ROBINSON & LINEEN NAME TALENTED ‘A’ TEAM
Posted: 31/Jan/08
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The competition for places hailed by Scotland coach Frank Hadden this week has extended into the Scotland A team where coaches Andy Robinson and Sean Lineen have selected an impressive group of players for their first game in charge.

Speaking from Murrayfield this morning, Robinson said: “This is a very talented bunch of players and I’m excited with what lies ahead for this group both in terms of the two internationals in February and the Churchill Cup in June.

“I’m also very happy with how training has been going, even in the wintry conditions.”

Lineen added: “What a fantastic opportunity for these boys to go out and stake their claim for a Scotland jersey.

”This is an energetic group of players capable of playing some exciting rugby. I can’t wait for our first game and I’m sure the Scottish public will be looking forward to catching a glimpse of this team at McDiarmid Park in Perth next month.”

Gloucester scrum-half Rory Lawson continues his captaincy of the A team having led the side since the 2006 Churchill Cup where the Scots reached the final of the tournament.

Scotland A team to play Italy A at the Stadio Comunale Mogliano in Venice on Sunday 3 February (kick-off 2:30pm local time, 1:30pm GMT)

15 Calum MacRae (Edinburgh)

14 Simon Danielli (Ulster)
13 Ben Cairns (Edinburgh) *
12 Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors)
11 Thom Evans (Glasgow Warriors)

10 Phil Godman (Edinburgh)
9 Rory Lawson (Gloucester) CAPTAIN

1 Alasdair Dickinson (Gloucester) *
2 Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors)
3 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors)
4 Mark Rennie (Bourgoin)
5 Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors) *
6 Al Strokosch (Gloucester)
7 Ross Rennie (Edinburgh) *
8 Johnnie Beattie (Glasgow Warriors) *

Substitutes
16 Scott Lawson (Sale Sharks)
17 Craig Smith (Edinburgh)
18 Craig Hamilton (Edinburgh)
19 James Eddie (Glasgow Warriors)
20 Mark McMillan (Wasps)
21 Gordon Ross (Saracens)
22 John Houston (Edinburgh)

* = Member of Scottish Institute of Sport

The Scotland A team return to home soil on Friday 22 February when they take on Ireland A at McDiarmid Park in Perth. The game kicks-off at 7:30pm.

Tickets are priced at £10 for adults and £5 for concessions (U18s, students & OAPs) and can be purchased by calling the Scottish Rugby Ticket Centre on 0131 346 5100 (open 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday) or by logging onto www.scottishrugby.org

This article was posted on 31-Jan-2008, 19:36 by Hugh Barrow.