THE SCOTSMAN REPORTS

Opportunity knocks for Scottish amateurs against Wales

Gary Heatly
SCOTLAND Club International coach Ian Rankin wants his side to stick to the game plan and show off their collective skills when they take on a Welsh Clubs XV in Caerphilly this afternoon (2.30pm).


The Dundee HSFP coach has picked the 22 men who he feels are the in-form players in the Scottish Hydro Electric Premier Divisions this season to face the Welsh and, despite having been frustrated by the weather in plans to train together regularly, knows they will give it their all.

Rankin said: "Some might just see this as a nice reward for amateur guys who are playing well, but it means a lot more than that as they are all proud to be representing their country.

"They also know that, if they play well, then they might be able to take their rugby on to a higher level and there is no doubt they are all fully focused on the job in hand."

Wingers Marc Teague (Heriot's) and Rory Couper (Boroughmuir) are both talented players who, despite being 26 and 27 respectively, will be out to show that they can play on a bigger stage.

Stand-off Andrew Skeen from Watsonians is 23, but he, too, is beginning to show the form that saw him on the Newcastle Falcons' books at one time.

Currie duo Richard Snedden and Ross Weston should also take encouragement from their caps. Last season, scrum-half Snedden missed out through injury, while Weston has been a model of consistency at No8 for the Malleny Park side.

Others to watch out for include the highly thought of front-row trio of Bruce McNeil (Heriot's), Sean Crombie (Boroughmuir) and 21-year-old GHA prop, Jon Welsh. Former Scotland captain Andy Nicol will present the squad with their jerseys before the match.

The Welsh Clubs XV was formed two years ago and is made up of players under the age of 25 from National League Division One downwards. They beat the French Amateur XV at the same Virginia Park ground last term, but, with ten new caps in the starting line-up, it is a younger side this time around.

"I have been so impressed by the players' attitude and work ethic and we are all looking forward to it," added Rankin, who coached the side to victory over Ireland last year.

Welsh Clubs XV: T Botwood (Blues/Llantrisant); T Bonnell (Scarlets/Narberth), S Martin (Scarlets/Narberth), M Lewis (Blues/Builth Wells) captain, A Mead (Ospreys/Llangennech); E Williams (Scarlets/Whitland), A Davies (Scarlets/Narberth); A Davies (Scarlets/Whitland), G Jones (Scarlets/ Pembroke), J Huntley (Blues/Rhiwbina), C James (Scarlets/Narberth), L Williams (Dragons/Newport Saracens), L Edwards (Dragons / Newport Saracens), A Packer (Dragons/Newport Saracens), C Davies (Scarlets/Cardigan). Subs: A Pettit (Dragons/Caerphilly), A Payne (Dragons/Caerphilly), K Coulter (Ospreys/Bridgend Athletic), S Miles (Scarlets/Ammanford), G Holloway (Blues/Llantrisant), M Thomas (Blues/Llantwit Fadre), Gethin Davies (Blues/Brecon).


Scotland Club International: S Ruddick (Boroughmuir); M Teague (Heriot's), G Thomson (Dundee HSFP), M Clapperton (Boroughmuir), R Couper (Boroughmuir); A Skeen (Watsonians), R Snedden (Currie); B McNeil (Heriot's), S Crombie (Boroughmuir), J Welsh (GHA), D Kelly (Ayr), A Adam (Currie), T McVie (Heriot's) captain, R Weston (Currie), A Martyn (Boroughmuir). Subs: P MacArthur (Ayr), G Mountford (Stirling County), G Dodds (Melrose), G Oommen (Dundee HSFP), G Cottrell (Boroughmuir), C Goudie (Heriot's), D Brown (Watsonians).

This article was posted on 8-Feb-2008, 08:25 by Hugh Barrow.