Dear Member/Supporter,


Firstly, I hope that you all had a great time over the Festive season and enjoyed a well earned break.

You may remember about 3 years ago, GHA RFC ran a very successful prize draw which raised much needed funds for the club. Much time and effort went into organising it, but the rewards were great and the club benefited greatly from the support of its members and friends.

It is the intention of the Club to run a similar prize draw this year and the hope is that we are just as successful with our final total. All money raised will go to Club funds.

GHA RFC, is a thriving community club with around 500 members, from our P1 minis to the 1st XV. Over the years we have produced players who have gone on to represent their City and Country at their various age groups. This is something that we are rightly proud of and hope that it will continue in years to come.

To ensure this, we need to maintain our excellent facilities at Braidholm which caters for 4 senior and numerous junior teams 6 days a week.We are host to training sessions for Parkfit bootcamp and OPM Football Club and our clubhouse is used for GROGS lunches, bridge clubs, Scottish Slimmers, social functions and other community group gatherings. Let's not forget, how many of our neighbours and their friends from all over the Southside turn up at the biggest and best fireworks display on the 5th November, here at Braidholm.

Our club is vital, not just to us, but to the local community.

The prize draw will take place on SATURDAY 26TH MAY 2012, in the clubhouse, on the day of our ever expanding Braidholm 7's tournament.

Previous donations ranged from holidays abroad, a lodge at Gleneagles, TV's, Take That concert tickets and golf packages to bottles of whiskey, back or front doors, signed sporting memorabilia and a toaster to name but a few.

This year, we have already been offered a great golfing package at Loch Lomond, to get the ball rolling.

The organising committee will greatly accept any kind donation offered.

SO, HOW CAN YOU HELP?

1. Are you able to donate a raffle prize? If not, do you know of anyone who would be able to donate anything?

2. We really need everyone to help out with raffle ticket sales, so, could you commit to selling 5 x books of raffle tickets? Step for a hint – the answer should be YES!

Thank you for taking the time to read this and if you feel that you are able to help or know of someone who is in a position to do so, then please contact any one of the organising committee below.

Euan Baillie - 07990581762 - euanbaillie@hotmail.com

Chris Miller - 07968697019 - chris@harviestoun.com

Claire Marchelletta - 07737425670 - gharfc@btconnect.com

Your support is critical to the success of this event. Together, let's make 2012 a year of success!


Best wishes,


Euan Baillie

Draw Organiser

Unfortunately, GHA have had to cancel the scheduled friendly with Whitecraigs on Saturday due to mounting injury problems and anavailability up front. These were compounded by further injuries at Tuesday night training which will test the GHA squad ahead of our must win league game away to Howe of Fife on January 28th.

Injury Update

GHA's squad will be tested to the full in the coming weeks but signs are positive that 4 of our long term injured players are not far away from making their come backs, including club captain Niall Cassie who underwent a knee operation last summer. Andrew Gillman, Craig Sorbie and
Euan Angus MacLeod have also begun light training.

All of the tries from last Saturday's home game against Greenock Wanderers.

GHA welcome Whitecraigs to Braidholm this Saturday for a friendly match which will see the local neighbours face off for only the second time in their history.

Kick Off is 2pm - entry to the game is FREE - come on down and support South Glasgow rugby.

GHA 55 Greenock Wanderers 12

GHA started this game in whirlwind fashion, scoring three tries from Hefin O'Hare, Ross McClymont and Rangi Jericevich to go 21-0 up inside 15 minutes - it possibly should've been 4 but the referee adjudged a second effort from O'Hare to be held up when it looked for all money to be a good score. As the game settled down, Geenock managed to gain some good posession and profited form a poor missed tackle around a ruck which let them in for their first score. GHA responded with a penalty from Murray Houston and although happy with the 24-7 half time lead, they would've been disappointed not to have added more as several chances were wasted.

GHA started the second half in similar fashion to the first. Playing a high tempo game that the visitors struggled to contain, they worked their way down to the Greenock 5 metre line and some relentless phase play from the forwards was rewarded when prop Sean Fisher bulldozed over for the bonus point try. This was shortly followed by a fifth score when Jamie Pinder playing at Number 8, executed a pick and go from a surging GHA scrum on the Greenock 5 metre line.

Chris Binnie then touched down after some good build up play from the GHA forwards in side the Greenock 22. The ball was worked wide and the full back burst through a narrow gap carrying his would-be tacklers over the line with him for the score. Greenock then scored their second when a missed tackle in the midfield allowed their inside centre to surge up the field. Some good support play led to a try near the left hand corner.

GHA answered with a score from captain Andrew Henderson who took a neat inside ball from fly half Tane Jericevich and ghosted in for the score under the posts. With the score at 48-12, GHA could smell a half century and it eventually came when left wing John Brogan broke up a play on the left hand side and sprinted 60 metres to cap off a great afternoon for the men in green.

With cup duties over, GHA will play Whitecraigs in a friendly next Saturday (at Braidholm KO 2pm) before travelling to Cupar in Fife the week after to take on league leaders, Howe of Fife.

GHA Team:
R McClymont, R Jericevich, H O'Hare, A Henderson(c), J Brogan, T Jericevich, M Houston; S Spowart, D Malcolm, M Kidd, J Auld, A Barnett, P MacLeod, A Auld, J Pinder.
Reserves - C Binnie, B Farrell, I Nelson, S Fisher.