THE HERALD REPORTS

Daunting opener against England for Scots

ALAN LORIMER in Dubai December 01 2006

Dubai Sevens

Scotland's young academy players face a massive learning experience in the first session of the two-day Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens at the Exiles ground.
The competition is the first round of the 2006/07 IRB World Sevens Series that will culminate in Edinburgh next June and Scotland have abandoned their policy of playing experienced amateurs and opted to use the sevens circuit to develop players already identified in the elite system.
It is a policy that could accelerate the progress of players like the Glasgow Warriors and former Robert Gordon's College stand-off Ruaridh Jackson, and David McCall, the Edinburgh winger.
"The advantage of playing academy players is that they are training on a daily basis in a professional environment and are playing regularly for their clubs," said Stephen Gemmell, the Scotland coach. "The aim is to improve these players so that they progress into the professional game on full contracts.
"We go into the tournament with no preconceptions. We're seeded 10th and our aim will be to finish in a higher position. What is important is what we get out of this tournament."
The immensity of the Scotland task at the Exiles ground cannot be understated. The young Scots face an England side containing such experienced sevens players as Simon Amor, Ben Gollings and Rob Thirlby in their quest for a third successive Dubai title.
"It's perhaps better to get England first up, before they get into their stride," suggests Gemmell. Next for Scotland are France, who, like the Scots, have committed themselves to all eight tournaments on the circuit, then they finish against Zimbabwe, who are returning to Dubai after a three-year absence.
Zimbabwe will certainly pose a threat, having prepared for Dubai under their coach, Liam Middleton, by contesting tournaments at Amsterdam, Benidorm, Lusaka and in Nairobi, where their pacy team reached the semi finals before losing to the emerging Springboks 26-21.
SQUAD. Scotland Ben Addison (Glasgow Warriors & Stirling County), Mike Adamson (Glasgow Warriors & Glasgow Hawks), Murray Bringhurst (Edinburgh & Watsonians), Calum Forrester (Glasgow Warriors & GHA), Colin White (Glasgow Warriors & Ayr), Scott Forrest (Border Reivers & Hawick, capt), Calum Forrester (Glasgow Warriors & GHA), Roddy Grant (Border Reivers & Gala), Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors & Cartha Queen's Park), Lee Kibble (Border Reivers & Gala), Steve McColl (Dunfermline), Dave McCall (Edinburgh & Stewart's-Melville), Mark Robertson (Border Reivers & Melrose)

This article was originally posted on 1-Dec-2006, 08:23 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 1-Dec-2006, 12:28.