15/05/2026
A good season for Kinloss Rugby Club has got even better with the news that they have won Arnold Clark Caledonia North Two and promotion.
Earlier in the campaign they won the Caledonia North Bowl, topped the Caledonia North Two Highlands and Islands Conference and won the National Bowl.
They were then due to play North Police Scotland at some stage this month to decide who would win Caledonia North Two overall, but the Grampian Conference winning police have forfeited the tie due to work commitments.
It means that Kinloss are due to be playing Caledonia One rugby in 2026-27 and can look back on 2025-26 with four reasons to celebrate.
Dan Woodward, who coaches Kinloss alongside Joe McLean, said: “It’s obviously disappointing not to finish the season with another marquee fixture, but we completely understand how difficult balancing rugby alongside work commitments can be.
“As a mixed civilian and service side, it’s something we deal with ourselves throughout the season, so we definitely sympathise with North Police Scotland having to make the difficult decision that they have.
“They’re a very good side and every time we’ve played each other they have been a cracking contest so hopefully they can build on the success they’ve had this year and go again next season and we wish them all the best.
“Looking at the season overall for us, it’s hard not to see it as a huge success for the club. The trophies and results speak for themselves, but, more importantly, I’m really proud of how the squad has developed.
“With Joe and myself stepping into coaching roles this year, there was always going to be a bit of a learning curve and a transition period for us. On top of that, a number of the lads who are serving personnel had operational deployments and work commitments throughout the season which naturally disrupted availability at times.
“What’s pleased me most is that we’ve still managed to keep standards high and prove the depth we’ve built within the squad.
“I think that depth is going to be hugely important moving into Caledonia One next season and I’m excited to see what this group can do at that level.
“Personally, promotion was probably my biggest objective for the season. I was bitterly disappointed when we had to turn down promotion two years ago because deployments heavily impacted things. At the time, we knew it was the right decision for the club, but it definitely hurt.
“This year feels different. We’ve worked hard to build something more sustainable, we’ve got greater competition and resilience throughout the squad, and I genuinely believe this group has earned the opportunity to test itself at the next level and we’re excited to have a proper crack at it.”
* A version of this article first appeared in The Press and Journal on Friday *
