A NEW rugby club has been set up on Cumbrae to capitalise on the growing interest in the sport on the island.

Regular training sessions are now taking place in Millport with the hope that a proper rugby pitch and posts will be installed on the island, and that the new team able to play competitively in future.

There are currently around 12 young players taking part and the hope is that with no rugby team on the Clyde coast between Ardrossan and Greenock,  they can also draw players from close by towns and villages in the mainland.

They have been taken under the wing of Ardrossan Accies who have been sending coach Alan Rice to the island to help train the young squad, who are aged between 15 and 21.

The move has come about thanks to the endeavours of island rugby enthusiasts including Jay Currie, 19, and Reece McDowall, 21, who have been pushing and promoting the sport on the island.

They have now set up a Facebook page which includes latest updates on the club's early development since it was set up in March.

Largs and Millport Weekly News:

Jay said: "There has been a strong interest in football on the island in the past but this is something that is new and exciting, and interest is growing.

"We now have around a dozen players and we hope it can grow steadily over time.

"The interest stems from playing rugby at Largs Academy and a good few of the players have also played with Ardrossan Accies.

"We have been lookng at an inter islands tournament and in late July we are hoping to play Arran Rugby Club in a private match with them.

"We still don't have rugby posts as yet but that is something we are hoping to get soon so it is likely that our first game will be an away game."

The young people set out to create a rugby team for the island to play in the Inter Island Rugby 10s tournament.

They are hoping to organise fund-raisers to help the fledgling club survive and grow and to fund kits, training equipment and travel costs to matches.

A club spokesperson added: "We would love the backing from all Millport locals to try make this a success, and bring back a sports team to this island - something it has been starved of for so long.”

The club has set up a Go Fund Me page to help raise cash, though they've already received support from a number of individuals as well as from Mapes of Millport.

Reece said: "Mapes of Millport have excelled with their support for the club. So far we have received bags and training kit, and we hope to have our first full kit in the next few months.

"We are hoping in the next few months to have some more boys join up from Largs, and we are really lucky to have a certified and experienced coach in Alan coming over from the Accies to help."

For more details about the club, go to facebook.com/millport.rugby.team.