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City’s men’s and women’s teams in thick of action
Extract from The Courier & Advertiser - 2 Feb 2024 - by Gary Heatley

There is a big weekend ahead for four of Dundee Rugby’s men’s and women’s teams.

After their victory at Melrose last time out, the men’s first team head into tomorrow’s home National One match with Gala knowing that another positive result could edge them closer to safety.

A four-point win would put Dundee seven points clear of bottom side GHK with just two games left, while a bonus point triumph would increase the gap to eight with just 10 left to play for.

Dundee are ninth and Gala are eighth and, reflecting on the triumph at Melrose, Dundee head coach Alan Brown said: “Last Saturday at Melrose was a great day for us.

“The boys showed some determination not to let Melrose get away in the first half and kicked on well in the second half.

“The forwards were asked to front up after Melrose gave us a bit of a lesson at Mayfield just before Christmas – and the boys did front up.

“We have to keep building from here now and replicate that type of performance.”

The club’s women’s first team – the Dundee Valkyries – won the Caledonia Midlands/ East One title back in December and now start a run of fixtures with the aim of getting into the Premiership for 2024-25.

The Regional PlayOff Series features Dundee, Stewartry, Ayr and one other club to be determined.

The Valkyries are on the road to Stewartry, who finished bottom in this season’s top flight, on Sunday to start things off.

Captain Erin Davie said: “Since training started back up after the new year, we’ve upped the intensity.

“The players have felt the step up, the coaches have battened down the hatches and we’ve been really trying to fine tune the skills needed when we come up against these tough teams.

“The play-off league is going to be tough, but we’re going out there to prove ourselves and hold our own.

“This is the next step in the Valkyries’ journey and we’re going to give it everything we’ve got.”

Dundee men’s second team are at Panmure tomorrow in a shootout for the Caledonia One Midlands Conference top spot and the Valkyries’ second team are away to Caithness Krakens on the same day in the National Plate.