INVERCLYDE Sports Centre is to create a world class astroturf rugby training and match facility after revealing a £300,000 investment plan.

The national centre is removing the former football and hockey pitch to capitalise on an upturn in interest in the sport - including from Glasgow Warriors, who have been training at Largs recently.

Other rugby groups who have used the facilities include the Scottish Rugby Union’s U18s women’s team and the Romanian U20s gents, who played against Scotland U20s at Inverclyde.

For the first time in many years, rugby goalposts have replaced football ones on the grass pitches of the sports centre too.

Centre principal Barry Fleeting explained: "These new £300,000 facilities will make a huge difference to our rugby provision at Inverclyde.

"With many rugby groups visiting Largs, it seemed the ideal time to look to boosting what we have on offer. The pitch can also still be used for football. "The 3G is fantastic and a great resource to have. The rugby clubs enjoy using all areas of the sports centre.

"The work we have been doing is to expand the pitch's size to provide the correct dimensions.

"Our customer base has reflected that rugby groups are using the facility more and more - it is a world rugby surface which we are creating and we hope that will bring extra benefits to the area.

"The lining on the pitch will be both football and rugby and there will be temporary lines to lift as and when required.

"You can still have floodlit 11-a-side football matches on there."

There are five grass pitches at Inverclyde which will now be used for rugby as well as football.

As well as attracting professional clubs, the public can also book the facilities.

Barry added: "There has been some consultation with the SRU and the Glasgow Warriors.

"The surface can no longer be used for hockey matches but if we want to attract top level guests like Manchester United's youths and the Warriors we have to look to providing the very best.

"On any given day, all the pitches could be used at once, and it is possible to even have football competitions or rugby competitions. We certainly now have the capacity for it and that is really exciting for us.

"It is also accessible by Largs Academy with a new path linking us to the school. This is a relationship we want to continue building."