Rugby: Scotland under-18s begin European challenge

FIRA-AER championship: Scotland’s under-18 squad head to Grenoble today to prepare for participation in this year’s Justin Bridou elite division FIRA-AER championship.

Pooled with England, Ireland, Portugal, Georgia, France, Wales and Italy, the young Scots’ first game is against Wales on Friday 22 March, kicking off at 4pm GMT.

The European tournament is the culmination of the season for the squad who have been involved in a series of training camps and warm-up games.

Head coach Eddie Pollock said: “I always feel, at the start of an age-grade programme, how inexperienced many of the players are, but, at the end, coming out of the Fira tournament, you see that they’ve grown into age grade international players.”

Scotland U18: Forwards: Cameron Fenton (Howe of Fife), Rory Mason (Paviors), Angus Wallace (Aberdeen GSFP), Andrew McWilliam (Currie), Ross Graham (Hawick PSA), Rory Simpson (Edinburgh Academy), Grant Stewart (Dalziel), Neil Irvine-Hess (George Watson’s), James Ritchie (Strathallan), Lewis Carmichael (North Berwick), Scott Burnside (North Berwick HS), Ally Miller (George Watson’s), Magnus Bradbury (Oban Lorne), Ben Johnston (Marr College). Backs: Luke Earle-Wright (Aberdeen GSFP), Ben Vellacott (Barnstable), James Lang (London Scottish), Richard Taylor (Melrose), Henry Slater (Merchiston Castle), Archie Russell (Stirling County), Angus Rennie (Aberdeen GSFP), Ruaraidh Smith (Oakham School), Iain Sim (Duns), Gavin Lowe (Ayr), Gavin Parker (Biggar), Rory Watt (Edinburgh Accies).