The Scotsman reports

Young Scots bid to break duck as gap in class grows



By Alan Lorimer
SCOTLAND Under-20s will not need reminding that they have yet to win a match this season after a whitewash in the Six Nations and two defeats already in the IRB U20 World Championship.
Today at the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham the young Scots have the chance to break their duck when they play USA to decide the third and fourth places in Pool B.

If the Scots win then they will play their last two games in the tournament against the third finishers in the other pools, giving them a chance to equal or better their 10th seeding. Defeat would mean the Scots would play out their last two games in the bottom group of countries, the worst outcome of which would be relegation from next year's championship.

Scotland were a shade unfortunate to lose their opening game against Samoa but were hopelessly outgunned against South Africa, who inflicted a 72-3 defeat in a brutal match that resulted in tournament-ending injuries to props Joe Stafford and Angus Dixon, and lock Richard Gray. "The South Africa game left the boys battered and bruised both physically and mentally," said team manager John Jeffrey.

"It has been psychologically tough for the boys but international rugby is hard. We won't let it affect us. In the end it will make us stronger."

Jeffrey's exhortations, however, cannot disguise the fact that the gap between the big countries and small nations like Scotland is growing. Two years ago at the under 19 World Championship in Dubai, Scotland suffered a similar slaughter at the hands of Australia. It was watched by national coach Frank Hadden, who immediately called for improvements in age grade rugby in Scotland, among these a more competitive structure at school level.

The big factor is numbers. In South Africa, Western Province alone have over 100 Academy players signed up, meaning that in total the Junior Boks are choosing from a huge pool of young professionals. The dire situation for Scotland is illustrated by the fact that Steve Wilson, a promising under 19 player, who has played most of his rugby this season for Dundee HSFP seconds was facing a centre who has been involved in Super 14 rugby.

For this vital match Scotland have pressed into immediate service all three of the replacements who joined the squad this week. David Morton and Josh Brown start at tighthead and lock while Gavin Cameron is on the bench.

Scotland Under-20: P Horne (Howe of Fife); L Jones (Selkirk), P Loudon (Durham University), S McColl (Dunfermline), C Kinloch (Edinburgh Acads); R Jackson (Glasgow Hawks, capt), P Jericevich (GHA); G Strain (Glasgow Hawks), A Duncan (Stewart's Melville FP), D Morton (Bridgewater), F McKenzie (Heriot's), J Brown (Bristol), S Burton (Currie), A Rose (Hartpury College), C Simmonds (Heriot's) Substitutes: N Shannon (Aberdeen Grammar FP), G Cameron (Ellon), N Patrick (Dunfermline), L Calder (Newcastle Falcons), R Samson (Newcastle Falcons), J Murray (Leeds Carnegie and Edinburgh Academicals), M Allan (Loughborough University).

This article was posted on 14-Jun-2008, 13:54 by Hugh Barrow.