Adam and Sam Harrison are father and son, but recently it was more like father and scrum as they played rugby union together in the same team for the first time ever, leaving them both feeling proud.
The duo were in the Moray second team squad that travelled to Plockton to take on Skye in Caledonia North Two Highlands & Islands Conference action.
Elgin-based Sam, co-captain alongside Chris Robottom on the day, started the match at loosehead prop before coming off at one stage.
With Moray on the way to a 45-20 league win, with around 15 minutes to go the Harrison family had a moment they will never forget when Sam returned to the fray and was joined by dad Adam who came on at centre.
“It was just an amazing feeling to run onto the pitch alongside my dad,” Sam, 24, said.
“When you play a sport it is not something that you ever expect to do in a competitive game, so it was just really cool and I think after the match we realised what a special thing it was to have done.”
Adam, who is 45 and made a 12 hour round trip for the game from his home in Dundee where he lives with Sam’s step mum Kim and Kim’s daughter Grace, said: “I have an ongoing hip problem, I am currently awaiting a hip replacement, so I have not been able to play rugby at all for a few years.
“However, I saw this as a great opportunity to get a run out with Sam and I am so glad I did it.
“I was obviously sore that evening and the next day, but the team won, we got to be a part of it together and one of the first things I did the following week was get the photo of the two of us that was taken post-match framed and put it up in the house.
“It really was an excellent day and one to remember, I felt very proud.”
Growing up in Yorkshire, Adam played the other code of the game – rugby league – to a high level with the Sheffield Eagles.
He is now a police officer, but in the mid to late 1990s he was part of the Eagles’ under-21 team which was semi-professional and said: “It was a great time to be around the club because there were so many good players there and the senior team went on and won the famous Challenge Cup trophy in 1998.
“The buzz around the place at that time was amazing.
“In 2001 Sam was just two-years-old and I was in the military at the time.
“I got asked if I’d be keen to move up to RAF Lossiemouth where they were setting up a new RAF regiment and, after discussion with my family, I decided to take up the opportunity.
“It was a big move for us back them, but we never looked back and have loved life in the north of Scotland.
“We have embedded ourselves in the local community and Moray Rugby Club has been a big part of that.
“I played for them a few years back before my hip issues and I am just so chuffed that Sam is now enjoying rugby union and being part of the club because there is a great community feel there.”
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A great community club
Sam, a former Elgin Academy pupil who is now in software engineering, often acted as a ball boy in his youth at his dad’s games.
However, he did not play the game until he picked it up earlier this year.
In January he decided to head down to senior training with his local club and “has never looked back”.
“I just went along to training one night and something just clicked straight away,” he explained.
“The guys were all really friendly, I enjoyed the fitness side of it and learning new skills and I just decided that I really wanted to give rugby a go.
“I played a few games for the second team towards the end of last season and at the start of this campaign I have been regularly involved with the same team and I am enjoying it a lot. I have dropped from almost 23 to 19 stone too.
“As dad said, there is a great community feel at Moray Rugby Club and everyone socialises and gets on, so that’s a fun thing to be a part of.”
Anybody of any age and any gender is welcome to head down to training with Moray Rugby Club at Morriston Playing Fields in Elgin every Tuesday and Thursday between 6.30pm and 8pm.
