EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS REPOTS
By BILL LOTHIAN
RISING star Tom Drennan has backed his Edinburgh Accies mates to return to winning ways against Glasgow Hawks at Raeburn Place in the Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership tomorrow.
Drennan will miss out on selection for the first time since this season to begin preparations for what he hopes will be a successful Scotland under-20 World Cup next June in Japan.

But the 19-year-old back rower said: "Accies can beat anybody in the league and it is about achieving consistency."

The Raeburn Place side are currently fourth bottom after losing at Stirling last time and a win tomorrow over the side two places below them would dump Hawks deep in the relegation mire.

Drennan added: "We beat Hawks on their ground earlier in the season in what was a really good game and there's no reason why that can't happen again."

The sidelining of one of Scotland's most exciting prospects whose Dad, Peter, turned out for Edinburgh in the 1980s, means an opportunity for James Turner to switch from second row while Chris Kinloch, John Berthinussen and Greg Campbell all return compared to the Accies side which faced Stirling last time out.

How well Accies cope with the loss of Drennan could be a key factor in the encounter especially as Hawks have been able to include Glasgow and Scotland centre Graeme Morrison as he battles back from injury.

Morrison last turned out for Hawks in 2002.

Drennan is a combative type – as illustrated by the fact he lists Scots bruisers Ally Strokosch and Jason White, as well as All Black Jerry Collins, among his role models. Missing league games while with the Under-20 squad until March will hurt but Drennan says it is a means to an end.

"There's a long season ahead and part of this exercise is to freshen up. We are doing gym work and even some judo as part of the under-20 training and the World Cup is my goal.

"I was grateful to get my first opportunity with Accies at GHA last season and while I was always going to join them after leaving Trinity Academy because of my Dad's connections the BATS youth initiative (a combined Broughton/Trinity/Accies side) is paying huge dividends with the likes of Lewis Niven, Ruaridh Bonner and others now coming through."

Both are in Accies squad tomorrow as are other outstanding prospects Alex Blair, Chris Kinloch and Tom Brown.

As far as the controversy surrounding the decision to remove the under-20 squad from club games to build up to the global tournament is concerned, Drennan, understandably, would not be drawn.

But one coach who knows both scenes well, Bob McKillop, of Heriot's, who was coached the Scottish under-20's last year, believes that a balance has to be struck.

He'll be without two of his young players for the trip to leaders Ayr but said: "I'm comfortable with a decision that costs Heriot's the services of Struan Dewart and Chris Fusaro for training – as long as it is tailored to individual players. Some need to improve fitness and others need match practice while there are those who need a complete break.

"The world under-20 championship is going to be played in extremely hot and humid conditions in Japan. You can't expect players to go all the way through to mid-summer without a break."

Ayr lead the division by six points with a game in hand so it is imperitive Heriot's maintain pressure.

"Losing to Stirling last week (from 26-0 up) was a huge blow and there has got to be a backlash" says McKillop, adding: "We can take heart from winning at Ayr in the Scottish Cup last season."

Elsewhere, Currie head for Stirling and Watsonians are at West. Boroughmuir entertain Melrose on Sunday.

This article was posted on 12-Dec-2008, 13:11 by Hugh Barrow.