John Dalziel is one of a number of players from Melrose in line to play for the Scotland Club International side when they play France at Netherdale, Galashiels, in February.
SCOTLAND Club International head coach Ally Donaldson has named ten players from the Borders in an initial 35-man training squad ahead of the their game against France in Galashiels in the New Year - including seven from Melrose.
The powerful in-form forwards of both Currie and Ayr dominate the selection up front with almost half coming from the two sides that currently top the Scottish Hydro Premier One.
However, the attacking flair of third and fourth-placed Melrose and Dundee provides two-thirds of the Club International back-line.
Donaldson, also head coach at Currie, said: "We invited coaches to nominate players from their own and other clubs and, fortunately, with a lot of games being played on Friday nights and Sundays, myself, Ian Rankin (team manager and Dundee High director of rugby) and Kevin Barrie (forwards coach and head coach of Selkirk) have managed to see all of the teams play, which has allowed us to have a good look at everybody and pick the players who have been performing consistently well."
The club select will now gather for two squad sessions in preparation for their 2010 internationals against France at Netherdale (Friday, February 5, kick-off 7.30pm) and Ireland away (Friday, March 19, location and kick-off tbc). However, the coaches will get the chance to see a number of the players in action together before they take to the field for Scotland.
In addition to in camp preparations, several of the Club International team have been lined up to face Edinburgh Accies under the banner of the Co-Optimists, Scotland's invitational club, in the traditional festive fixture on Boxing Day (Saturday, December 26, kick-off 2pm).
Rankin said: "We are indebted to the Co-Optimists for their assistance in our preparations. We have liaised with them in order to ensure that a number of contenders for Club International selection can play together in this match."
The Scottish Club International Squad 2009/10 is as follows -
Forwards: Paul Burke (Ayr); Andy Dunlop (Ayr); Damien Kelly (Ayr); Gordon Reid (Ayr); Scott Sutherland (Ayr); Andy Adam (Currie); Mark Cairns (Currie); Alastair Hamilton (Currie); Andrew Reekie (Currie); Ross Weston (Currie); Alan Brown (Dundee); Danny Levison (Dundee); Grant Strang (Glasgow Hawks); Dan Teague (Edinburgh Accies); Rory McKay (Glasgow Hawks); Scott Burnett (Heriot's); Alan Dymock (Heriot's); John Dalziel (Melrose); Ryan McConnell (Peebles); Gregor Wood (Watsonians); Elliott McLaren (West of Scotland).
Backs: Jamie Hunter (Ayr); Malcolm Clapperton (Boroughmuir); Richard Sneddon (Currie); Harry Duthie (Dundee); Aubrey Horton (Dundee); James Fleming (Dundee); Callum Anderson (Melrose); James King (Melrose); Scott McCormick (Melrose); Jamie Murray (Melrose); Fraser Thomson (Melrose); Scott Wight (Melrose); Fraser Harkness (Selkirk); Lee Jones (Selkirk).

This article was posted on 10-Dec-2009, 12:04 by Hugh Barrow.