Some 15 new recruits – seven to Edinburgh Rugby and eight to Glasgow Warriors – have been named today by Scottish Rugby as elite development players for the forthcoming season.

The newcomers include Scotland under-20 captain Tommy Spinks, who recently led the national age-grade side to tenth in the IRB Junior World Championships in New Zealand who returns north from London Scottish; and three of the George Watson’s College Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools under-18 Cup winning side, captain Ally Miller and his team-mates Jake Kerr and Ben Robbins.

The net has been cast wide with No 8 turned prop Callum Sheldon from Kirby Lonsdale in Cumbria featuring as does Glenn Bryce, the brother of recently capped Glasgow Warriors and Scotland hooker, Kevin Bryce, a former Scotland under-20 cap who has played for both Jersey and Doncaster.

Two further players are likely to be announced in the near future and both will be aligned to Edinburgh Rugby.

Stephen Gemmell, Scottish Rugby’s Head of Performance Development, said: “Elite Development Players, aligned to our pro-clubs, work very hard to progress from aspiring professional players to, in some cases, the real deal.

You just need to look at Matt Scott and Dougie Fife at Edinburgh Rugby or Jonny Gray and Adam Ashe at Glasgow Warriors as examples of what players who really commit to the programme can go on to achieve.

“This coming year, once again under the tutelage of Bryan Easson at Edinburgh and Iain Monaghan at Glasgow, and working very much in tandem with the coaches in the BT Premiership, all of Scottish rugby will look for these talented youngsters to make the step up.”

Elite Development Players aligned to Edinburgh Rugby for the 2014-15 season:

Props: Rory Sutherland* (Gala), Callum Sheldon* (Queen Elizabeth School/Newcastle Falcons) and Ewan McQuillin (Gala)
Hooker: Jake Kerr* (George Watson’s College/Watsonians)
Back-row forwards: Ally Miller* (George Watson’s College/Watsonians) and Magnus Bradbury (Boroughmuir)
Scrum-halves: Alex Glashan (Edinburgh Accies) and Hugh Fraser*(Merchiston Castle School)
Centre: Chris Auld (Gala)
Wing: Ben Robbins* (George Watson’s College)
Full-back: Ruaridh Howarth*(Galashiels Academy/Gala)
Elite Development Players aligned to Glasgow Warriors for the 2014-15 season:

Props: D’arcy Rae (Ayr), Zander Fagerson* (Glasgow Hawks) and Cameron Fenton* (Strathallan School/Howe of Fife)
Hookers: Fergus Scott and James Malcolm* (both Ayr)
Locks: Andy Redmayne (Glasgow Hawks), Scott Cummings* and Andrew Davidson* (both Kelvinside Academy/Glasgow Hawks)
Back-row: Tommy Spinks* (London Scottish) and Matt Smith* (Stirling County)
Scrum-half: Ali Price (Stirling County)
Stand-off: Gavin Lowe (Glasgow Hawks)
Centres: Jack Steele and Neil Herron (both Glasgow Hawks)
Full-back: Glenn Bryce* (Doncaster)
*Denotes new player for season 2014-15

This article was posted on 23-Jun-2014, 11:21 by Hugh Barrow.