A bleary-eyed Greenock Wanderers squad departed Fort Matilda at 3am yesterday as the club's end of season weekend tour to Italy got underway.

The 36-strong party led by president Graeme Alexander and Captain Matt Gray travelled by private coach to Edinburgh Airport in the early hours ahead of their flight.

The party will enjoy a leisurely evening in Venice ahead of playing a challenge match against Paese RFC tomorrow at the Stadio Gianni Visentin in Treviso.

The weekend continues on Sunday when the group attend the Glasgow Warriors match against Treviso at the Stadio Di Monigo before flying home again on Monday morning, concluding festivities with a 'Survivors Party' back at the Octavia Terrace clubhouse on Monday evening.

President Graeme Alexander said: "Touring is an important part of the culture of rugby and it is a great way to round off the season and also allows the players to let their hair down and bond ahead of the challenges of next season.

"We have a great relationship with clubs like Etampes from France where we have toured often and I'm sure this will be the start of a similar friendship with Paese RFC. Hopefully they will accept our invitation to come to Greenock in the near future." Wanderers will select a strong side for tomorrow's match and are keen to secure another international scalp after defeating Etampes in France three years ago.

A full 1st XV squad have travelled and skipper Gray will lead a side that contains this season's player of the year Brendan McGroarty and highly-acclaimed back row stars Graham Mooney and John Stewart.

The third member of Wanderers break-away trio Callum Robb is injured but youngster Andy Love gets an early opportunity to stake a claim for a back row berth next season due to Mooney being posted out with the area on RAF duty.

Dougie Smith, Jamie Mooney and Stewart Alexander will form the bedrock in the scrum and as always if Wanderers secure sufficient possession then they have the potency in attack to trouble any defence.

Andy McDougall and Kieren Smith will form the half-back duo and the mercurial David Watson will bring his own swashbuckling style of play to the full-back role.

Not much is known about hosts Paese RFC but Wanderers are capable of mixing it with the top sides in Scotland and will go into the game with confidence and look to secure a victory on foreign soil.

Skipper Gray added: "The weekend will focus on tomorrow's game and the players will be saving themselves for that and the aftermatch party hosted by Paese in their clubhouse, although I can't vouch for the more senior members of the tour. It promises to be a great weekend but we also have a job to do to ensure we give a good account of ourselves in the game and once that's over we can enjoy the Italian rugby culture and no doubt some fine hospitality." The Glasgow Warriors travelling support has also been encouraged to support their fellow Clydesiders and Paese RFC have extended an invitation to those travelling early for Glasgow's match on Sunday to make the short two-mile trip along the road to cheer on Wanderers tomorrow.

  • For those not able to commit to international travel, Wanderers Colts play their National Cup semi-final tomorrow in the Borders against Peebles.

Coaches Graham Knox, Graham Finnie and Ally Hunter have done a sterling job this season and a cup final place would be just rewards for all their efforts.

  • Wanderers are sponsored by Texas Instruments.