Ross Rennie encouraged by opportunity to train with Scotland squad

ROSS Rennie admits it was a big surprise to be asked to train with the Scotland squad next week just two pro games into his comeback.

The 23-year-old was at Stewart's Melville's Inverleith ground yesterday to mark 100 years since Scotland first played France at the venue. Although thoughts may have been on the past, the Edinburgh openside is fully focused on the future with the Six Nations now just over two weeks away.

He has been managed back into action carefully by Edinburgh head coach Rob Moffat and the medical team following over a year out after a knee reconstruction. Now after a try scoring home return in the 21-12 Magners League win over Cardiff Blues Scotland coach Andy Robinson has asked him to attend the national camp in St Andrews starting on Monday.

Mike Blair, still recovering from his ankle injury, and the uncapped duo of Jim Thompson and Jon Welsh have also been invited to travel to Fife to augment the 30-man squad selected for the France match on 7 February and the trip to Cardiff six days later.

Rennie said: "I am delighted to have been given the chance to be involved with Scotland. During my rehabilitation I set myself a number of goals and getting back into the Scotland squad was one of them. I don't know how much training I will do next week and I was happy just to be considered, but it is just good to be back amongst the guys at an exciting time of year."

Rennis has a lot more hard work ahead of him before he can think about winning his second cap, the first having come during the Six Nations against Ireland two years ago. He has seen the likes of Edinburgh team mate Alan McDonald progress to a full cap and John Barclay become a regular starter during his time on the sidelines, but he sees the competition as a positive thing.

"The competition for places all over the park is much stronger now than perhaps it has been in the past, including in the back-row, and everyone is working hard to impress. That can only be good for Scotland as we head into a big championship."

The two years since he made his debut as a raw 21-year-old in a loss at Croke Park have been something of a rollercoaster for Rennie, but he is buzzing from being around his team mates again and is positive about Scotland's chances in the upcoming tournament.

"On our day we can beat anybody, there is no doubt about that, and everybody is looking to build on the good things that came out of the Autumn Tests and go on from there. The visit of France to Murrayfield should be an exciting one for the players and the supporters."