SEVEN WORLD SERIES SCOTS SET FOR SINGAPORE
Posted: 16/Oct/07
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seven players who featured on the IRB World Series circuit last year form the core of the Scotland 7s squad playing under the banner of Rugby Ecosse at a 30-team international tournament in Singapore at the end of this month.

The 12-man Rugby Ecosse squad also includes four graduates from last season’s successful Scotland under-18 team.

Coach Stephen Gemmell views the tournament as important preparation for the IRB 7s circuit which begins in Dubai at the end of November, given that Scotland will once again play in all eight tournaments, culminating in the Emirates Edinburgh 7s at Murrayfield on 31 May and 1 June 2008.

He said: “We are grateful for the support from Weatherford Pipeline & Specialty Services which is enabling us to take part in a competitive tournament prior to the start of the World Series.

“Our focus in Singapore will be not only on results but, more importantly, on team and player performances with all players having a chance to stake a claim for selection for the opening IRB tournaments in Dubai and George (South Africa).

“As a squad we have identified areas of our game from last season that we need to improve on and Singapore will give us an ideal environment in which to make progress in these areas.”

Gemmell has selected a young squad, leavened by experience from last season, and once again drawn largely from Scottish Rugby’s National Academy. He explained: “Scott Forrest will again captain the squad and Mike Adamson has been released by Glasgow Warriors to continue his development as a player. This is invaluable as he was ever-present throughout last season’s World Series.

“James Thompson is new into the Senior National Academy this year but he already has professional experience and I’m looking forward to seeing how he performs in Singapore.

“Flankers Chris Fusaro and Struan Dewar, scrum-half Andy Dymock and full-back/wing Grant Anderson all played for Scotland under-18 last season and are currently playing in Scottish Hydro Electric Premier Division 1. They’ve trained well at our 7s sessions and, although it will be a big step-up in intensity, I’m sure they’ll cope and their task is to rise to the challenge.”

The squad departs for Singapore on Monday (22 October) with competition against a range of international, invitational and club teams drawn from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, South Africa, the USA and Japan among others, taking place at Singapore Cricket Club on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 October.

Rugby Ecosse Scotland 7s squad for Singapore
Scott Forrest and Colin White (both Ayr and National Senior Academy), Calum Forrester (GHA and National Senior Academy), Stephen McColl (Dunfermline and National Senior Academy), Chris Fusaro and Struan Dewar (both Heriot’s and National Junior Academy), Mike Adamson (Glasgow Warriors and Glasgow Hawks), Chris Kinloch (Edinburgh Accies and National Senior Academy), James Thompson (Heriot’s and National Senior Academy), Andy Dymock (Dundee HSFP and National Junior Academy), Grant Anderson (Ayr and National Junior Academy), Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Hawks and National Senior Academy).

This article was posted on 22-Oct-2007, 21:59 by Hugh Barrow.