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FOUR CALLED-UP TO SCOTLAND SQUAD
Posted: 26/Oct/05
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Four players have been added to the Scotland squad by head coach Frank Hadden from those players who were on duty earlier this month as preparations for the three Autumn Tests are stepped up.
The quartet are backs Phil Godman and Graeme Morrison and forwards Andy Hall and Gregor Hayter.
Omitted from the last squad are Andy Craig, Scott Gray, Andy Miller, Gordon Ross and Ben Hinshelwood, the last named now taking a break from international rugby.
Hadden said: “It gives me great pleasure to announce the squad on the back of yet another outstanding effort by our three professional teams last weekend. I am in a position at present where I can leave out some very good players because of the form and performances of others.
“If we are going to do something special in our first match coming up, Argentina, then we will need the support of the crowd. It was obvious that even the small (by international standards) crowd at Murrayfield last Sunday was able to assist Edinburgh Gunners’ efforts in the latter stages of their game against London Wasps.”
On the four players brought into the squad Hadden said: “Phil Godman has started regularly for Edinburgh. He performed particularly well when it mattered last Sunday. He responded to the size of the occasion and that’s something you always want to see from a stand-off.
“For me that was a significant moment in Phil’s development – to out-play completely a player of the calibre of Alex King in difficult conditions that you would think would have been alien to Phil.”
Godman said: I’m delighted to be called up. Sunday’s game against Wasps was obviously a massive match and proved that Edinburgh are able to play a different type of game.”
Hadden continued: “The word ‘potential’ is always used when referring to Graeme Morrison and I’m giving him an opportunity to start to fulfil that potential.
“With Gregor Hayter I’m taking the opportunity to look at someone who can give something very different. A back-row forward verging on 120kgs who can score from 30 metres out as he did for Glasgow Warriors against Llanelli earlier this month is always going to catch your eye.
“Andy Hall, meanwhile, has got the bit between his teeth and his versatility to play at either 4,5 or 6 is significant.”
Hall paid tribute to guidance he received from Edinburgh Gunners’ interim head coach Todd Blackadder as he reflected on his return to the Scotland squad. He said: “I’ve been surprised having as much game time at the Dragons particularly at flanker, a position that’s fairly new to me.
“It was while I was on the Scotland tour to Australia in 2004 that the coaches suggested it. Todd (Blackadder) was keen reckoning that I had the attributes for the role.”
Gregor Hayter was equally upbeat on his call-up. “I’m really excited and honoured about it,” he said. “Basically this is why I came back to Scotland and I was well aware that I’d have to prove myself all over again.
“Obviously I know Hugh and he knows what I can do but I had to prove myself to the other club coaches, Shade and Sean, to earn my place in the Glasgow side. I also had to prove myself to the players because apart from those I knew before heading to Italy, like Jon Petrie and Andy Henderson, we’re all new to each other. I’ve just kept my head down and worked hard and hopefully that’ll stand me in good stead.”
Graeme Morrison’s nomination is a timely boost for the centre who has just returned from injury. He said: “I’m delighted to be back in the squad. I thought that given my recent injuries I might not get a look in again until the Six Nations as until last week I’d not started a game for eight months so I’ll just see what happens.
“I had surgery on my shoulder and we initially thought I’d be out for six weeks but it turned out to be more complicated than first thought and it turned into months rather than weeks. Then, during that time I had a bit of an accident as someone shut a door on my hand. When I first got injured I was pretty down in the dumps but it turned out to be a bit of a blessing in disguise as it meant I was able to focus on fitness and I lost some extra weight I was carrying by doing a lot of work on the bike so I’m returning fitter and a few kilos lighter.”
GRAEME MORRISON (Glasgow Warriors and Glasgow Hawks). Centre. Born: 17 October 1982 in Hong Kong. Height: 6ft 3in. Weight: 16st 4lbs. Graeme Alexander Morrison won his first, second, third and fifth caps for Scotland all in the same year against Australia. His first was on the 2004 summer tour when he came on as a replacement in the first Test. Earlier in the tour he had also played in the matches against Queensland Reds, New South Wales Country and New South Wales Waratahs and was heralded as the best player on the park in the Waratahs’ match. He scored his first international try in the historic 100 – 8 win over Japan at McDiarmid Park in Perth. Previously he started as outside centre in all 10 of the under-21 internationals that Scotland played in season 2002/2003. Those honours included his appearances in the IRB Under-21 World Cup in June ‘03, ending with a notable 33-22 victory against England at Newbury. He is a former pupil of Dollar Academy and studied physiology and sports science at Glasgow University. His representative rugby includes under-16 and under-18 appearances for both Midland Schools and Scottish Schools and under-19 and under-21 international honours as well as Hong Kong under-16. His father, Ken, played for Glasgow High School FP when the club championship was introduced to Scottish rugby in 1973, and he won a B cap against France in Bayonne in 1974 before going on to play for Hong Kong. Graeme joined Glasgow Rugby from Glasgow Hawks in season 2003/2004 and scored a debut try in the warm-up match against Gloucester at Kingsholm.
International record: 6 caps. 2004 – A1(rep) A2(rep) A J A(rep) SA(rep). Points: 5 – 1 try.
This article was originally posted on 26-Oct-2005, 13:08 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 26-Oct-2005, 13:18.
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