Peebles rugby head coach Iain Chisholm quits after year in charge

The 33-year-old, of Lilliesleaf, had been at the Gytes club since replacing Lewis Bertram, currently forwards coach at Tennent’s Premiership champions Hawick, at the end of June last year.

Regularly taking to the field as a player too, he led them to a fourth-placed finish in Tennent’s National League Division 2, with 67 points from 22 fixtures, an improvement of five places and 16 points on the season before.

Chisholm’s last coaching duties were as an assistant – alongside Melrose’s Bert Grigg and Musselburgh’s Andrew Clark – to South of Scotland head coach Matty Douglas for their games against Edinburgh on Tuesday, May 9, and Caledonia Reds on Sunday.

He cited family commitments for his departure, saying: “It’s been a real privilege to be involved with Peebles over the last 12 months.

“I’d like to thank the executive committee for affording me the opportunity to develop my coaching and leadership skills further with a fantastic group of players, coaches and managers in the club’s centenary year.

“Having reflected on the season and in discussion with my wife, it is the right time for me to seek coaching opportunities and full-time employment closer to home to maximise time with my young family.

“I am proud that in a short time we have made massive strides in developing a playing style and introduced a methodology that ensured that our time at training was a highlight moment of the players’ week.

“It’s been great to see that style develop along with the players on an individual level.

“While we might not have been promoted, we managed to win home and away to deserved league winners Glasgow Accies, and I’m certain that with a little more luck around injuries, Peebles would have been in amongst that group chasing promotion come the last day of the season.

“I look forward to watching these players and wider coaching and management group progressing in future seasons and wish everyone at Peebles all the best for the future and a big thank-you for being such a welcoming club.”

Peebles’ director of rugby, Colin Thomson, says he’s sad to see Chisholm go, adding: “Iain has made a significant impact on our senior player group during his time with the club and we are disappointed to be losing his services but we wish him well in the future.”

Chisholm was attack coach and an occasional player at Tennent’s National League Division 1 team Melrose prior to heading to the Gytes and his clubs before that included Jed-Forest, Glasgow’s Cartha Queens Park, Edinburgh Academical, Biggar and Highland.

Melrose are also on the lookout for a new head coach at the moment, Grigg, citing family reasons too, having announced his departure in April.