New rugby season kicks off for West of Scotland

West centre Fergus James breaches the Accies defence and heads for the line to score during Saturday's friendly (pic by John Cameron).

It’s the first of a quickfire double visit to Burnbrae for the Edinburgh side who will also be the opposition for West’s first home league match of the season on September 8.

The league season starts the week before with West making the long trip to Orkney for their opening Tennent’s National League Division 3 fixture.

West go into the new season under a new coach in Gavin Blackburn and hoping to bounce back quickly from the disappointment of last season’s relegation from Division 2.

The Milngavie club completed their preparations for the campaign with a friendly against Glasgow Accies last Saturday, which Accies won 36-24 to lift the Gordon Mackay Cup.

Meanwhile Strathendrick got their competitive season under way with a 23-3 win at Helensburgh on Saturday in the first round of the West Regional Shield.

They play East Kilbride at home in the next round this Saturday before starting their league campaign the following week.