Rugby Club International: Gala’s Miller given stand-off role

Published on 22/02/2012 00:54

GALA stand-off Lee Miller has been handed a debut for the Scotland Club International side that will take on their French counterparts in Ayr on Friday (7.30pm).

The No 10, from Elgin, who was a key part of the Maroons’ early season title charge, will be supported by an experienced side of Premier stars captained by Boroughmuir’s former Edinburgh and Newcastle hooker Sean Crombie.

Selkirk and Scotland sevens star Fraser Harkness takes the full-back jersey while Alan Dymock, the Heriot’s prop called into Glasgow’s Heineken Cup squad, starts in the front row. Another ex-Edinburgh hooker, Fraser Brown, makes a welcome return to the representative arena with a place on the bench. Acknowledging the platform this sphere has provided for talented club players, with 17 past caps – including current Six Nations winger Lee Jones – having gone on to professional rugby, coach Ally Donaldson said: “The Club International framework is a great opportunity for the best of Scotland’s club players to show what they can do and to use it as a potential stepping stone.

“This year we are welcoming back a number of experienced players who have been involved before. The players’ commitment has been first-class. They have taken days off work and put in a massive effort for our training matches both as the club international and co-optimists. We don’t know a great deal about the French but we are completely focused on getting our gameplan right and putting in the best performance we can.”

Scotland have lost twice away to France but, in the sole home match, they claimed a 13-9 win at Netherdale in 2010. Their only loss in four home games was a narrow 32-30 defeat to Ireland last year and there are six survivors from that team keen to return to winning ways. It is the first full club international of the season and the first at Millbrae but, with free entry, a big crowd is expected, particularly with Ayr’s Ross Curle, Scott Sutherland and Rob Colhoun playing.

Scotland Club International Team (v France at Millbrae, Friday 7.30pm): Fraser Harkness (Selkirk), Callum Anderson (Aberdeen Grammar), Ross Curle (Ayr), Dean Kelbrick (Glasgow Hawks), Fraser Thomson (Melrose), Lee Miller (Gala), Richard Snedden (Currie); Alan Dymock (Heriot’s), Sean Crombie (Boroughmuir, capt), Alan Brown (Dundee HSFP), Rory McKay (Glasgow Hawks), Scott Sutherland (Ayr), Graeme Dodds (Melrose), Rob Colhoun (Ayr), Ross Weston (Currie).

Substitutes: Fraser Brown (Heriot’s), John Cox (Currie), Gary Holborn (Melrose), Richard Hawkins (Dundee HSFP), Andrew Rose (Boroughmuir), Morgan Ward (Aberdeen Grammar), Stuart Edwards (Stirling County), Danny Gilmour (Stirling County).