Falkirk Rugby Club honour Stef Yarrow as Player of the Year

The accolade came after a fantastic 2023-24 season for the 33-year-old second row forward ended with him scoring a try as Falkirk won the National League Cup with a 34-21 final victory over Lasswade at Murrayfield.

Falkirk RFC director of rugby Kenny Grieve told the Falkirk Herald: "Stef had been a mainstay for us over the last four or five seasons.

"It was quite fitting that he scored a try in his last game for the club when we won the cup.

"People follow Stef because he leads by example. He just does his job and does it so, so well.

"For a second row forward, his work-rate on the pitch is incredible.

"He was Mr Consistency for us all last season as well so that made a huge difference to the outcome of some of our games.”

Although Yarrow has announced his retirement, Grieve hasn’t given up on persuading the fans’ favourite to continue playing for Falkirk.

He added: “We’re hopeful Stef could be persuaded to stay on, we’ve had a conversation with him. He enjoyed the awards night and the boys were in his ear about keeping playing.

"Because of his age, it takes Stef a good two or three days to recover now after playing on a Saturday.

"As a result of the level we’re playing at, the games are quite attritional, so when you get to that stage of your career it takes you from the Saturday to the Tuesday to recover.

"You don’t give yourself much opportunity to then get back on the training pitch on Thursday and then you’re back again on Saturday.

"We keep saying to Stef things like: ‘You’re a long time retired so think about this decision’.

"He’s a big loss to us and it would be great if he could come back, although we respect his decision as he’s certainly been a great servant to the club.

"We’d love him to come back and play but there’s no pressure on him to do that ultimately.

"His wife has just had a baby not long ago which adds another dimension to it.”

Yarrow, who joined Falkirk back in 2019, also played international rugby for Cyprus until the end of last season.

Fellow Falkirk stalwart Gregor Brodie – a back row/winger – also retired after last term, with Falkirk bringing in new signings this summer including ex-Edinburgh Accies second row/back row Connor Doran, number seven Olly Yarrow – Stef’s cousin – and, in a groundbreaking move, Erin Baisley from the Blue Bulls Academy in South Africa.

Returning to the awards night, other 1st XV prizes handed out included number eight Gregor Dodd landing Players’ Player of the Year and front row/back row Callum Hunter getting Most Valuable Player.

"Gregor is just a really strong, abrasive ball carrier who can run the 100m in 11-and-a-half or 12 seconds. He’s a big, big man and really fast, so he’s very difficult to stop and gets us on the front foot nine times out of 10.

"Callum played a number of positions for us last season. He was just Mr Reliable and for such a young lad – 21 – he has an old head on young shoulders and just makes the right decision at the right time.”

Moving onto the 2nd XV, players receiving awards were: Player of the Year – Taylor Paul; Players’ Player of the Year – Lochie Ellis; Most Valuable Player – Liam McNicoll.