McKelvey urges charges to build on their big win to reach elite group

CONSISTENCY is the 'Holy Grail' for Scottish rugby teams, and this weekend some of the country's brightest young talents have the opportunity to prove they have what it takes to win back-to-back on the Test stage by claiming a top spot in the FIRA/AER U18 European Championships.

The Scotland Under-18s, captained by Stirling County prop Jamie Bhatti, stunned their rivals by beating England U18s in Leeds last weekend. Tomorrow they return to Braidholm in Glasgow, where they lost a friendly to Japan Schools, to face Ireland U18s. If they win they will progress into the elite top-four section of the European competition.

Coach Grant McKelvey has challenged them to prove that they are capable of more than one-off results: "Historically we have always been able to pull off one-off results, and last weekend's win against England was the result of a lot of hard work over four years. But what we have to do now is take some momentum from that win, put our shoulders to the wheel and build on it."

McKelvey and his fellow coaches have made five changes to the starting team with Keith Buchan coming in at full-back and Jamie Farndale and Rory Hughes on the wings, while at scrum-half Alex Glashan takes over from Cameron Meakin and Sale openside flanker Will Bordill is preferred to Stuart Graham.

Scotland Under 18s (v Ireland under-18 Schools at Braidholm, Glasgow tomorrow, noon; free entry): K Buchan (Strathallan), J Farndale (Edinburgh Academy), R Fergusson (Ayr), C Auld (Dumfries/Austin Friars School), R Hughes (GHA/Glasgow MET College), S Hidalgo Clyne (Merchiston Castle School), A Glashan (Edinburgh Academy); J Bhatti (Stirling County capt), R Anderson (Langholm), C Hutton (Stirling County), C Templeton (Dumfries), A Barnett (GHA/Mearns Castle School), A Henderson (Strathallan), W Bordill (Sale Sharks/Sandbach School), A Ashe (Stirling County). Subsitutes: J Matthews (Leeds Carnegie/Prince Henry's Otley), S Muir (Hawick PSA), R Wilson (Boroughmuir/Dunbar GS), A Sinclair (Stirling County/Loretto), S Graham (Hawick PSA), S Steele (Dumfries/Merchiston Castle School), C Meakin (Exeter Chiefs/Ivybridge College), T Allan (London Wasps/RGS High Wycombe), M Lamb (Stirling County), C Venus (Leicester Tigers), J Welsh (Selkirk YC).

Ireland Under 18s: J Fitzpatrick (Gonzaga College), C McEllin (Blackrock College), R Henshaw (Marist Athlone), C Farrell (Campbell College), C O'Halloran (CBC Cork), R Scannell (PBC Cork). L McGrath (St Michael's College, captain); G Frayne (Clongowes Wood College), B Byrne (Clongowes Wood College), E Byrne (Clongowes Wood College), J Sexton (St. Mary's College), D Lawler (St. Michael's College), M Best (Campbell College), D Leavy (St Michael's College), R Murphy (PBC Cork). Substitutes: A Murphy (St Michael's College), T Ferrari (Sligo Grammar School), C Taylor (Wallace High School), L Satchwell (The King's Hospital), B Alexander (RBAI), D Shanahan (Belvedere College), S Olding (Belfast Royal Academy), R Scholes (Campbell College).