THE HERALD REPORTS

Beattie fighting fit to reclaim starting spot
DAVID KELSO

YOUNG Scotland player Johnny Beattie, who is ready to return from injury, has admitted he will be starting from square one again.

The breakaway forward is in line to be recalled to the Glasgow squad for Friday's crucial Magners League clash with the Borders, six weeks after suffering ligament damage during his second Test appearance against the Pacific Islanders at Murrayfield.

But he knows he faces an uphill battle to reclaim his place in Frank Hadden's national set-up for the start of the Six Nation Championship in early February. "My involvement in the autumn series won't count for much over the next few weeks because the injury means I will have slipped down the pecking order again," the 21-year-old admitted.

"It will be tough enough for me to get back into the Glasgow starting line-up, let alone the Scotland squad. If you are out of the game for any length of time, you lose momentum and others grab their chances.

"Andy Wilson has been performing well in my absence for Glasgow and Jonny Petrie is firing on all cylinders, so I can't expect them to stand back and let me come straight back in."

Beattie marked his international entry with the opening try in the emphatic victory over Romania but then came the setback a week later when he was stretchered off in agony.

He added: "It was such a transformation of emotions. I was on a real high after my scoring debut, but after the injury it was absolute frustration."

This article was posted on 27-Dec-2006, 09:17 by Hugh Barrow.