KEIGHLEY Rugby Union Football Club's under-14 team will continue their social development this weekend on their tour to Scotland.

As part of the third leg of a proposed tour of all the competing six nations before they say goodbye to junior rugby, Keighley will have a coaching session from Glasgow Warriors tomorrow before forming a guard of honour for their televised Guinness Pro 12 match against Cardiff Blues tomorrow night.

Keighley under-14s will then face Stirling County on Saturday morning and Ardrossan Academicals on the west coast on Sunday before making the long journey home.

Steve Welch, who is not only head coach of Keighley's under-14s but is also the club's coaching co-ordinator, said: "One of the main aims of the tour is to enhance the personal development of our squad towards being young men.

"The coaching team invest a lot of time and effort in helping them to grow into competent rugby players, and it’s extremely rewarding to see them progress and develop in a positive environment.

"It’s an experience they will hopefully remember for the rest of their lives and will inspire them to greater things.”

Graham Field, who is the under-14s' squad manager and the club's junior secretary, added: "Our mission for the tour is to promote the game and ethos of rugby union, to help the boys develop as both aspiring individual and team players and to further develop our squad team spirit.

"Touring exposes the boys to different challenges, environments and experiences. They have to learn to deal with new playing situations, to work with their team-mates against different teams but above all they should enjoy the game."

Keighley RUFC's commitment to age-group rugby includes boys and girls from aged five to 17, and they already have impressive facilities and well-qualified coaches, as well as links with Oakbank and Parkside secondary schools.

Funds for the tour have been raised by players and parents through a number of events over the past eight months, and special thanks go to the parents of the tourists, plus tour sponsors JJ&S Transport, Airedale Chemicals and Beny Sports.