Academy Cup heroes aim to be all-rounders
"It was difficult keeping their feet on the ground. The boys received a standing ovation from the school at assembly," said Appleson, who stresses that, although rugby is important at Edinburgh Academy, it is not a dominant culture. "The ethos of the school is to excel in as many areas as possible," he added. "Our stand-off, Fraser Gillies, for example, is a choral singer, enjoys drama and plays the trumpet."
Gillies would certainly have enjoyed the drama of last Thursday when it was his astute decision- making and, ultimately, his penalty goal that won the Cup for Edinburgh Academy in the last play of the match. "It was a surreal way everything unfolded. At the end everyone was exhausted. But I thought we had the edge in fitness and I think our subs made an impact.
"This is Academy's first title at this level and I think it will give all the players something to aspire to," said Appleson, who must now begin to look at next year's side.