Scotland Clubs XV 19 - 0 Scotland Under-20s: Power of Clubs pack proves too much for the Under-20s

SCOTLAND'S Club and Under-20 sides were given a valuable workout three weeks ahead of their respective matches against France.

"We had a good blend of experience and sheer bulk in the pack but even so I thought the 20s fronted up very well," said Clubs coach Ally Donaldson.

Both sides were missing players, but the absences affected the U20s more. Impressive for the U20s were their Watsonians No 8 Stuart McInally, West of Scotland lock Rob Harley and scrum half Kris Hamilton from Caithness. For the Clubs, Currie centre Andy McMahon, coming on as a replacement, showed up well while the mainly Melrose backline operated with cohesion.

Scotland Clubs led 14-0 at half time from two converted tries. The first came with Ross Weston breaking off a scrum to supply Paul Burke with the scoring pass. From the restart the Clubs launched an attack that gave Callum Anderson a try under the posts. As in the first half, the U20s failed to finish off some promising moves.

Having soaked up pressure from their younger opponents the Clubs side produced a late surge that provided a close-range try for Fraser Harkness.

Scotland Clubs XV: F Harkness (Selkirk); C Anderson (Melrose), J Murray (Melrose), J King (Melrose), F Thomson (Melrose); S Wight (Melrose), R Snedden (Currie); G Reid (Ayr), S Burnett (Heriot's), A Hamilton (Currie), D Kelly (Ayr), R McKay (Glasgow Hawks), J Dalziel (Melrose), P Burke (Ayr), R Weston (Currie). Subs used: J Cox (Currie), S Sutherland (Ayr), A Dunlop (Ayr), G Wood (Watsonians), J Hunter (Glasgow Hawks), S Hendrie (Selkirk), A McMahon (Currie), A Reekie (Currie).

Scotland U20: T Brown (Edinburgh Acads); R Drummond (Edinburgh Acads), O Grove (Worcester), M Scott (Currie), D Fyfe (Currie); R Aitken (Howe of Fife), A Black (Leeds Carnegie); C Owensen (Heriot's), A Walker (Currie), J Low (GHA), R Harley (West of Scotland), A Hall (Newcastle Falcons), C Thomson (Loughborough University), C Stidston-Nott (London Scottish), S McInally (Watsonians). Subs used: L Pettie (Melrose), G Hunter (Glasgow Hawks), L Gibson (Melrose), C Taylor (Glasgow Hawks), M Fedo (Watsonians), A Kirkland (Glasgow Hawks), R Sutherland (Stewart's-Melville), K Grossman (Glasgow Hawks), D Gilmour (Stirling County).

Scorers: Scotland Clubs – Tries: Burke, Anderson, Harkness. Cons: Wight (2).

Referee: K White