THE full roll-call of Scottish Rugby’s BT Sport Academy for the 2017-18 season has been confirmed, with 97 of the country’s brightest young players making the cut.
Two new faces have been added to stage three – the top tier – of the programme after an initial list was announced in May: tight-head prop Dan York, who represented Scotland Under-18 out St Aloysius College last season, has been upgraded from stage two; as has Scotland Women scrum-half Sarah Law, who becomes the fourth Scottish female rugby player to become a full-time professional (followng in the footsteps of Jade Konkel, Chloe Rollie and Lisa Thomson, who recently joined French side LMRCV as part of a performance partnership between the academy and the French Top 8 side).
2017/18 BT SPORT ACADEMY –
BORDERS & EAST LOTHIAN
Stage three (full-time) players: Gary Munro (Hawick), Fraser Renwick (Hawick)
Academy–supported players: Patrick Anderson (Melrose), Thomas Brown (Melrose), Kyle Brunton (Hawick), Rory Darge (Melrose), Anna Forsyth (Watsonians), Roan Frostwick (North Berwick HS / RFC), Thomas Jeffrey (Peebles)*, Lauren Harris (Melrose Ladies/Edinburgh University), Matthew Kindness (Kelso)*, Scott King (Preston Lodge HS/RFC)*, Robbie McCallum (Loretto School), William Owen (Melrose)*, Finlay Scott (Jed Forest), Lana Skeldon (Watsonians)*, Gemma Stoddart (Watsonians)*, Mak Wilson (Duns)*.
CALEDONIA
Academy–supported players: Karen Dunbar (RHC Cougars), Angus Fraser (Dundee HSFP), Cameron Henderson (Strathallan School), Jacob Henry (Highland/Dingwall Academy)*, Megan Kennedy (Stirling County), Lucy Park (RHC Cougars), Ollie Smith (Strathallan School)*, Logan Trotter (Stirling County), Murphy Walker (Strathallan School)*, Emma Wassell (Murrayfield Wanderers).
EDINBURGH
Stage three (full–time) players: Jason Baggott (Melrose), Hamish Bain (Currie), Luke Crosbie (Currie), Ross Dunbar (Boroughmuir), Archie Erskine (Boroughmuir), Duncan Ferguson (Currie), Thomas Gordon (Currie), Cameron Hutchison (Currie), Sarah Law (Murrayfield Wanderers/Edinburgh University), Ross McCann (Melrose), Charlie Shiel (Currie), George Taylor (Melrose), Jamie Ure (Boroughmuir), Dan Winning (Boroughmuir).
Academy–supported players: Callum Atkinson (Boroughmuir), Jack Blain (Stewart’s Melville College)*, Connor Boyle (Stewart’s Melville College)*, Jamie Dobie (Merchiston Castle School)*, Dan Gamble (Merchiston Castle School)*, George Goodenough (Edinburgh University), Shaun Gunn (Edinburgh Accies), Adam Hall (Melrose), Finn Hobbis (Watsonians), Jamie Hodgson (Watsonians), Nicola Howat (Edinburgh University), Charlie Jupp (unattached), Rhona Lloyd (Edinburgh University), Lisa Martin (Murrayfield Wanderers), Andrew McLean (Stirling County), James Miller (Watsonians), Helen Nelson (Murrayfield Wanderers), Dean Roger (Edinburgh Accies), Eilidh Sinclair (Murrayfield Wanderers).
GLASGOW & THE WEST
Stage three (full–time) players: Kaleem Barreto (Marr), Hamilton Burr (Stirling County), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Hawks), Stafford McDowell (Ayr), Euan McLaren (Ayr), Robbie Nairn (Ayr), Adam Nicol (Stirling County), Robbie Smith (Ayr), Grant Stewart (Glasgow Hawks), George Stokes (Ayr), Sam Yawayawa (Glasgow Hawks), Dan York (Glasgow Hawks).
Academy–supported players: Scott Bell (Glasgow Hawks/Kelvinside Academy), Paul Cairncross (Glasgow Hawks), Scott Clelland (Prestwick Academy/Ayr)*, Paddy Dewhurst (Ayr)*, Murray Godsman (High School of Glasgow/Glasgow Hawks)*, Grant Hughes (Stirling County), Ross Jackson (Marr), Rory Jackson (Kelvinside Academy)*, Andrew Jardine (Melrose), Guy Kelly (Biggar), Luhann Kotze (Biggar HS/RFC)*, Mairi McDonald (Hillhead Jordanhill), Louise McMillan (Hillhead Jordanhill), Andrew Nimmo (Biggar), Craig Pringle (Stirling County), Kirsty Reid (Hillhead Jordanhill), Bruce Sorbie (Stirling County), Ross Thompson (Glasgow Hawks)*, Gavin Wilson (Dumfries Saints).
BT Sport Academy players outside of Scotland: Bruce Flockart (Stade Nicois/Glasgow & West Academy), Josh Henderson (Stade Nicois/Glasgow & West Academy), Jade Konkel (Lille/Glasgow & West Academy), Chloe Rollie (Lille/Academy in Edinburgh), Lisa Thomson (Lille/Academy in Edinburgh).
* Denotes new addition to the BT Sport Academy