Last week, Glasgow Warriors were once again the club with the biggest representation in the Scotland national squad for the forthcoming RBS 6 Nations when 11 players were named in Andy Robinson’s 34-man squad.

This week, they are providing half the Scotland 'A' team as 11 Glasgow players (six from outside the national training squad) have been named in the match-day 22 to play Ireland Wolfhounds at Netherdale on Friday night (kick-off 7.30pm, admission free).

Edinburgh assistant coach, Nick Scrivener, will coach the team and he has challenged the players to produce a combative performance and claim a third straight Netherdale win.

The A team have emerged victorious from each of the last two fixtures to be staged in the Borders, beating Tonga 38-7 in 2009 and USA Eagles 25-0 last November, and are now intent on erasing the memory of the 34-19 defeat they suffered at the hands of the Irish in Belfast almost a year ago.

Scrivener believes the key to overturning that result is competing better at the breakdown, an area where the Scots struggled to impose themselves at Ravenhill last February.

The head coach pointed out: “All week, the message to the players has been very clear: we want to play positive, attacking rugby, and one of the things that will allow us to do that is making sure we win the collisions.

“I feel that’s massively important against any Irish side – if you allow them to get momentum and quick ball, they always have pace, power and ability in the backs and they’re going to hurt you.

“We’ve picked a team that definitely has the ability to take it to the Irish in contact, and the players understand the importance of doing well in that area. I’m excited about the side we’ve put together; there’s a lot of ability and a lot of hunger there. The challenge is to bring it all together and produce a performance that’s good enough to win an international game for Scotland.”

Seven players who started the USA game have retained their places for Friday’s encounter. Jim Thompson moves from wing to full-back, while Lee Jones, a two-try local hero against the Eagles, keeps hold of his spot on the other touchline. Ben Cairns and David Blair stay at outside centre and stand-off respectively, while Jon Welsh and Geoff Cross team up again in the front row with Fraser McKenzie packing down behind them once more.

The Edinburgh lock’s second row partner will be Scott MacLeod, one of six players set to feature on Friday night who are in the full Scotland squad for the RBS 6 Nations Championship. Among the others is Greig Laidlaw, the scrum-half who won his first international cap in the EMC Autumn Test against New Zealand last November and will captain the As on Friday, as he did against Italy A last February.

Johnnie Beattie, the Glasgow Warriors back-row forward who recently returned from a shoulder injury, will start at No.8, with his Firhill team-mate Dougie Hall winning the hooker berth. Moray Low and Rob Harley are on the bench, the latter having received nine stitches to a cut above the eye sustained during Glasgow’s Heineken Cup win over Dragons on Sunday.

Scrivener confirmed: “There’s a definite added incentive for our guys knowing they’re being watched with the RBS 6 Nations Championship in mind, but, as we’ve been saying to them all week, their most important performance is their next one, and that’s for Scotland A on Friday.

“Playing well individually and collectively, and winning this game, is everyone’s sole focus.”

Two players, Hefin O’Hare and Ryan Wilson, will make their Scotland A debuts on Friday night. O’Hare, the 31-year-old Scotland 7s internationalist, qualifies for Scotland by way of having met the residency criteria set by the IRB, while Wilson, the 21-year-old back-row forward who was named man of the match in Glasgow’s fine Heineken Cup win over London Wasps, qualifies courtesy of his mother having been born in Motherwell.

A third Warrior, Peter Murchie, is also in line for a first Scotland ‘A’ appearance this week, having been named among the replacements.

The match is the first of two back-to-back Netherdale fixtures for the side, with Italy A due to call on Friday 4 February (kick-off 7.30pm). As with all home Scotland A, club international, under-20, under-18, under-17 and Scotland Women games this season, admission to both clashes is FREE.

Scrivener today urged the Borders public to reprise the “fantastic backing” they provided against both Tonga and USA Eagles. The Australian insisted: “The crowds for the last two games in Gala have been really impressive, both in terms of the number of people who came along and the support they gave the players.

“This week and next are going to be really challenging matches for our guys, and that’s when the backing of a vocal crowd can really come into its own.

“Myself and the players will be doing everything we can to give them another win to celebrate.”

The Scotland A captain’s run at Netherdale on the eve of the Ireland Wolfhounds game is open to the public. Supporters are welcome to come along on Thursday 27 January from 4pm.

SCOTLAND A TEAM TO PLAY IRELAND WOLFHOUNDS ON FRIDAY 28 JANUARY AT NETHERDALE, GALASHIELS (KICK-OFF 7.30PM, ADMISSION FREE)

15 Jim Thompson (Edinburgh)
14 Hefin O’Hare (Glasgow Warriors)
13 Ben Cairns (Edinburgh)
12 John Houston (Edinburgh)
11 Lee Jones (Edinburgh)
10 David Blair (Edinburgh)
9 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh, CAPTAIN)
1 Jon Welsh (Glasgow Warriors)
2 Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors)
3 Geoff Cross (Edinburgh)
4 Scott MacLeod (Edinburgh)
5 Fraser McKenzie (Edinburgh)
6 Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors)
7 Alan MacDonald (Edinburgh)
8 Johnnie Beattie (Glasgow Warriors)

SUBSTITUTES
16 Fergus Thomson (Glasgow Warriors)
17 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors)
18 Rob Harley (Glasgow Warriors)
19 Roddy Grant (Edinburgh)
20 Colin Gregor (Glasgow Warriors)
21 Peter Murchie (Glasgow Warriors)
22 Colin Shaw (Glasgow Warriors)


Scotland A have today been running through their final preparations ahead of Friday’s clash with Ireland Wolfhounds at Netherdale (kick-off 7.30pm, admission FREE).
The afternoon captain’s run at the Gala ground, the team’s final training session before the match, was open to the public as a taster of what supporters from the Borders and beyond can expect from the game tomorrow night.
The Scotland A squad underlined their determination to deliver a performance and result of which the nation can be proud by donning the playing jersey of the club where they started out for a team event staged in Edinburgh yesterday afternoon.
Head coach Nick Scrivener explained: “Because of where this game falls in the season, we’ve got a 22 made up entirely of guys from Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors, and while it’s great for those teams to see their players being selected for international rugby, it’s also extremely important for the boys to remember where they’ve come from.
“Pretty much to a man, these guys took their first steps in the game with a local club side, and I think it’s only right that we acknowledge the role those teams played in their development.
“Seeing all the different jerseys from all different parts of Scotland also underlined just how many people and places we’re representing tomorrow night, and I know the players relish the responsibility that comes along with that.”
Admission to Scotland A v Ireland Wolfhounds at Netherdale on Friday (kick-off 7.30pm) is FREE.
A match programme will be available at the turnstiles, with supporters encouraged to make a small donation if they pick one up. All monies collected will be donated to the Bill McLaren Foundation

This article was originally posted on 27-Jan-2011, 19:30 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 27-Jan-2011, 21:13.