18/09/2026
New head coach Chris Paton is enjoying life at Madras Rugby Club so far and is looking forward to their game at home to Glenrothes tomorrow.
After a successful stint at the club, in the summer former Scotland cap Rob Dewey vacated the head coaching role at the St Andrews-based club.
That gave Paton a chance to come on board and, so far this term, the team have won two and lost one to sit third out of eight in Arnold Clark Caldonia Midlands Two.
Last time out they won 43-17 at Falkirk seconds with a bonus point and they will be looking to kick on when they welcome winless Glenrothes to Station Park this weekend.
“I am really enjoying being involved at Madras so far,” Paton said.
“All the lads in the squad have been incredibly welcoming and have really taken on the way I want them to play.
“The season has been very good so far.
“There was a bit of a slow start, but, as with all new things, it will take time to see the changes making a difference and we have played some good rugby at times. The important thing is that we don’t get distracted by trying to fix too many things from match-to-match, but instead we keep focused on the season as a whole.
“We want to keep chipping away at our own development and the matchday performances will be what they will be.
“We love playing at home because we have a familiarity with the conditions. Station Park can be very windy, but we are used to it and train there so we are safe in the knowledge that we have the ability to turn up and put in 80-minute performances there. That is what we will be looking for against Glenrothes this weekend.”
Paton grew up in Edinburgh and first played rugby with Heriot’s.
So, how did he end up coaching in the East Neuk of Fife?
“I had an interest in coaching at school and helped with the Heriot’s youth section while I played with the adult teams there,” he explained.
“Then when I moved up to Dundee for uni I played with Dundee Rugby until the pandemic.
“During the pandemic I became the head coach of Dundee University’s women’s team for three seasons as I completed my masters degree.
“Once I had finished that MSc in Sports Performance Coaching I moved to Glasgow where I coached with Glasgow University, Glasgow Caledonian University’s women’s team and the Glasgow Academy school.
“Through three seasons in Glasgow I have also been involved in the Glasgow and West Talent Pathway for both boys and girls and, when I saw the opportunity to become the head coach of an adult male club, I thought that it would be a great opportunity to take what I had learnt up to this point and start a new project with Madras.”
Elsewhere in Madra’s division tomorrow, Panmure head to Bannockburn, Crieff and Strathearn are hosting Falkirk’s seconds and Kinross are hosting the Strathmore Gryphons.
Blairgowrie have won two from two in Caledonia One’s Midlands Conference and they will look to make it three from three away at Howe Crusaders.
Also in that conference, Hillfoots are at Alloa, Dundee Rugby seconds are hosting Stirling County and Perthshire are on the road to Grangemouth Stags.
Aberfeldy will look to keep their positive start to the Caledonia Midlands Three campaign going away at Arbroath while, in that division, Dunfermline seconds are hosting Dundee Uni Medics, Kirkcaldy seconds are on their travels to take on their Grangemouth counterparts and Rosyth Sharks are at home to Waid Academy.
In the National Leagues, Stirling County RFC have won three from three in National One to lead the standings and they are at home to bottom side Biggar.
Kirkcaldy Rugby Club are fourth in National Two after winning their last two games and they are on the road to play unbeaten leaders Highland.
Ninth placed Dundee Rugby Club and bottom side Howe of Fife RFC are still looking for their first wins and they are at home to eighth placed Preston Lodge and away to third placed Falkirk respectively.
Strathmore Rugby Club are fourth in National Three and they are at home to ninth placed Berwick with Dunfermline Rugby Football Club, eighth in National Four, away to seventh placed Kilmarnock.
On Sunday, Dundee Valkyries are due to host West of Scotland in the Women’s National League while, youth and school-wise, Glenalmond College are at Stirling County tomorrow morning in the under-18 Open Conference with Dollar Academy on their travels to GHA.
* A version of this article first appeared in The Courier UK on Friday *
