Orcadian Willie Thomson is set to play his final home game for the club this weekend before he relocates north.
The 28-year-old should feature for the Club XV on Saturday against Dundee HSFP in a Tennent’s National League Division One clash.
He will also be available for the away game at Melrose seven days later and is set to remain dual registered with the club on his return to Orkney so he can play when he is available going forward.
Scrum-half Thomson, who works for SSE, has been a great addition to the ranks at Myreside since he joined up in March 2017 just before the bulk of the Kings of the Sevens tournaments for 2016/17 began.
He played a big part in the first VII winning the overall title in the Borders that year and then turned out for the first XV under Steve Lawrie in 2017/18.
Thomson was also a key figure in the Kings of the Sevens defence in 2017/18, winning the Melrose Sevens in April 2018 being one of his career highlights.
“I knew a few of the boys at the club from being on PROJECX Waterboys tours with them, so when I moved to Edinburgh Watsonians was the club I was keen to join - and I’m glad I did,” he said this week.
“There have been so many good times in the last two and a half years and I have made a lot of friends and a lot of good memories which is what rugby is all about."
“I was loving my rugby until last summer when I was injured and it turned out to be osteitis pubis - a condition in which there’s inflammation to the pubic bone.
“That was last July just as pre-season was starting and I was pretty much out for 12 months. It is one of those things that can just take time to heal and it is a bit of a waiting game, so there was lots of time spent rehabbing in the gym by myself.
“It was really frustrating after a good season [in 2017/18] and I was wanting to kick on.
“Thankfully after a long road, I got back to pre-season training this summer and am feeling fit now.”
Thomson played in last week’s Club XV loss to Ayr at Millbrae, scoring a try in the 48-24 reverse, and he believes the team will find their feet quickly in this new era.
“In the first half at Ayr we played some good rugby and we were leading 17-12 at half-time, things didn’t quite go to plan after that, but there are clearly a lot of good players in the squad,” Thomson said.
“There are a lot of young boys playing, but they are talented and enthusiastic and it is a big thing for us playing on the stand pitch this weekend.
“It is up to me and the other senior boys to lead by example and hopefully there will be a good crowd down to cheer us on as that always helps.
“I really have loved being part of Watsonians over the last wee while and want to help the team as much as I can before I go. I also hope to play when back in Edinburgh while hopefully helping out with coaching and playing at Orkney.”
We wish Thomson all the best with what is to come in the future and he will always be very welcome at Myreside.
This weekend’s Tennent’s National League Division One fixtures
Saturday, September 14 (all 3pm):
Gala v Cartha Queens Park
Kelso v Stirling County Wolves
Highland v Biggar
Boroughmuir v Ayr
Watsonians v Dundee HSFP
Heriot’s Blues v Melrose
The Club XV’s first home match of 2019/20 is on September 14 at Myreside against Dundee HSFP - get down and support the boys
Article by: Gary Heatly (GH Media)
Photographs from: Graham Gaw
