Development benefit for Scots amid party atmosphere of sevens

Those who have not witnessed the HSBC World Sevens Series in all its glory yet insist they enjoy watching rugby played at its most ferocious and exciting should take a look, while those who contend that it is mere "basketball on grass" could learn a thing or two about pure unadulterated skill from this weekend's tournament.

However, amidst the party atmosphere that will sweep round the stadium today, largely through the West Stand and an estimated 15,000 supporters and the 1300 youngsters and their families involved in the Festival of Rugby on the back pitches, there is a serious aspect to this end-of-season carnival for Scottish rugby. It lies with the players.

The SRU is still debating how to make the best use of the sevens next season, but Stuart McInally could give them some ideas. The 20-year-old Edinburgh flanker-cum-No?8 is now vying with David Denton as the most talented young ball-carrier in the Edinburgh camp and with clear Scotland prospects.

McInally was a rare talent identified in his mid-teens at George Watson's College, a powerful back row bigger, at 6ft 3in and over 15 stones, than most lads his age who could run and make dents in defences, but also play a bit with the ball.

Still, however, he had to increase his body weight to now nearer 17 stones to seriously challenge for a place in the back row, and did so - Denton is 6ft 5in and over 17 stones - but injuries also affected his ability to move seamlessly from outstanding schoolboy to professional. The last was ruptured thumb ligaments in a Friday captain's run in February.

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That is where sevens have played a significant role, he explained, helping to bridge the gap and restore his confidence.

"I started the season with a bit of a foot injury after the under-20s World Cup last summer," he explained, "so I didn't have the same pre-season as everybody else and was a bit off the pace when the season started. But I got the chance to go to Delhi with the sevens squad for the Commonwealth Games a few games into the season and although I didn't play as much as I might have liked, the training and game-time I did get really got me up to speed and allowed me to come back and really push into the Edinburgh squad.

"I made my first Edinburgh appearance and got my first Scotland 'A' cap in November, so that sevens trip especially had a massive impact on my 15s career.

"You don't do as much weights in the sevens training, but that allows you to do more fitness and skills work.It improves your skills massively actually. My distribution has improved significantly since I started playing sevens and I've taken that into my 15s with Edinburgh.

"In terms of my physique I know I'm probably still in the sevens squad for my physicality rather than my distribution or pace, but I think I've managed to get the balance right over the last year or so. What sevens also does is sharpen your decision-making, when to pass and when to carry, and also helps you to play at a faster pace, and I have definitely felt that when I've gone back to 15s I'm a step ahead.

"But sevens also brings your confidence back up. When I first joined Edinburgh the physicality was a big shock, but because in sevens you can use the blend of your physicality and ball-playing, it helps to give you confidence that you're developing and improving as a player. And that's pretty big for a young player to be honest."

Intriguingly, McInally is one of five players in this weekend's Scotland team to have worn the maroon-and-white hoops of Watsonians with Colin Gregor, Michael Fedo, Andrew Turnbull and Andrew Skeen also involved.

With Gregor back along with Jim Thompson, there is greater experience for this final tournament of the season and that should help Scotland's prospects. They have set themselves the goal of reaching the cup quarter-finals, for what would be the first time this season, and while tough in front of a home crowd it is far from impossible.

They open their campaign at 1.04pm today, against Fiji, who defeated New Zealand in last weekend's semi-final at Twickenham by the staggering margin of 42-19 before losing to South Africa in the final.

The Scots then take on the big-hitting South Sea Islanders from Samoa (3.48pm), who lifted the world title at Murrayfield this time last year.

The Samoans are fourth in this year's rankings, but have reached the semi-finals in all but one tournament, last weekend in London, where they made up for a quarter-final loss by winning the second-tier Plate Scotland's final pool opponents are the USA, who sit tucked just behind the Scots in 11th place in the world series, Scotland having scored in three events and the USA two. That tie kicks off at 7.11pm and brings the curtain down on day one. of the event.

The tournament opens with New Zealand tackling Russia at 10.30am and though ticket sales were close to 20,000 last night, unlike internationals they are on sale today and tomorrow at the stadium (20 for adults each day, 10 concessions and 40 for a family ticket). Tomorrow's action starts at 10am and finishes around 6pm.

Scotland have a tough draw, but coach Graham Shiel is confident that his team has the ability to match any side if they can stun Fiji in the first tie.McInally agrees, his own sevens education having improved alongside that of a largely young Scottish team and lifting hopes of playing for the full Scotland side at Murrayfield in coming years.

"This is massive," he added. "I've not been part of the Edinburgh leg and haven't been able to watch it in the last few years because of the U20 World Cups, so I can't wait.

"It is such a big thing to be in my home tournament at Edinburgh and if we get a good support there it will be such a buzz running out of the tunnel."

Pool A

10:30 New Zealand v Russia

10:52 Argentina v France

13:36 New Zealand v France

13:58 Argentina v Russia

16:32 Russia v France

17:43 New Zealand v Argentina

Pool B

11:14 England v Portugal

11:36 Wales v Spain

14:20 England v Spain

14:42 Wales v Portugal

16:54 Portugal v Spain

18:05 England v Wales

Pool C

11:58 South Africa v Canada

12:20 Australia v Kenya

15:04 South Africa v Kenya

15:26 Australia v Canada

17:16 Canada v Kenya

18:27 South Africa v Australia

Pool D

12:42 Samoa v United States

13:04 Fiji v Scotland

15:48 Samoa v Scotland

16:10 Fiji v United States

18:49 Samoa v Fiji

19:11 Scotland v United States