Godman flies coop to join Newcastle Falcons

PHIL Godman, one of Scotland’s most promising young players, has joined Newcastle Falcons. The 19-year-old, who captained Merchiston Castle to the Scottish Schools Cup last season and who has been a key member of the Scottish Schools side for two years, has moved south to study at Northumbria University.

He started the league season with Edinburgh Accies in Division 2, but always planned to move for the start of the university term. He has joined up with the Newcastle Under-21 Academy squad at Kingston Park and will leave with them for a training weekend in Ireland today.

Coached by New Zealander Paul McKinnon, the young Falcons play in a national under-21 league in England and will be known to Scots for their defeat of Glasgow Hawks last season as well as sevens appearances in the Borders.

Godman is a member of the first Scottish Institute of Sport’s rugby squad and will link up with fellow member Craig Hamilton. The institute’s rugby performance coach, Bob Easson, said: "It would have been nice to keep Phil in Scotland because it’s easier to meet with him regularly, but his studies are important, too.

"We also have Craig and Andrew Rennick, who is at Northampton, outwith Scotland and they all have their own programmes of development we’ve worked closely on. I’ve spoken with Phil’s new coach and I’m confident he will continue to develop well at Newcastle."

Injury-hit Glasgow Caledonian Reds have received a boost with the return of South African-born flanker Roly Reid to their back row for tomorrow’s clash with Edinburgh Reivers at Myreside. He moved to the wing with devastating effect, notching five season tries, before returning to flanker and grabbing a hat-trick against Cross Keys a fortnight ago.

He missed last week’s 36-20 win over Neath with a knee injury, but a broken jaw has ruled Gareth Flockhart out of the first "Scots derby" in the Welsh/Scottish League and so a fully-fit Reid is back in on the blindside. Reds coach Richie Dixon said: "It’s obviously a boost to get Roly back, but this team selection is also a vote of confidence in the guys who played against Neath.

"We’re also looking at Glenn Metcalfe, Shaun Longstaff and possibly Stewart Campbell coming back into contention next week, after injuries and so things are looking brighter."

Reid’s return is the only change to the starting line-up against Neath, though Tommy Hayes, recovered from a back strain, replaces Barry Irving and Darren Burns takes over from Campbell, who has had a recurrence of a heel injury, on the bench. The Reivers are due to announce their team for the Myreside match (kick-off 7pm) this afternoon.

Glasgow Caledonians: R Shepherd; J Steel, A Bulloch, J Stuart, J Craig; M McKenzie, G Beveridge; D Hilton, G Bulloch (capt), G McIlwham, S Griffiths, J White, R Reid, G Simpson, J Petrie Replacements: G Scott, L Harrison, D Burns, M Waite, C Black, T Hayes, I Jardine.

Scottish rugby’s lower league clubs yesterday discovered who stand in the way of their crack at the big guns when the draw for the BT Cellnet Cup, second round was made at Murrayfield.

Strathendrick, of National League, Division Five (West) last year reached the semi-finals and were denied their day at Murrayfield by eventual champions Boroughmuir. This time, the Fintry men beat Hawick Trades 24-12 in the Borders at the weekend and head east to Howe of Fife in the second round, but a host of teams who play in the regional and even junior leagues have reached the second round and so a number of "David v Goliath" encounters are likely to occur when the third round draw is made after these matches on 14 October.

BT Cellnet Cup, second round

Howe of Fife v Strathendrick; Strathaven v Glenrothes; St Boswells v Bishopton; Orkney v Helensburgh; Dalziel v Newton Stewart; Hawick YM v Edinburgh University; Lismore v Lochaber; Liberton v Langholm; Haddington v Edinburgh Northern; Montrose v Royal High; Garnock v Leith; Earlston v Portobello; Corstorphine v Kinross; Broughton FP v Ardrossan Academicals; Duns v Hawick Harlequins; Whitecraigs v Cartha Queen’s Park; Ross High v Ellon; Glasgow Academicals v Madras College FP; Annan v Hillfoots; Falkirk v Allan Glen's; Stewartry v Forrester FP; St Andrews University v Greenock Wanderers; Dunfermline v Strathmore; Irvine v Highland; Aberdeenshire v Lenzie; Cumbernauld v Perthshire; Livingston v Stirling University; Lanark v Clydebank; Linlithgow v Loch Lomond; Dunbar v Cambuslang; Alloa v Lasswade; Hamilton v Trinity Academicals.