Rugby: Capital son out to seize chance in Delhi sevens

Edinburgh-born Scott Riddell is aiming to use a late call into Scotland's sevens squad which leaves shortly for Commonwealth Games duty to try to gain a leg up into the professional arena.

The 24-year-old Stewart's Melville-reared anglo got the nod as replacement for the injured David Callam whose withdrawal was revealed by the Evening News a fortnight ago and confirmed last week by Murrayfield bosses.

And Riddell sees a belated opportunity, when the eyes of the rugby world are focused on Delhi, to make up for lost time; he is currently the only member of the 12-man squad yet to sample action for one of the two Scottish Magners League outfits.

Says Riddell: "Although I'm quite settled in my job looking after a rugby academy in Hartlepool as part of the RFU's development programme, and enjoy playing for Blaydon, I've never had the opportunity to go any higher."

Subsequent internationalists like Sean Lamont burst on to the scene at Commonwealth Games level and such episodes haven't gone unnoticed by Riddell.

"Maybe if the opportunity came about I'd be keen to give it a go albeit I am committed to my job and my club," he admitted.

Regardless of whether the Games - in which Scotland are drawn in a pool with Guyana, Canada and New Zealand - provide an individual springboard Riddell knows he has a chance to serve the game north of the Border off the field as well as on it.

A graduate of sports management from Northumbria University, he added: "My job is based at a local sixth year college and I keep in touch with the Anglos performance coach Dave Butcher and performance manager Rob Brierley.

"A lot of the best young players in the North of England pass through our academy and maybe a future step will be to draw up a list of any promising youngsters with Scottish surnames so that their eligibility can be checked out." Riddell may have entered the squad by the back door but his own qualifications are impeccible.

"I come from a rugby family with my grandfather a former player with Melrose where my cousin Luke currently turns out for the under-18s.

"At Stewart's Melville I played in the team that lost to Dollar Academy featuring current Heriot's captain Graham Wilson and Scotland flanker John Barclay in the 2003 Brewin Dolphin schools cup final before going off to Northumbria University.

"For the first season I travelled each weekend to play for Stewart's Melville Seconds then gradually got drawn into the Tyneside rugby scene.

"During a spell at the Newcastle Falcons academy I reached a Melrose sevens final playing alongside Tim Visser who is now starring with Edinburgh but latterly I've been with Darlington Mowden Park and Blaydon," he explained.While he may stand apart from the rest of the squad as the only anglo selected to wear the thistle in Delhi, Riddell is, nevertheless, very much up to speed with what is required.

So far he has represented Scotland at five IRB world series tournaments scoring nine tries and one of those events was in Las Vegas where the team likely to be Scotland's potential banana skin at the Games, Guyana, were encountered.

"We know Guyana's side will be full of exceptional athletes with plenty of pace so we have to be on our guard when trying to fulfil an objective to progress through the group stages.

"I relish the chance to be part of the second biggest multi-sports event in the world but it is also an opportunity to learn from colleagues in the Scotland squad like Andy Turnbull who are heavily involved in the pro scene and happy to pass on advice and encouragement.

"It won't really sink in until I am on the plane or perhaps at the Games village that I'm to be part of the sports festival but it absolutely means the world to me and I aim to do the chance justice as well as repay all those who have already been in touch offering congratulations on the call-up.

"I might be based south of the Border but it's definitely my intention to fly the flag for Stewart's Melville at the Games because they will always be my home club."