Duncan Weir and David Tait drafted by sevens for World Series

ONE of the country's most promising young stand-offs, Duncan Weir, has been called up to the Scotland sevens squad to test his mettle in New Zealand and Las Vegas.

Also back in the squad is Sale's 22-year-old back row David Tait. The 6ft 4in England U20 cap switched allegiance from the land of his birth last year when he quit the England sevens camp to join Scotland in order to push for international honours north of the Border. The Scotland sevens squad met up this week for training ahead of the next two legs of the IRB Sevens World Series in Wellington (5-6 February) and Las Vegas (13-14 February).

Coach Stevie Gemmell has made four changes to the one that competed in Dubai and South Africa in the opening two legs at the end of last year, with Weir, the Glasgow Hawks' stand-off and sole debutant, joined by former caps Scott Riddell, Chris Kinloch and Struan Dewar.

Gemmell explained: "I'm looking forward to seeing how Duncan deals with the whole occasion which includes the travel, atmosphere and competition. It's a great opportunity for him."

Weir is one of a crop of young stand-offs who have been encouraging Scottish coaches struggling over the past decade to unearth a No10 with the ability to nail down the pivotal role at Test level. He is just 18 and arguably behind the likes of Rory Hutton, Alex Blair, Matthew Scott and Ross Aitken in the pecking order of potential stand-offs, but if he impresses on the sevens circuit, the powerful Weir is set for a contract with the SRU academy this summer.

Scotland 7s squad (to compete at the IRB Sevens World Series events in Wellington and Las Vegas): S Forrest (capt), M Adamson, G Anderson (Ayr), S Dewar (Heriot's), P Jericevich (Glasgow Hawks), L Jones (Selkirk), C Kinloch (Glasgow Warriors), S Riddell (Blaydon), C Shaw, D Tait (Sale), A Turnbull (Edinburgh), D Weir (Glasgow Hawks).