Glasgow Touch

...means a lot to Spiders, as they triumph over European opposition.

Glasgow Spiders started the 2009 touch season in style, winning top honours at the Vienna touch tournament against teams from Vienna, Brussels, Munich, and other major European cities. The Viennese hosts put on a fantastic event, and hopefully some of the stunning weather will accompany the silverware back to Scotland.

Glasgow Lions need men and women of all ages and fitness levels for their touch rugby sessions. On Saturdays throughout January and February 2009, 11am-2pm, we are holding events aimed at absolute beginners. 

We don't care if you've never caught or passed a ball - in fact that might be an advantage. We don't care if you drop it every time. In fact, we like it as it gives us something to help you with.

Whether you'd like to play casually, have the craic and just enjoy the exercise or are deadly serious about conquering the world and reversing the recession, we have something for everyone. Bring yourself, a pair of runners (or better still, a pair of astroturf shoes or moulded football boots) and a willingness to become slightly muddy to Glasgow Green and we'll at least give you a good time!

These Saturday events are a great chance to begin and learn touch rugby with other beginners with plenty of on-hand help from our Spanish, Australian and Irish coaches. And it's free! Here's the map.

The touch season over in Scotland meant a first trip South of the border for Spider Pork to compete in the Sage rugby annual charity touch competition, raising money for the Percy Hedley foundation's 'Sport for All' appeal. Up against teams from Newcastle, London and Stirling, the Spiders/Lions combination showed once again that Glasgow Touch has taken a huge leap forward over the past year.

Winning group games against, Percy Park, Law Blacks, London Galaxy, and Mighty Atoms, set up a derby semi-final against Stirling's Flossie Possie where the Spiders proved to be the stronger of the Scottish participants. Meanwhile the other semi-final was contested between the local Newcastle teams, Percy Park and Blackadders, with Percy Park eventual victors after a drop-off. And so to the final, a repeat of the first game of the day, where Spider Pork proved deserving of the trophy running out 6 - 1 winners over Percy Park.

For more pictures, check out the gallery.

With the season drawing to a close, Glasgow teams have seen out an excellent Summer of touch with a couple of fantastic results. Spider Pork finishing as the highest placed Scottish team in both the Barebacks Edinburgh Open (3rd behind London Otters and Bareback Exiles), and the Aberdeen Autumn tournament (2nd to the Cup Winners Dublin Sharks hailing from NZ). Meanwhile the Glasgow Lions added to their recent victory at Trinity Accies in taking home the tankard from Aberdeen.