STEWART McAslan, former captain of Glasgow's XV, follows in the
footsteps of another centre with his return to senior district rugby
this season.
Glasgow's committee have appointed him to be Hugh Campbell's assistant
coach in succession to David Johnston, Watsonians' former international
centre, who is now a national selector and mentor of the Scotland A
team.
Another former centre, Gordon Taylor, the Hillhead/Jordanhill coach,
has taken over the Glasgow under-21 team from Sandy Service. Kenny
Hamilton, from the Glasgow High/Kelvinside coaching panel, continues as
assistant.
McAslan is among a distinguished group who have played for both
Edinburgh and Glasgow. After sojourns with Trinity Academicals and
Heriot's, with eight games for Edinburgh and five matches for Scotland
B, he came west to join Glasgow Academy's physical education staff in
1987.
Subsequently, he played 14 times for Glasgow and toured Zimbabwe with
the national team in 1988. He was captain in his last four games for
Glasgow, including the 22-11 victory over the Fijian tourists in 1989,
but a neck injury in that match effectively finished his career.
He was Academicals' under-21 coach two years ago, moved up to be one
of Nairn MacEwan's assistants with the first XV last season, and his
style, knowledge, and delivery have earned commendations from both club
and district.
McAslan's return to senior rugby as a district coach has a parallel in
the career of another former Glasgow captain, Richie Dixon. His time as
a player was even more abruptly cut short by injury, but he has gone on
to reach the heights as a national coach and selector.
Glasgow's first test under the Campbell-McAslan partnership will be
the Inter-city match against Edinburgh at Hughenden on October 23. The
Taylor-Hamilton charges step into action four days later with Glasgow's
opening match in the under-21 district championship against the South at
Hawick.
Allan Hosie, the former international referee now a representative on
the Scottish Rugby Union committee, and his Glasgow colleagues have
invited the presidents of all the clubs in the district to a meeting at
Hughenden on Monday, September 6.
Discussion will centre on how a district with close on 100 clubs can
convert its base numbers into success at the top level, whether taking
titles or winning more international caps.
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