Fife Clan coach vows to try even harder after winning top rugby award

James Moncur has won the 2023-24 Spirit of Rugby Community Hero award for his work with the Fife Clan unified rugby team.

The award, sponsored by Breadalbane Finance, was announced at the Scottish Rugby Writers’ Dinner in Glasgow.

Due to a mix-up, Mr Moncur was not there in person to pick it up, but it is to be handed to him soon.

He told us he is pleased to see unified rugby being recognised.

“It’s great that unified rugby is starting to get the recognition it deserves in Scotland and this award will keep that going,” said Mr Moncur, who puts in many hours of work with Fife Clan.

“I am a very small cog in a pretty large wheel. There are loads of very good folk doing some astonishing work in unified rugby across the country with far larger groups of players than the Fife Clan, but we do our bit and we are proud of that.

“I couldn’t coach without the help of my very able assistant, Cal Leydon, while we get great support from the players’ parents and carers and the enablers and senior players who give up their time to help in matches.

“Our host club, Howe of Fife, have also been excellent.

“The award came as a huge surprise as, because of a mix-up, I wasn’t actually told about it.

“I only found out after the dinner when folk started congratulating me and I had no idea what they were talking about – but it was a nice surprise.”

Plans to ‘expand the Fife Clan’

Mr Moncur, who is from Newton of Falkland, is keen to keep Fife Clan, based in Cupar, growing off the back of this award.

“My next goal is to expand the Fife Clan and attract some new players,” he said.

“Our central pillar is based on the fact that these lads and lasses have spent their lives being told what they can’t do.

“We’re not interested in that, we only focus on what they can do and strive to maximise their potential as individuals.

“To play for us all a player needs to be able to do is hold a rugby ball and propel themselves forward under their own steam at whatever speed they like.

“We’ll take care of the rest and the Fife Clan really is a great thing to be a part of.”