Rugby: Regional academy chance for 27 youngsters

A GROUP of 27 players who could form the nucleus of Scotland’s squad at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan have been named as members of Scottish Rugby’s regional academy programme for this season.

The teenagers have been selected after performances at club, school, regional or Scotland age group level last season.

Scottish Rugby’s senior regional academy manager, Grant McKelvey, said: “As regional academy coaches we work in partnership with the sportscotland Institute of Sport, other Scottish Rugby staff and coaches from local rugby clubs and schools to manage this group of players.

“Each player has an individual development plan and thanks to the Institute of Sport regional network they receive specialist guidance and support in strength and conditioning, medical, nutrition, physiology, psychology and performance lifestyle services .

“They have been chosen as a result of their performances last season and in finalising the selection we’ve consulted extensively with national age-grade coaches and pro-team coaches as well as our own staff and other stakeholders.”

Fourteen of the players are newcomers this season and all 27 will be aiming to emulate five of their counterparts from last season who have gone on to win contracts as Elite Development Players – namely Jonny Gray and Fergus Scott with Glasgow Warriors and Chris Dean, Alex Glashan and Neil Herron who are with the Scotland 7s squad.

Regional Academy Players, season 2012-13 (supported by sportscotland Institute of Sport, * = newcomer) Full-back: Gavin Lowe (Ayr); Wing: Ben Robbins (George Watson’s College)*; Centre: Chris Auld (Gala), Harry Walker (Glasgow Hawks), Richard Taylor (Loretto School/Melrose Wasps)*; Stand-off: George Horne (Strathallan/Howe of Fife); Scrum-half: Hugh Fraser (Merchiston Castle School)*; Prop: Robbie Wilson (Boroughmuir), Chris Barnes (Glasgow Hawks), Darcy Rae (Ayr), Andrew McWilliam (Edinburgh Academy/Currie)*, Jamie Bhatti (Stirling County)*, Cameron Fenton (Strathallan/Howe of Fife)*; Hooker: Russell Anderson (Gala), James Malcolm (GHA)*, Grant Stewart (Dalziel)*; Lock: Neil Irvine Hess (George Watson’s College), Andrew Redmayne (Dundee HSFP), Ewan Bulger (Marr College/Ayr); Back-row: Cameron Turner (Aberdeen Grammar Rugby), Magnus Bradbury (Merchiston Castle School/Oban Lorne), Karl Main (Dunbar GS/Dunbar)*, Stephen Ainslie (Loretto School/Berwick)*, Ben Johnston (Marr College/Marr)*, Scott Burnside (North Berwick HS)*, Andy Miller (George Watson’s College/Musselburgh)* and James Ritchie (Strathallan)*.