In the summer of 2008, eventual European football champions Barcelona trained at St Andrews and now in August 2009, Edinburgh Rugby Club are heading north to train at the same venue with local children tomorrow afternoon (6 August).

The event, which will involve approximately 90 children from the Fife area, will see over 30 members of the first team squad getting involved for a special Community Thursday event including Lions and Scotland duo, Mike Blair and Ross Ford.

Last season, Edinburgh recorded more than 1,000 visits to schools, colleges, rugby clubs and community groups and chief executive Nic Cartwright believes the trip to St Leonards Road will kick-off another productive year off the pitch. Supporters are invited to attend the open training session which takes place at approximately 6.30pm where the squad will be training with Dundee HSFP.

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Edinburgh Rugby chief executive Nic Cartwright said: “We are always looking to engage with rugby enthusiasts from all over the east of Scotland and beyond.

“We already have fans in Fife, the Lothians, the Borders and, of course, Edinburgh and through Scottish Rugby’s national development network we have developed relationships with hundreds of clubs, schools and community groups.

“We are very proud of the fact that 35 of our 36-man squad are Scottish qualified and that four of those players come from Fife. Hopefully the training session with youngsters in St Andrews will inspire some of them to enjoy what rugby has to offer.

“The local children will have a chance to watch the players again in our first League match of the new season when we play Connacht at Murrayfield on Friday 11 September.”