Under-17s' thumping win over Canada gives older boys a boost

A HOST of Scotland's most talented young rugby players are in action this weekend at under-18 and under-19 levels and they will go into the games with a boost from their under-17 counterparts.

The Scotland under-17s completed their matches in the Wellington International Festival yesterday with a thumping 53-5 win over Canada. The Scots had beaten England 7-5 and lost to France 23-10..

The Under-18s are next up, looking for a similar finish to their festival with victory over Ireland at Llandovery RFC, Wales, after losing to England but beating Italy convincingly.

Tomorrow, the under-19s are back in Scotland after beating Italy 32-3 with a fine display in Parabiago last Sunday. Coached by Bob McKillop, the Heriot's coach, the youngsters' final match of the season is against France at GHA's Braidholm ground, with a 2pm kick-off and free admission.

McKillop has kept with the same team, though Gregor Hunter, the young Gala stand-off, comes on to the bench.

Scotland U17: J Lightfoot-Brown (Teddington School); M Binnie (Longridge Towers/Berwick), R Gray (Musselburgh RFC), C Auld (Dumfries), R Hughes (GHA); T Allan (RGS High Wycombe), S Hidalgo Clyne (Merchiston); J Bhattie (Stirling Co), R Anderson (Langholm Colts), R Wilson (Kilmarnock), C Murray (Peebles), C Templeton (Dumfries), C Warnock (Loretto), W Bordill (Sandbach), R Davies (George Watson's) capt. Subs: A Taylor (BATs) for Bhattie, C Black (London Irish) for Anderson, A Ashe (Stirling Co) for Warnock, M Vernell (Allan Glen's) for Davies, S Steele (Dumfries) for Allan, R Ferguson (Ayr/Wellington) for Gray, M Diponio (St Joseph's College) for Binnie.

Scotland U18 (v Ireland U18 at Llandovery, 4pm): S Hogg (Heriot's), H Jones (Boroughmuir), M Crawley (Stewart's Melville), M Bennett (Cumnock RFC), A McCall Hagan (West of Scotland), H Leonard (Brighton College), M McConnell (Lenzie Acad) capt; R Hislop (Hawick Wands), J Macfarlane (Gourock High), A Allan (Sedbergh), A Redmayne (Kilmarnock), S Smith (North Berwick), B Johnstone (Stewart's Melville), A de Ste Croix (Boroughmuir), L Seydak (Edinburgh Acad). Subs: F Watt (East Kilbride), G Turner (Stewart's Melville College), G Robertson (Earlston High School), W Kay (Boroughmuir), R Sutherland (Hawick Wands), M Eadie (Filton College), J Stevenson (Whitgift), S Knudson (Aberdeen Grammar), J Bradford (Worksop), A Hall (Strathallan), J Urquhart (Stirling Co).

Scotland U19 (v France U19 at Braidholm, tomorrow, 2pm): G Bryce (Stirling Co); M Doneghan (Stewart's Melville), D Gilmour (Stirling Co), D Weir (Glasgow Hawks), K Gossman (Glasgow Hawks); S Edwards (captain, Stirling County), S Turnbull (Hamilton); N Fraser (Boroughmuir), D Cherry (Edinburgh Academicals), S Quigley (Hull Ionians), B McPherson (Ayr), R McAlpine (West of Scotland), J Tyas (Brighton College), R Boswell (Stirling Co), C Orr (Boroughmuir). Subs: R Ferguson (Melrose), D Morrison (North Walsham), C Keen (Kelso)/ George Hunter (Glasgow Hawks), A Kirkland (Glasgow Hawks), L Crosbie (Dunfermline), Gregor Hunter (Gala), C Jackson (Melrose), H Watson (Oakham School).