Fantastic International Rugby experience for Orkney U16 player

On Saturday 4th May 2024, Cailynn Williamson travelled down to Gala RFC to join up with the rest of the Scotland Selkies U16 squad for an International Rugby Festival at Netherdale.

A series of fixtures had been arranged against other girls sides from the Netherlands, Wales (Rygbi Gogledd Cymru) & Scotland Scathach.

Cailynn played half a game against the Scotland Scathach girls as full back and then Scrum half for the whole of the Welsh game.

Scrum half is where she has been encouraged to develop into after the regional series and where she was trialled at for the Scotland squad.

Cailynn was lucky to have her Caley North team mate Saba Alexander beside her as stand off which worked really well.
The game was tied until the end, where Wales slipped in a couple of extra tries, finishing 15-5 but it was the best performance of the day by a mile.

She controlled the game against Wales brilliantly and was also able to show off her kicking skills on several occasions.

Getting this far has involved a huge commitment from Cailynn & her family as well as vital assistance from Orkney RFC coaching staff. This season alone she has travelled over 4000 miles for rugby, in the middle of prelims and now exams!

She's been working with Orkney Community Rugby Coach, Alastair Morgan as well as training with the U16 boys to develop her game awareness as a no. 9 and it has really paid off.

Graeme Ramage and Stewart Spence have been extremely welcoming and inclusive of her being at the boy’s training.

Rugby Development Officer, Sean Corrigall has provided invaluable help and without support from ORFC and individual sponsorship from Nothlink Ferries, Cailynn simply couldn’t have travelled every weekend to compete.

She now waits to hear what the next steps are as she moves into U18s but there are skill sessions and camps in the works before the regional series starts again in the winter.

Orkney RFC are extremely proud of Cailynn’s success so far and we look forward to following her progress over the coming seasons & hope this inspires some girls (& boys!) out there to take up rugby and become a futre Scotland star!

Please contact [email protected] , [email protected] or [email protected] if you or your child are interested!