ONE of Scotland's leading independent schools has revised its rugby fixtures list amid concerns that disparities in size between players could lead to its pupils suffering injuries.
Glenalmond College, in Perthshire, whose rugby-playing alumni have included Scotland captains David Leslie, David Sole and Rob Wainwright, took the decision after assessing the degree of risk faced by "small and light" players in its first XV.
The new season's fixtures against Perthshire rivals Strathallan, Lorreto and George Watson's, will not now go ahead.
Glenalmond said, however, that the George Watson's fixture had been affected "only by calendar issues at their end".
The measure has been supported by Sean Lamont, the Scotland international centre, who recalled how he had encountered much bigger players during his own school days.
He said: "Psychologically, there's nothing worse at that age when you see an opponent with a full-grown beard.
"It's basic physics – you get someone that much bigger running at you, it's going to hurt. If the gulf in size is so big that the school is concerned about it, I think they're doing the right thing."
Glenalmond, a boarding and day school for boys and girls aged between 12 and 18, announced the news in a letter to parents.
In the letter, the warden, Gordon Woods, referred to a "very considerable amount of parental and staff concern" at differences in size in several of the first XV's matches last season.
He added: "I would like to stress that this decision was based purely on grounds of safety relating to the risk of physical injury; it was certainly not about winning or losing a game of rugby.
"I should add that these issues are being faced by heads up and down the length of the UK."
In a later interview Mr Woods said "We have a talented group of rugby players but they are small and light in some key front five positions."
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