Ian Rankin rues loss of Accies warm-up

Published on Saturday 26 December 2009 10:09

SCOTTISH clubs international rugby team boss Ian Rankin believes the side will go into their opening match in excellent spirits, despite their planned build up game falling foul of the weather.

Rankin, together with his coaching team of Ally Donaldson and Kevin Barrie, had planned to take a closer look at many of the players in the 35-strong Scotland squad after they were selected for the Co-optimists' planned clash with Edinburgh Accies at Raeburn Place today.

However, the weather has left the pitch unplayable and led to the encounter being cancelled, which means the team's first outing will now be the match against their French counterparts at Netherdale in Galashiels on Friday 5 February.

Despite his obvious frustration at missing out on today's scheduled run out, Rankin has been impressed by the attitude of the players in the initial training group. That original selection will now be trimmed back to form a match squad which will then have weekly training sessions throughout January.

The players eventually chosen will be seeking to atone for a narrow defeat in France last year before travelling to face Ireland.

Rankin said: "Having had the squad together at Murrayfield and seen the quality and the pride at being involved, it is very disappointing that this very important next step has been scuppered."