The sons of former Scotland and British Lions internationalists, Craig Chalmers and Peter Dods, will take their first steps to following their father’s footsteps when they attend the Struan performance rugby camp on Thursday (30 July).
Sam and Ben Chalmers – who, like their father, play at stand-off – have been selected alongside Scotland’s top-rated rugby talent from the under-15 to under-18 age groups, while Craig Dods – son of 1984 Grand Slam hero, Peter – takes to the field in his dad’s favoured full-back position.

Former Scotland and British Lions internationlist, Craig Chalmers, attended the camp as a boy
Having catered for a host of Scotland internationalists in their formative years including Mike Blair, John Barclay, Ben Cairns and Nick de Luca, the camp acts as a the first step towards identification and then potential selection for Scotland’s under-17 and under-18 age-grade squads for the coming season.
The intense performance camp – which last season celebrated its 30th anniversary – puts the young players through a gruelling week-long schedule starting with a wake-up call and morning run at 8am before breakfast, rugby coaching, aquatic recuperation and team building before lunch, specialist coaching clinics up until their evening meal, and expansive rugby games until 9pm.
Senior performance development manager and former Scotland internationalist, Grant McKelvey, is in charge of the rugby side of the camp and, alongside Scottish Rugby’s performance development team, will deliver the program of rugby to the four age groups.
McKelvey said: “Basically what we’ve got here is the best home based and exile players that have been identified through our performance development framework.
“For the under-17 group this is the start of their respective national programmes and is a great opportunity to promote themselves in front of national under-17 coaches like Bryan Easson while the under-18 players have an excellent chance to promote themselves ahead of the first under-18 National Training Squad that will be brought together in early September
“For the younger age groups, under-15s and under-16s, it’s a chance for them to develop themselves, improve their rugby, their social skills and their team-building skills: working together, dealing with a bit of hardship sometimes – and that’s generally the overview of the camp.”
Despite the intensive nature of the camp’s coaching sessions, hard graft on the pitch is just a part of what goes on at the Struan camp.
“The boys are in tents and are not surrounded by the trappings of wealth; they have to do their own washing up etc and we certainly don’t run about after them so the guys get an understanding of what they have to do to work effectively as part of a team”, added Grant.
“I hope that the boys will come away with a bunch of new friends and maybe another 10 or 15 people on their bebo or facebook sites. Hopefully they’ll have a good week; learning the key national themes that the performance development managers are trying to instill on them and some good social and team-working skills so when they do go back into their clubs, schools or hopefully the national age-grade programmes they can rely on these skills.
“Every group will have at least one team building activity specific to them and they can be as simple as standing in front of everyone and telling them a bit about yourself or some small group work, we also have nutrition input.
“Twenty-five years ago when I was here as a player they did an excellent job but the main difference is that the majority of the staff were all volunteers. Now the rugby is being delivered by professional members of staff who are experts in dealing with children of this age, the facilities are slightly better but not much, the river is still as cold as it always was, and the pitches are still as rustic.”
PLAYERS ATTENDING THE STRUAN PERFORMANCE CAMP (BY REGION)
Borders
Dylan Ali (Hawick / Hawick High School) – wing
Russell Anderson (Langholm / Langholm Academy) – prop
Scott Anderson (Hawick High School) – prop
Michael Binnie (Berwick / Longridge High School) – inside centre
Ben Chalmers (Melrose / Earlston High School) – stand-off
Sam Chalmers (Melrose / Earlston High School) – stand-off
Harry Cooper (Kelso / Kelso High School) – outside centre
Neil Cully (Langholm / Langholm Academy) – hooker
Joe Dickinson (Langholm / Langholm Academy) – hooker
Craig Dods (Gala / Galashiels Academy) – full-back
Matthew Douglas (Hawick / Hawick High School) – inside centre
Andrew Ford (Hawick / Hawick High School) – prop
Jack Fraser (Jed Forest / Jedburgh Grammar) – open side flanker
Stuart Graham (Hawick / Hawick High School) – blindside flanker
Dalton Hall (Peebles / Peebles high School) – open side flanker
Scott Halliday (Peebles / Peebles High School) – number 8
Gavin Hamilton (Gala / Gala Academy) – scrum half
Sean Hook (Kelso / Kelso High School) – stand-off
Ally Johnston (Kelso / Kelso High School) - stand-off
Guy Learmonth (Berwick / Longridge Academy) – scrum half
Ewan MacDougall (Selkirk / Selkirk High School) – open side flanker
Cameron Martin (Berwick / Berwick High School) – number 8
Callum McEwan (Selkirk / Selkirk High School) – inside centre
Sean Megahy (Melrose / Earlston High School) – outside centre
Gregor Mein (Gala / Gala Academy) – full back
James Millen (Peebles / Peebles High School) – prop
Shawn Muir (Hawick / Hawick High School) – prop
Cameron Murray (Peebles / Peebles High School) – lock
Jay Myatt (Selkirk / Selkirk High School) – open side flanker
James Parker (Hawick / Hawick High School) – full back
Blair Reavely (Gala / Gala Academy) – lock
Ian Robertson (Melrose / Earlston High School) – lock
Frankie Robson (Kelso / Kelso High School) – stand-off
Callum Simpson (Hawick / Hawick High School) – prop
James Stewart (Kelso / Kelso High School) – number 8
Mark Stewart (Melrose) – blindside flanker
Kyle Stillie (Selkirk / Selkirk High School) – stand off
Jack Sudlow (Jed Forest / Jedburgh Grammar) – blindside flanker
Rory Sutherland (Hawick / Hawick High School) – number 8
Richard Taylor (Melrose / Earlston High School) – full back
Chris Telfer (Hawick) – prop
Edward Turner (Langholm / Langholm Academy) – number 8
Michael Waldron (Selkirk / Selkirk High School) – prop
Scott Wilson (Eyemouth / Berwick High School) - prop
Andrew Wolf (Kelso / Kelso High School) – lock
Caledonia
Stephen Gillies (Stirling County / Trinity High School) – full-back
Brodie Clark (Stirling County / Glasgow Academy) - wing
Alistair Addy (Ellon) – stand off
Jamie Anderson (Stirling County) – wing
Ross Angus (Perthshire) – open side flanker
Chris Arnold (Stirling County) – number 8
Adam Ashe (Stirling County / Alva Academy) – blindside flanker
Jamie Bhatti (Stirling County / Alva Academy) – prop
Logan Bonar (Alva Academy) – stand-off
Harris Brown (High School of Dundee) – wing
Jamie Bruce (Orkney) – blindside flanker
Ewan Brumwell (Aberdeen Grammar) – stand-off
Keith Buchan (Dunfermline) – full back
Ruaridh Cameron (Dollar Academy) – inside centre
Duncan Campbell (Mackie) – number 8
Struan Cessford (High School of Dundee) – prop
Lewis Crichton (Dunfermline) – full back
Matthew Dickie (Aberdeen Grammar) – hooker
Robbie Ealand (Madras College) – open side flanker
Luke Earle-Wright (Deeside) – stand-off
Cameron Fenton (Howe of Fife) – open side flanker
Cameron Gall (Mackie) – blindside flanker
Andrew Geekie (Morgan) – blindside flanker
Chris Golding (Robert Gordon's College) – scrum half
Stuart Govan (Stirling County) – prop
Angus Guthrie (Howe of Fife) – stand-off
Alex Henderson (Dunfermline) – number 8
Douglas Hitchcock (Ellon) – blindside flanker
Craig Hodge (Perthshire) – wing
Tom Hogarth (Dollar) – open side flanker
George Horne (Howe of Fife) – stand-off
Colin Hutton (Stirling County) – prop
Scott Irvine (Mackie) – prop
Ross Johnston (Morrison's Academy) – full back
Ruaridh Knott (Highland) – open side flanker
Sam Knudson (Aberdeen Grammar) – inside centre
Matt Lamb (Stirling County) – inside centre
Shaun MacDonald (Stirling County) – blindside flanker
Ewan MacGarvie (Dollar Academy) – scrum half
Ross Marshall (Kinross High School) – number 8
Murdo McAndrew (Howe of Fife) – scrum half
James McCavanagh (Ellon) – inside centre
Jack Paladini (Dundee High School) – inside centre
Jamie Reid (Robert Gordon’s College) – lock
Craig Rintuol (Strathallan) – full back
Archie Russell (Stirling County) – inside centre
Finn Russell (Stirling County) – stand-off
Adam Sinclair (Stirling County) – number 8
Jack Steele (Perthshire) – full back
Andrew Stewart (Clackmannanshire Colts) – blindside flanker
Conor Taylor (Lochaber) – number 8
Joel Tobin (Stirling County) – number 8
Dayle Turner (Kirkcaldy) – number 8
Jack Urqhart (Dollar Academy) – stand-off
Daniel Usugo (Robert Gordon’s College) – wing
Ben Vardi (Morrison's Academy) – open side flanker
Ruaridh Voigt (High School of Dundee) – lock
Andrew Watt (Dollar) – scrum half
Jordan Welsh (Aboyne) – wing
Jordan Wright (Clackmannanshire Colts) – full back
Aubrey Young (Grangemouth) – blindside flanker
Edinburgh
Kerr Anderson (Livingston) – inside centre
William Brown (George Watsons College) – number 8
Rhys Davies (George Watsons College) – number 8
Chris Dean (Edinburgh Academy) – number 8
Paul Dobson (Boroughmuir RFC / Boroughmuir High School) – number 8
Scott Docherty (Stewart’s Melville College) – stand-off
Justin Duncan (Stewart’s Melville College) – number 8
David Ellen (George Heriot’s School) – blindside flanker
Jamie Farndale (Edinburgh Academy) – wing
Alistair Fraser (Boroughmuir RFC) – stand-off
Alex Glashan (Edinburgh Academy) – scrum half
Ryan Gray (Musselburgh RFC) – outside centre
CJ Harrow (Merchiston Castle School) – blindside flanker
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Merchiston Castle School) – stand-off
Ryan Hook (Musselburgh RFC / Ross High) – inside centre
Joseph Jones (Merchiston Castle School) – blindside flanker
William Kay (Boroughmuir RFC) – lock
Chris MacBeth (George Watson’s College) – outside centre
Dan Marinello (Boroughmuir RFC / George Watson’s College) – lock
Iain Martin (Boroughmuir RFC / Boroughmuir High School) – stand-off
Connor Maxwell (Fettes College) – blindside flanker
Duncan McLean (Loretto School) – open side flanker
Andrew McMillan (George Watson’s College) – outside centre
Douglas McRae (Livingston RFC) – prop
Michael Moyes (Boroughmuir RFC) – lock
James Munro (Edinburgh Academy) – scrum half
Angus Normand (Edinburgh Academy) – wing
Daniel Owenson (Musselburgh RFC) – scrum half
Ross Peacock (Boroughmuir RFC) – wing
Denis Pech (Currie RFC) – prop
Sam Pecqueur (BATS / Trinity Academy) – outside centre
Jonny Perriam (Musselburgh RFC / Loretto School) – lock
Andy Philp (Currie RFC) – prop
Jack Polson (Heriot’s RFC / George Heriot’s School) – stand-off
John Rae (Heriot’s RFC / George Heriot’s School) – wing
Lewis Robinson (Boroughmuir RFC) – hooker
David Roulston (Trinity Academy) – lock
Chris Scott (George Watson’s College) – prop
Rory Scott (Boroughmuir RFC) – inside centre
Lawrie Seydak (Edinburgh Academy) – lock
Scott Simpson (BATS / Broughton High School) – inside centre
Guy Skivington-Jones (Merchiston Castle School) – wing
Joe Stachan (Currie RFC) – scrum half
Glen Sutton (Portobello RFC) – blindside flanker
Alex Swan (Edinburgh Academy) – 10
Duncan Swanson (Currie RFC / Balerno High School) – outside centre
Jonah Theurer (George Heriot’s School) – lock
Alex Webb (Boroughmuir RFC) – scrum half
Angus White (Merchiston Castle School) – open side flanker
Craig Wilson (Boroughmuir RFC) – lock
Robby Wilson (Dunbar RFC / Dunbar Grammar) – prop
Blair Wycherley (Boroughmuir RFC / James Gillespies High School) – outside centre
Jay Younger (Merchiston) – outside centre
Tom Middlemass (Loretto School) – outside centre
Cameron Simpson (Edinburgh Academy) – flanker
Gregor Anderson (Heriot’s RFC / North Berwick High School) – lock
Scott Black (Currie RFC) – inside centre
Max Johnson (George Watson’s College) - prop
Tommie Spinks (Haddington / North Berwick High School) – number 8
Ruairidh Young (Musselburgh / Musselburgh Grammar school) – full back
Danny McGillvary (Musselburgh RFC / St David’s School) – forward
Exiles
George Barnes (Chesterfield RFC / Worksop College) – lock
Will Bordill (Sand Bach / Sand Bach School) – open side flanker
Mitch Edie (Fulton College) – blindside flanker
William Hartley (Silhillians Solihull) – wing
Dan Keene (Stockport RFC / Sedbergh school) – flanker
Andrew Milne (Harrogate RUFC / Harrogate Grammar School) – prop
Joe Wasinski (Hampton School) – prop
Arran Thompson (York / All Saints School) – scrum half
Glasgow
Max Aitchison (The Glasgow Academy) – full back
Chris Barnes (Glasgow Hawks / High School of Glasgow) – prop
Mark Bennett (Cumnock / St. Joseph's Academy) – outside centre
Magnus Bradbury (Oban Lorne / Oban High School) – lock
Charlie Brooke (Glasgow Academy) – outside centre
Graham Bryden (West of Scotland / Kelvinside academy) – inside centre
Angus Burns (West of Scotland / Bearsden Academy) – inside centre
Ross Campbell (Irvine / Irvine Royal Academy) – hooker
Finn Campbell-Young (GHA) – wing
Murray Cubie (High School of Glasgow) – open side flanker
Calum Dalyrmple (Garnock / High School of Glasgow) – open side flanker
Craig Davidson (Ayr / Carrick Academy) – prop
John Dewar (Ayr / Carrick Academy) – wing
Robbie Fergusson (Ayr / Wellington College) – stand-off
Jamie Graham (Dumfries / Dumfries Academy) – blindside flanker
Jonathan Gray (Cambuslang / Calderglen Academy) – lock
Craig Greer (Cumnock) – prop
David Hamilton (Cartha QP / Rosshall Academy) – number 8
Josh Harvey (Biggar / Biggar High School) – lock
Fraser Hastie (Glasgow Hawks / Kelvinside Academy) – lock
Alan Haynes (Cumnock / Auchinleck Academy) – inside centre
Neil Herron (Hillhead/Jordanhill / Jordanhill School) – inside centre
Rory Hughes (GHA / Kingspark Secondary School) – full back
Jonathan Jack (Greenock Wanderers / St Columbas) – lock
Blair Jardine (Ayr / Carrick Academy) – prop
Ben Johnston (Marr / Marr College) – blindside flanker
Ross Kirkland (Uddingston / Uddingston Grammar) – prop
Walker Lynch (Ayr / Belmont Academy) – wing
Adam MacDonald (Ayr) – stand-off
Scott McInnes (Cartha / Williamwood High School) – stand-off
Martin McKellar (Paisley / Glenifer High School) – stand-off
Joe McQuade (Hamilton / St. Aloysius) – prop
McKenzie Pearce (Kilmarnock / St. Joseph's) – blindside flanker
Crawford Philpot (Glasgow Hawks / High School of Glasgow) – blindside flanker
Jackson Rountree (Ayr / Kyle Academy) – prop
Joshua Rutnagur (GHA / Hutchesons Grammar) – srum half
David Scott (GHA / Wallace High School) – stand-off)
Scott Shankie (East Kilbride / Duncanrigg Secondary School) – inside centre
Craig Shields (Glasgow Hawks / Duncanrigg Secondary School) – scrum half
Scott Steele (Dumfries / Dumfries Academy) – scrum half
James Stirling (Ayr / Kyle Academy) – wing
Jonathan Tait (Whitecraigs / Belmont House) – open side flanker
Joshua Thompson (West of Scotland / Kelvinside Academy) – hooker
Angus Thomson (Biggar / Biggar High School) – open side flanker
Gregor Urquhart (Hillhead/Jordanhill / Hyndland Secondary School) – full back
Mark Vallance (West of Scotland / Douglas Academy) – prop
Michael Vernel (Allan Glens / St Aloysius College) – number 8
Harry Walker (Glasgow Hawks / Glasgow Academy) – inside centre
Liam Wallace (Marr / Marr College) – outside centre

This article was posted on 26-Jul-2009, 18:25 by Hugh Barrow.