COACHING ANNOUNCEMENT & ACADEMY LAUNCH
Author: David Quarm
25 July 2025
Andrew Royale new head coach.
We are excited to announce Andrew Royle as the new Head Coach of Dunfermline Rugby Football Club!
Andy brings a world-class rugby CV to Dunfermline, with decades of experience leading programmes in South Africa, Ireland, & UK. Most recently, he has served as Head Coach & DO at Edinburgh Academy delivering drive elite-level coaching and player development. Now, he brings that expertise to Dunfermline as we build a new era for the club.
Joining Andy’s coaching team:
Ross Hutchinson continues in his role as Forwards Coach, ensuring consistency and leadership through this new phase.
Martin Scade returns to DRFC as Backs Coach, adding skills and tactical precision to our attack.
We’re also proud to unveil our new Academy, designed to bridge the gap between youth and senior rugby. Our U18s will now train alongside the seniors, helping to build continuity, raise standards, and create a pathway for local talent to rise into 1st team rugby.
Ross shared:
To be asked to continue coaching this season as part of Andy’s new coaching setup was an honour. He obviously comes with a high pedigree, having coached at all levels of the game. We have a similar passion for coaching set piece and forwards play.
I'm happy we are maintaining consistency from the last few seasons. Even though there's change, there’s still familiarity—with myself, the captains, and vice-captains continuing. We will continue the upward trajectory of the quality of rugby at Dunfermline.
The new Academy will harness the talent we have coming through our youth teams. The drop-off from U18s has been too high for too long—that’s unsustainable. This setup brings more coaches, more feedback, and a competitive environment where talented players can push the seniors for their jerseys, making us stronger.”
Martin added:
“I am excited to have been asked to contribute to coaching the Seniors this season—looking forward to seeing how we go! Roughly 15 years since I played my first senior game for Dunfermline, I'm very happy to be back at DRFC!”
With this new energy, a clear pathway for player development, and an experienced coaching team, we believe the future is bright for DRFC
#BlueBloods