THREE Scotland Under-16 squads have been named ahead of the Regional Age-Grade U16 Combined tournament next week. The festival will be held at locations across Wales, where the young Scots will play fixtures against several Welsh teams including the Ospreys, Scarlets, Dragons, Blues and RGC.
The Scotland U16 programme is a pivotal stage in the development of young players, with the selected home based players being split into two teams – the Reds and the Blues, and Scottish Qualified players who are residing and playing outside Scotland forming the Greens squad.
Following the festival, a home based squad will be selected to travel to a two-week summer training camp in Valladolid in Spain.
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“Since Christmas, we have been together for a few weekend camps and have had a couple of training matches against Scotland Blue and Newcastle Falcons,” said Red team head coach Stuart Edwards. “The trip to Newcastle was extremely useful and really gave the boys a taste of what’s to come in Wales.
“Travelling to Wales will help to develop the players mentally and physically and will take them out of their comfort zones which is absolutely essential for their development.
“They will learn so much from the experience and I have urged them to apply maximal effort and be fearless at all times.”
Blue team head coach Kris Burney says he has been impressed with his players’ hard work and determination during training.
“The squad are excited to compete in the festival and it will conclude a selection process which started last summer for most of them,” he explained. “The matches against the Welsh Academies and Scotland Green will provide a new challenge for the players, who have worked extremely hard both on-and-off the pitch to keep improving every time they have been in camp.
Green team head coach Tom Gilchrist added: “I am thrilled with how the players have progressed – they have been excellent at retaining information in what has been an intense period of learning.
“The coaching team are delighted with how the group have connected and we have enjoyed spending time and supporting these young men as the tournament approaches.
“We are all looking forward to seeing how our training efforts transfer into on-field performances and it is going to be exciting watching them express themselves in line with the national blueprint principles as they make the national jersey, their families and themselves proud!”.
Scotland U16 Blue squad –
Forwards
Alasdair Rogers (Auchenleck Academy / Cumnock Academy)
Tom Blackhall (Mackie Academy FP)
Adam Flynn (High School of Dundee)
Archie Wilson (Lathallan School / Huntly)
Archie Falconer (Ellon Rugby)
Aidan Trim (Hamilton)
Kieran McCann (Marr)
Jake Spurway (Glenalmond College)
Ben Buchannan Smith (Dollar Academy)
Callum Norrie (Strathallan School)
Ethan Parkins (Dollar Academy)
Joss Armstrong (Balfron High School / Strathendrick)
Rory Sangster (Glenalmond College)
Gregor Thomson (Stewart’s Melville College)
Backs
Ben Afshar (Merchiston Castle School)
Finlay Burgess (Deeside)
Adam Wight (Merchiston Castle School)
Callum Beckett (Stirling County)
Andrew Lamb (Strathaven)
Duncan Munn (West of Scotland)
Ben Salmon (Dollar Academy)
Nairn Calder (Marr)
Callum Stephen (Granite City)
Charlie Kennedy (High School of Glasgow)
Callum Smith (Biggar)
Johnnie White (Glenalmond College)
Scotland U16 Green –
Forwards
Archie MacArthur (Shiplake College)
Kyle McGhee (Dartmouth Academy)
Lewis Antwis (Bristol Bears / Bristol Cathedral School)
Archie McCusker (Warwick School)
Murray Davidson (Bishop Stortford High School)
Drew Padfield (RGS High Wycombe)
Tom Peach (Grammar School at Leeds)
Scott Wilson-Poe (Grammar School at Leeds)
Hamish Cross (Bromsgrove School)
Charlie Sinclair (Emmanuel)
Angus Walker (Sandback School)
Calum Fletcher (RGS Newcastle)
Haydn Sykes (Woodbridge School)
Backs
Angus Findlay (Southborough High School)
Ruaridh Fowler (Grammar School at Leeds)
Josh Hands (Chipping Campden)
Josh Dunn (Guiseley School)
Lewis Naylor (Windsor Boys School)
William Robinson (Wirral Grammar School)
Toby Kemp (Cranleigh)
Jack Bodell (Gordons School)
Kyle Cummins (Buckingham Sports College)
Will Young (Pigott School)
Scotland U16 Red squad –
Forwards
James Lascelles (Merchiston Castle School)
Connor Myles (George Watson’s College)
Guy Napier (Merchiston Castle School)
Jamie Gordon (Galashiels Academy)
Mike Cantle (George Watson’s College)
Corey Tait (Hawick High School)
Sam Derrick (Earlston High School)
Alex Burns (Edinburgh Academy)
Lachlan McGrigor (Stewart’s Melville College)
Robert Gordon (Stewart’s Melville College)
Taylor Wilson (Dunbar Grammar School)
Teddy Thomson (Merchiston Castle School)
Rudi Brown (Merchiston Castle School)
Cameron Thompson (Kelso High School)
Backs
Brodie Young (George Watson’s College)
Jamie Burns (Stewart’s Melville College)
Harris Rutherford (Galashiels Academy)
Matthew Russell (Stewart’s Melville College)
Murray Wilson (Galashiels Academy)
Zack Smith (George Heriot’s School)
Aidan Boyle (Stewart’s Melville College)
Elliot Stanger (Hawick High School)
Finn Douglas (Earlston High School)
Ben Evans (Longridge Towers)
Matt Reid (Galashiels)
Alex Callaway (Merchiston Castle School)
RAG U16 Combined tournament fixtures –
Monday 15 April – Ystrad Mynach
Ospreys v Scotland Red (kick-off 3pm)
Scarlets v Scotland Blue (kick-off 5pm)
Friday 19 April – St Helens
Cardiff Blues v Scotland Red (kick-off 3.45pm)
Dragons v Scotland Blue (kick-off 5.30pm)
Friday 19 April – Parc Eirias
RGC v Scotland Green (kick-off 2pm)
Monday 22 April – Parc Eirias
Scotland Blue v Scotland Green (kick-off 12 noon)
RGC v Scotland Red (kick-off 2pm)
Hi, just for future reference.
The schools in East Ayrshire are
Auchinleck Academy and Cumnock Academy.