We catch up with Women’s XV player Alison Orr…
When any rugby player joins a new club they want to make an instant impression.
Alison Orr, 23, did that last summer in pre-season with the Women’s XV before dislocating her shoulder in her first competitive match in maroon and white against Stirling County in early September.
She could have gone into her shell at that point, but she rehabbed hard and returned to the pitch to help the squad win the Tennent’s Premiership final in December.
“At the time the injury was gutting,” Alison, who works as a physio and is also physio for the Biggar first XV men’s team, explained.
“I had just got to know the coaches and the girls and I wanted to get a run of games going. It wasn’t to be, but the wider group helped me during my time on the sidelines and it made it easier to slip back into things when I returned a few months later - and to win a trophy was jut brilliant.”
Alison grew up in Biggar and played for the club’s girl’s team at under-15 level. They were a good side and managed to make it to BT Murrayfield for the Scottish Cup final which they won.
“It was on the back pitches, but it was a great experience to play and win there with my friends,” she explained.
“I then stopped playing for a bit while I was completing my Highers and such like at school before picking rugby back up when I went to Glasgow.
“While I was through there studying at Glasgow Caledonian University I played at West of Scotland. A few of the uni girls went along and we had a good time playing there.”
When she graduated from university and moved back to near Biggar to work, Alison decided to continue her rugby journey with Watsonians because a few former club mates were already involved at Myreside.
“I joined Watsonians last summer, heading along for pre-season and keen to get involved,” she explained.
“The Watsonians team were coming off the back of winning the Sarah Beaney Cup and, as a result, the atmosphere amongst the players was really positive and they made the new faces like me feel really welcome along with the coaching staff.
“I knew that I would have a battle on my hands to get into the matchday squads because there were a lot of good players around, but I managed to by week three of the [Tennent’s Premiership] campaign.
“I played in the second-row at Stirling County and we won, but I managed to dislocate my shoulder.
“That put me out for a few months before I managed to get back for the last few games of the league campaign and play blindside flanker as we went on to lift the trophy.
“I then played at the start of the Sarah Beaney Cup campaign in recent months before the season was cut short.”
Alison mentioned how the Women’s XV welcomed her in and she believes the skiing trip a number of members of the squad went on a few months ago showed that camaraderie that has been built up.
“It was great fun, there were varying different levels of skiers there, but like on the rugby field we all helped each other out and had a good laugh,” she said.
“We are all gutted that the rugby season is over, but it will make us really focused for next year.”
Words by Gary Heatly
Images by Graham Gaw, more here
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