Vegas 7s: Scott Wight ready for Nevada challenge

Captain Scott Wight scores a penalty during his time at Melrose. Picture: Robert Perry

It was not a difficult choice for Scott Wight to make when he was offered the chance to switch from Glasgow Warriors to the Scotland sevens squad over the winter. The 28-year-old stand-off knows the writing is on the wall for him at Scotstoun after three seasons as a pro, with his contract up in May, but the former Melrose star has never been afraid of challenges.

So, after four weeks training with the sevens squad, he was at Murrayfield yesterday for the launch of “A Year of Sevens” happily talking about the prospect of helping steer Scotland to quarter-finals and making the prospect of a medal at Glasgow 2014 a more realistic ambition.

The Melrose Sevens winner said: “I don’t think many people realise just how high-quality sevens rugby now is – even guys in Scotland who play club sevens – but I’m getting to grips with it after four weeks of training and I can’t wait for Vegas.

“I have really enjoyed my time as a pro and I hope that it will continue, whether it’s at Glasgow or somewhere else, but I love sevens and I’ve been given a new challenge to try and make a difference in the Scotland squad and increase the competition.

“It will be tough because I’m a stand-off and Colin Gregor is playing there right now, undoubtedly one of Scotland’s best-ever sevens players, but I’ve enjoyed being with the squad and we’ll see what happens in the next few weeks.”

Shona Robison, the Minister for Sport and Commonwealth Games, joined Wight and the squad at Murrayfield to offer the Scottish Government’s support to the squad at the start of a year that leads to Ibrox Stadium, and reiterated the message that sevens has the potential to turn large numbers of people across Scotland almost unaware of rugby on to the sport.

Scotland, who face Fiji, New Zealand and Australia in Las Vegas on 25 January, Burns Day, marked yesterday’s sevens launch by presenting Scotland jerseys to teachers and coaches who had been key figures in helping them in their careers.

Coach Stevie Gemmell said: “This is the biggest year of our careers, so we want to make it  as special as possible for the players.

“We can’t wait to see how the year unfolds and we’re hoping in all these events we can make our nation proud.”

SCOTLAND SEVENS SQUAD (to compete in the Las Vegas 7s, 24-26 January): Colin Gregor (capt), Scott Riddell, Finlay Gillies (Glasgow Warriors), Struan Dewar, Alex Glashan, John Houston, Lee Jones (Edinburgh), Michael Maltman, Russell Weir, Scott Wight (Glasgow Warriors), James Johnstone, Gregor Young.