italy. With the men in pink, the play-offs are looming, and a potential Scottish Cup run awaits, Jamie will be looking to play his part as we aim to end the season on the ultimate high.
Dave Young - Picking up a Whistle
When he turned up at Millbrae in primary three with a new pair of boots and fingerless gloves, David Young didn’t know the path it would take him on. From playing throughout the age-grades to senior rugby he called it quits at 31, before picking up a whistle and having a second career as a referee.
Seven years on he has progressed through the ranks and is set to feature as the Fifth Official in his first international this Saturday, when Scotland welcome Wales to Scottish Gas Murrayfield.
Callum Kerr and Mark Carrick caught up with David Young ahead of the match to find out more about his love for Ayr RFC, his journey so far and how he balances life on the farm.
Chatting to Dave it is clear Ayr has been a constant in his life. First as a player, then as a social hub – briefly as a Development Officer under the tutelage of Stuart Fenwick – and when “it started to get quite sore”, and David hung up the boots, refereeing gave him an escape from the new-found boredom he experienced at the weekends: “I was missing rugby so much because I’d done it all my life so went to a referee course at Cartha and I was refereeing a game the week after.”
“Lots of people do it to ref their kids matches at youth level but I made it clear I was keen to focus on senior rugby and progression, so made myself available and approached it as a player. I realised quickly I enjoyed it”.
As a former “mouthy” Scrum-Half, Dave probably thought he had a good handle on what it took to be a ref during his playing days, and has been surprised at how well the system has supported him to grow. From lower leagues with only the traditional officiating trio of two assistants and a man in the middle, David progressed to matches which included fourth and fifth officials – gaining valuable experience through age-grade internationals, FOSROC Super Series matches and Pro matches with Edinburgh and Glasgow.
So, what exactly will his role as Fifth Official on Saturday entail?
“Your fourth and fifth officials are there to liaise with the officials on the pitch, the team managers and potentially the television. We all know rugby isn’t a fifteen-man sport anymore… There are so many different things that can happen in a game be it HIA’s (Head Injury Assessment), substitutions, injuries, sending offs… We’re linked up through audio communication and it is up to us to keep the timings for all these things and support the referee in the middle who already has so much else on his plate”.
After the floodlights of Murrayfield fade into the distance as he drives back west along the M8, attention will turn to the family farm in Coylton. For many in agriculture it can be hard to find a passion away from the family business, but for David, he feels it has been a blessing having something going on where he can completely shut off from the day job: “It has 100% been good for me. When I did finish playing, I found it difficult to adjust to seven days on the farm… I was also growing out of Young Farmers, so this has given me not only a hobby but another social circle of friends and experiences – I’ve travelled the world with it, and it also keeps me fit”.
For David finding refereeing has him kept involved in the sport for a decade longer than he might have had, and with opportunities continuing to come his way that shows no sign in stopping now.
For those thinking of picking up a whistle, David’s parting advice was: “Try it. You can join at any commitment level you like depending on what stage of life you’re at. Maybe you feel like you’ve lost a club or don’t have one, but this is one way to get your own one with others dipping their toes in”.
Floodlights “Turning on” Ceremony - Friday 7th February, 7:25pm
In 1967, Ayr Council eventually approved the siting of floodlights at Millbrae. There had been concern that the installation would in some way adversely affect the vista of the Burns Monument. The furore was quelled when the Ayr provost stepped in and approved the floodlights on the condition that four of the tripoles were resited closer to the halfway line. This bizarre decision resulted in the four dark corners that blighted night games at Millbrae for the next fifty years.
Ayr became one of only three rugby clubs in Scotland that could boast of having floodlights, with the total cost being around £2000. The first match “under the lights” took place on Thursday 19th October 1967 against Jordanhill College School F.P. and the first man to score a floodlit try was Jock Craig who emerged from a maul and dived over the line. In later years, when asked about this feat, Big Jock claimed that there was a 60-yard sprint involved…… But it wasn’t enough to win the game which was drawn 11 apiece.
Improvements were made to the floodlights over the years, including a major overhaul in the eighties, but it was becoming clear that the lights were past their best. Then in January 2020, the Ayr v Melrose fixture had to be abandoned in the 68th minute after the lights went dark.
Parts were becoming increasingly costly and difficult to obtain. Once repaired, a test was carried out and the Millbrae floodlights were producing just 40 lux of illumination. In comparison, Melrose’s new LED floodlights at Greenyards were producing 500 lux. The issue was further exasperated by the TV production companies who were struggling to cope with the poor light levels when transmitting live matches from Millbrae.
Everybody knew what the problem was but the cost of completely replacing the floodlights was in the region of £120,000. This was money that the club simply did not have and there was still the question of whether the club would remain at Millbrae.
In January 2021, Alan Macdonald set up the £3 million Macdonald Legacy in favour of Ayr Rugby Football Club (In memory of his son and former Ayr player, Barry.) A condition was that Ayr RFC had to remain at Millbrae, incorporate and become a charity. This was overwhelmingly approved by the members at a historic Extraordinary General Meeting in October 2021.
This decision meant that the future of Millbrae was now secured and the redevelopment of the grounds and facilities could be planned. Part of the ambition was to improve the playing facilities at Millbrae and the main pitch floodlights were at the top of the list.
Today, we are within touching distance of the end of phases 1 and 2 which will officially open on the 6th of February. The following evening, we have a televised night game against local derby rivals Marr RFC, this will be the first night game since the new LED floodlights were installed.
To celebrate we are going to have a “turning on” ceremony before the match and you are all invited. To enjoy the spectacle, please ensure you are in your seat or favourite spot by 7.25pm in advance of the 7.35pm kick-off.
I look forward to sharing another historic moment at Millbrae.
Brian Williamson (Chairman)
Frazier Climo takes the reigns of Youth Performance
Ayr Rugby Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Frazier Climo to the newly created post of Youth Rugby Performance Director.
Frazier, a highly respected former player and current assistant coach of the 1st XV, will oversee the performance of our Youth Section from U13 to U18. This appointment ties in with the work Frazier does for the Ayr Rugby Community Trust and the programmes they deliver into local schools.
We recognise the importance of our vibrant youth section and want to ensure our players are given the best resources to maximise their potential. With phases 1 and 2 of the Millbrae redevelopment nearing completion, our facilities will be first class, so it is vital we build a structure that will produce on the park for years to come.
As part of this move, Frazier will also become the Head Coach of our U18 team from next season.
We believe the future success of Scottish Rugby is dependant on raising the standard of youth rugby and we want to lead from the front with everything we are doing at Millbrae.
On his appointment, Frazier commented, “This is an incredibly exciting time at the club and I look forward to working with our young players and existing coaches to take the youth section forward.”
Ayr Rugby Club fundraiser for Doddie's Grand Tour 2025
With the upcoming Scotland v Ireland rugby match on Sunday 9th February, Ayr Rugby Club is teaming up with Northern Ireland’s Orchard Cycling Club to raise money for the Doddie Aid charity.
The Ayr/Orchard team will be captained by David Neill, who grew up in Ayr and now lives in Portadown. David and his crew will join former Scotland captain, Rob Wainwright, and 500 other cyclists in the “Doddies Grand Tour 2025” challenge.
The challenge is not for the faint-hearted, starting in Dublin on 4th February and travelling 120 miles to Belfast, before crossing the Irish Sea to Cairnryan. Once on Scottish soil, the cyclists will crisscross the country, covering 700 miles in 4 days, arriving in Edinburgh in time for the Scotland v Ireland match at Murrayfield.
This coincides with the completion of the new access road and 3G pitch at Ayr Rugby Club’s home ground, Millbrae. To celebrate, on the morning of 6th February, 200 cyclists and support crew from the “Doddies Grand Tour 2025 Challenge” are going to visit Millbrae and be the first to use the new road!
Concurrently, to mark the opening of the 3G pitch, Ayr Community Rugby Trust will host a tournament for 150 children from local schools, and Ayr’s Walking Rugby group will play an exhibition match.
The event is expected to start at 9.30am, as cyclists start to arrive from their starting point in Biggar. The official “opening” will take place around 11.30am, with Rob Wainwright and Alan Macdonald (Macdonald Legacy) cutting the ribbon in front of invited guests and members. The cyclist will then leave en masse on their way to Greenock.
Everybody in the local community is welcome to attend and join the celebrations.
The rugby fraternity has long been big supporters of Doddie Aid, if you can, please show your support by making a donation through the following link:
Late Long Lunch 2025
Join us for the famous Ayr Community Rugby Trust Late Long Lunch 2025, this year with a Lions Roar!
Guest speakers are George Gregan AM, former Australia Captain, along with Gavin Hastings OBE, former Scottish & Lions Captain! MC for the afternoon is Andy Nicol, it’s sure to be another great afternoon full of entertainment!
DATE: FRIDAY 2nd MAY 2025
VENUE: AYR RACECOURSE, NOON FOR 12.30PM START
TICKETS: £75 P/P
TABLE OF 10 £750
TO BOOK TICKETS & FOR MORE INFO CONTACT:
PAUL DAVIDSON 07721 050 211 | PAUL@ALLOWAYCAPITAL.COM
DEREK STARK 07590 035 461 | DEREK.DABEVENTS@BTINTERNET.COM
Walking Rugby Group Cheque Presentation
The Reverend Melanie Reed presents a cheque for £725 to Ayr Cancer Support on behalf of the Ayr RFC Walking Rugby Group.
Rev Melanie completed the Santa Dash from Ayr promenade to Millbrae and was sponsored by the group and many others, enabling the grand sum to be raised.
The Walking Rugby group meet at 10am on Monday mornings at Dam Park, the group is open to all, of any ability, and you can be sure of a warm welcome. Have some fun exercise and a great social time after with a warm drink and something delicious to eat!
AYR SECURE £250,000 FROM GROWTH AND PARTICIPATION FUND
Scottish Rugby is supporting a multi-million pound redevelopment of Ayr RFC’s clubhouse through a £250,000 award from its Growth and Participation Fund.
Ayr RFC have £2m plans to redevelop their aging clubhouse, and bring to life inclusive changing facilities, a multi-purpose studio, a strength and conditioning gym, and a community café.
The club are one of two successful applicants to Scottish Rugby’s major capital investment fund this year.
The rollout of the huge redevelopment plans at Millbrae will be staggered, with phase one’s new access road and phase two’s all-weather pitch and floodlights on target to be completed by mid-January 2025.
The Growth and Participation Fund is part of the Government’s grant funding given to Scottish Rugby during Covid-19.
Phase three sees the redevelopment of the “tired clubhouse,” Ayr chairman and project lead Brian Williamson said.
“Millbrae was originally an old market garden and the original farm buildings date back to the 18th century. These form the core of the clubhouse with later extensions being added over the years as the club grew.
“The structure is in dire need of a major overhaul and phase three will see us build a new strength and conditioning gym, flexible studio space, a community café, additional accessible toilets, inclusive changing rooms and facilities for match officials.
“We also have an elevator and stairs going up to the first floor of the old squash courts where there will be additional studio space and changing rooms. The studio is particularly exciting, as it will be available for the general community, providing classes for dance, yoga and pilates. We will also use it for meetings and match analysis sessions.
“This all works for the club and the community but has to be self-sustaining and commercially viable going forward,” he said.
With the financial and practical support of local businessman, Alan Macdonald, Brian and the Ayr Rugby Club board have aspirational plans for Millbrae.
“Phases one and two are already covered by the Macdonald Legacy with the financing of phase three being a work in progress.
“Huge efforts from the club are making steady progress towards that number. We are applying for grants and financial support from other organisations and are planning to launch fundraising initiatives.
“We are looking at offering members the opportunity to purchase a seat in the stand, dedicated tree planting initiatives and many others. All of which focus solely on raising funds for the refurbishments. It’s the dripping tap that fills the sink.
“We hope to start phase three in spring, with a focus on completing it as soon as practical,” Brian added.
Director of Rugby Development Gav Scott said he was glad to be investing in clubs of the future, such as Ayr and Aberdeen Grammar.
“Investing in projects that promote the sustainability of the game is what this fund is all about. It’s great to work with clubs who are providing great outlets to their communities.”
Doddie's Grand Tour
Doddies Grand Tour | 🚲
Are you a keen cyclist? Do you like a challenge? Would you like to take part in Doddie’s Grand Tour?
Ayr Rugby Club and the wider community have been asked to enter a team in this year’s charity cycle ride through Scotland, ending in Edinburgh, ahead of the Scotland v Ireland international on Sunday 9th February.
There are expected to be over 500 cyclists taking part in the challenge which is stopping off at Millbrae on Thursday 6th February to officially open the new access road and all-weather pitch.
If you would like to take part or would like further information, please contact the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation at:
Ayr Rugby Club AGM Announcement
On the evening of 30th September, Millbrae was packed with members for the AGM. Club President Drew Young welcomed attendees, and acting secretary Graham Duncan presented the previous year’s minutes.
Chairman Brian Williamson gave a “year in review” presentation, highlighting the club’s successes both on and off the pitch, as well as its contributions to the local community. General Manager Graeme Ferguson then provided an overview of sponsorship efforts, followed by Director of Rugby Gordon Kotze, who detailed the club’s coaching and team structure.
Frazier Climo from the Ayr Community Rugby Trust gave an update on community activities and outreach in local schools. Finance Director Neil Reid presented the financial report, explaining the auditing process for charity accounts.
Members were then asked to vote on an amendment to the articles of association to increase the number of Directors from five to eight and vote for the new board of directors. The votes were counted, the resolution passed, and the process was ratified by a show of hands.
We are delighted to announce the new board of directors for 2024/25, who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience:
- Brian Williamson
- Drew Young
- Graham Duncan
- David Beattie
- Neil Reid
- Neil Howie
- Richard Longmuir
- Billy McHarg
