DUNFERMLINE Rugby Club will play in the game’s national divisions next season after clinching their league title on Saturday.

The men’s first XV played the final match of their Tennent’s Men’s Caledonia Region League, Division One, campaign against Aberdeen Wanderers at McKane Park, where a 102-0 victory clinched top spot and promotion.

Video and picture courtesy of Jim Payne.

Gavin Emerson’s team finished two points clear of Ellon in the final standings and, for the first time since 2015, they will play Tennent’s National League rugby, when they go into Division Four next term.

“It was a fantastic day. I couldn’t have asked for it to be any different to be honest,” a thrilled Emerson told Press Sport.

“It was probably the best the team’s performed, even just taking the scoreline away from the game. The performance that the boys put on was awesome, and I think it’s going to put us in a positive position going into this weekend as well, just with that extra confidence that the guys will have.”

The match with Aberdeen had been postponed twice previously before it had been rescheduled for February 25, but it was rearranged again when the visitors were unable to raise a team to travel.

With Ellon having completed their fixtures, Dunfermline knew a win would hand them the title, and they found it in style, complete with a try-scoring bonus point.

“We simply asked them, don’t play that half-standard rugby for the first 20 minutes, then play great for 60. Let’s go out there and put 80 minutes of good, quality rugby on for everyone coming down to support us, and the guys did that,” Emerson continued.

“They did what we asked. There’s always areas we’ll pull out on the game tape that we maybe want to change, but it was brilliant.

“It was such a good performance. We made all our subs; everyone got a good bit of game time, and our output didn’t change, which was fantastic.

“It was a great day and it showed the guys how much this victory, this season, means to people outside of the club.”

With the league wrapped up, Dunfermline now switch their attention to cup competition this weekend in the semi-finals of the National Shield, which the club won in 2012.

They travel to Castle Douglas to play Stewartry, where victory would take them into the final at BT Murrayfield, which is scheduled to be played in May.