GLASGOW High/Kelvinside have expanded their coaching team from three

to eight in an effort to consolidate their position in Scottish rugby's

first division. Iain Russell will now be assisted by Randy Laing, Andy

Sherman, Graeme Ogilvy, Peter Horne, Charlie Forsyth, Bob Tomlinson, and

Kenny Hamilton.

Last season Russell, Sherman, and Tomlinson had to look after about 50

players on most training nights. ''Attempting to be all things to all

men did not work,'' Russell commented. ''The senior team and not a few

players suffered.''

GHK, restored to the first division last season after an absence of 13

years, finished ahead of only the two relegated clubs, Glasgow

Academicals and Watsonians. Russell, however, was satisfied with the

players' physical fitness throughout the league campaign, justifying the

decision last year to invite Tomlinson in to concentrate on that aspect

of the club's work.

This summer the players have quickly picked up their fitness, allowing

Russell and his team to work at specific conditioning coaching. ''That

is something which we hardly touched last season,'' the coach added.

GHK, led by Ewan McCorkindale from scrum half, can thus go confidently

into the new season.

McCorkindale, however, will miss the opening match against GHK's

Anniesland neighbours, Glasgow Academicals, a week on Saturday, and so

will at least nine other regulars. The captain will be in Ireland with

the Glasgow squad that weekend along with Fergus Wallace, Shade Munro,

Alan Watt, and Derek Busby, whereas Gordon McClymont, John Couper,

Gordon Peterson, and Charlie Dunlop are injured, and George Breckenridge

does not return until mid-September from a season of New Zealand rugby.

During his sojourn in the Antipodes, Breckenridge made a place in the

Wairarapa-Bush provincial squad, as Munro and Watt had done before.

Reciprocating the full back's visit, Todd Woollet, a talented young

midfield back from New Zealand, will be joining GHK early in the season.

Andrew Ness, the Dollar Academy and Scottish Schools No.8 last season,

also has enlisted with GHK. So have Jimmy Sanderson, the former

Kelvinside Academy and Glasgow Schools stand-off, and Walter Malcolm,

Glasgow Academcials' former captain. The latter's move through the

Anniesland fence can be seen as Glasgow rugby's equivalent of jumping

the Berlin Wall.

Once the season is over GHK will be preparing for an August tour,

their fourth to the United States in 17 years. Their visit next year

will be to Colorado.

Old Anniesland business begins on Sunday with the annual seven-a-side

tournament, sponsored again by Ryden. Selkirk will be defending the

Minerva Cup against opposition that includes four of their Border rivals

as well as Orrell from Lancashire. The draw (first tie 1.30pm) is:

Orrell v Greenock Wanderers, West of Scotland v Kilmarnock, Selkirk v

Hutchesons', Jed-Forest v Hillhead-Jordanhill, Glasgow High/Kelvinside v

Cambuslang, Gala v Corstorphine, Kelso v Glasgow Academicals, Ayr v

Langholm.