THE line-ups for Sunday’s Junior (under-20s) 1874 Cup clash between Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh at Scotstoun have been announced, with both sides mainly made up of players forging their way in the club game, plus a sprinkling of Super6 players who are aligned to the pro teams as part of their stage three academy contracts, and a few who are playing their rugby either with an English university or their school team.
This game will mark the relaunch of representative fixtures for the FOSROC Scottish Rugby Academy following a two-year Covid-induced hiatus, and will provide an opportunity for players to impress ahead of the national U20 programme restarting towards the end of the calendar year.
Next month, an U19 Junior 1872 Cup fixture will take place at The Greenyards in Melrose.
The U17 and u18 Regional Championship returning next February, before U18 teams are selected to compete for their Junior 1872 Cup over two legs at the end of that month, allowing more playing opportunities for those looking to put their hand up for selection to the Scotland U18 programme
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Meanwhile, the U16 FOSROC Scottish Rugby Regional Championship will take place over three consecutive weekends in April with teams from each of the four regional FOSROC Scottish Rugby Academies playing each other once. By keeping a wider group of players playing across more fixtures there is an increased opportunity for more young players to experience being part of a representative programme.
The Scottish Qualified (SQ) programme is continuing to work to support our International age grade programmes with player development and ID sessions and camps ongoing.
“With the interruption of covid, it’s been a difficult period for our younger players. We’re happy with how the club and school game has returned, now it’s fully up and running we feel that that the time is right to begin re-starting the age-grade programmes,” said Scottish Rugby’s Director of Performance Rugby Jim Mallinder.
“Our performance programmes are very important to us as it marks the first opportunity during which players will get the opportunity to represent their region or even wear the thistle. We feel that we’ve put a strong programme in place for the remainder of the season that gives game-time to players, who have the potential to represent Scotland at age-grade level.
“It’s great to see the next generation of players will be representing their pro-teams, we fully intend on working more closely with both Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby to create a clear pathway for players.”
Scottish Rugby’s Head of Performance Programmes Grant McKelvey said: “The U20 Junior 1872 Cup on Sunday is an important place to start in re-integrating our FOSROC Scottish Rugby Academy system and provide playing opportunities for those young players who have missed out over the last two years.
“I look forward to seeing the next generation of players take to the pitch across all of our age-grade programmes over the coming months.”
Glasgow Warriors U20s (versus Edinburgh @ Scotstoun Stadium on Sunday 14th November @2pm): Calum Inglis (Marr); Thomas Glendinning (Glasgow Hawks), Duncan Munn (Boroughmuir Bears S6), Ben Salmon (Stirling Wolves), Ross McKnight (Stirling County S6/Glasgow Warriors); Euan Cunningham© (Stirling County S6/Glasgow Warriors), Finlay Burgess (Glasgow Hawks); Ali Rodgers (Glasgow Hawks), Iain Carmichael (Glasgow Hawks), Cammy MacMillan (Catha QP), Harry Murray (Marr), Adam Flynn (Dundee Rugby), Jake Spurway (Durham University), Tim Brown (Glasgow Hawks), Jamie McEntegart VC (GHA). Replacements: Gregor Hiddleston (GHA), Cameron Murphy (Stirling Wolves), George Ratcliff (Stirling Wolves), Callum Folan (Cartha QP), Andy Syme (Glasgow Hawks), Sinjin Broad (Marr), Andy Stirrat (GHA), Callum Stephen (Robert Gordons), Archie Falconer (Stirling Wolves), Euan McAra (Biggar), Adam Wight (Newcastle University).
Edinburgh: Kieran Clark (Southern Knights/Selkirk); Mason Cullen (Jed-Forest), Ben Pickles (Selkirk), Rory Brett (Melrose), Matt Reid (Gala); Matthew Russell (Heriot’s S6/Edinburgh Rugby), Jed Gelderbloom (Heriot’s S6/Edinburgh Rugby); Archie Bogle (Heriot’s Blues), Corey Tait (Hawick), Gregor Scougall (Currie Chieftains), Andrew Cochrane (Selkirk), Sam Frizzel (Hawick), Callum Anderson (Heriot’s Blues), Connor Sutherland (Hawick), Rudi Brown (Watsonians S6/Edinburgh Rugby). Replacements: Finlay Duraj (Loretto School), Joe Noble (Melrose), Robbie Easson (Edinburgh Accies), Alistair McCallum (Currie Chieftains), Sam Derrick (Melrose), Brodie Young (Watsonians), Murray Wilson (Gala), Zack Smith (Heriot’s).
FOSROC Scottish Rugby Academy Fixtures 2021-2022:
- Sunday 14 November 2021: U20 1872 Cup – Edinburgh Rugby U20 v Glasgow Warriors U20 @ Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow; kick-off 2pm
- Sunday 19 December 2021: U19 1872 Cup – Edinburgh Rugby U19 v Glasgow Warriors U19 @ The Greenyards, Melrose; kick-off 2.30pm
- Sunday 13 February 2022: U17 & U18 FOSROC Scottish Rugby Regional Championship @ Highland RFC, Inverness; first game from 12 noon
- Glasgow & The West U17 v Caledonia U17
- Edinburgh U17 v The Borders & East Lothian U17
- Glasgow & The West U18 v Caledonia U18
- Edinburgh U18 v The Borders & East Lothian U18
- Sunday 20 February 2022: U17 & U18 FOSROC Scottish Rugby Regional Championship @ The Greenyards, Melrose; first game from 12 noon
- U17 Losers Game 1 v U17 Losers Game 2
- U17 Winners Game 1 v U17 Winners Game 2
- U18 Losers Game 1 v U18 Losers Game 2
- U18 Winners Game 1 v U18 Winners Game 2
- Sunday 27 February 2022: U18 Junior 1872 Cup – Edinburgh Rugby U18 v Glasgow Warriors U18@ Venue TBC; kick-off 2.00pm
- Sunday 6 March 2022: U18 Junior 1872 Cup – Edinburgh Rugby U18 v Glasgow Warriors U18 @ St Andrews University; kick-off 2.00pm
- Sunday 10 April 2022: U16 FOSROC Scottish Rugby Regional Championship @ Lasswade RFC; kick-off from 12 noon
- Edinburgh U16 v The Borders & East Lothian U16
- Glasgow & The West U16 v Caledonia U16
- Sunday 17 April 2022: U16 FOSROC Scottish Rugby Regional Championship @ Venue tbc; kick-off from 12 noon
- Glasgow & The West U16 v The Borders & East Lothian U16
- Edinburgh U16 v Caledonia U16
- Sunday 24 April 2022: U16 FOSROC Scottish Rugby Regional Championship @Netherdale 4G; kick-off from 12 noon
- The Borders & East Lothian U16 v Caledonia U16
- Glasgow & The West U16 v Edinburgh U16
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Interesting team selections for sunday. Obviously some of the shoe-ins for the national u20 team have not been selected- for example, Townsend, Jones, Harrison, Samuel, Williamson, Tait – but there is still some exciting talent on view with places in the national under 20 squad clearly up for grabs. Would have loved to have seen Callum Inglis get a run at 10 where he has been excellent for Marr this season. Great to see some later developers like Harry Murray and Sean Frizzell get an opportunity, and Spurway has had a great start at Durham and it’s good to see that recognised.
No McAslan or Afshar who have played regularly for Accies in Premier 1 so maybe some others being held back to balance game time opportunities?