Seven new Scots in Hadden brigade
Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:15
Scotland head coach Frank Hadden has named seven uncapped players in a squad of 50 who will begin preparations for their busy November programme with a training session at Murrayfield next Monday.
Of that group, centre Max Evans and prop Geoff Cross were both part of the national squad's inbound tour to Argentina (though neither had game time); prop Moray Low missed out on that tour through injury; and centre Calum MacRae, scrumhalf Mark McMillan, lock Dan Turner and fullback Stephen Jones were part of the Scotland A squad that reached the final of the Churchill Cup in North America.
Wing Sean Lamont returns to the squad after missing the entire 2008 Six Nations championship with a knee injury. Lamont has already returned to action for his club, Northampton Saints, scoring a try against Newcastle Falcons at the weekend.
"The purpose of this squad session is really two-fold; firstly to debrief following the Argentina tour; and secondly for the players to be introduced to our two new assistant coaches, Mike Brewer and Graham Steadman, ahead of our assembly for the Tests in November," Hadden said.
Scotland won the second Test against Argentina in Buenos Aires - their first Test match triumph in South America - and will be looking to take that form and confidence into the November international Tests, which are scheduled as follows:
Saturday, November 8: Scotland v New Zealand, Murrayfield
Saturday, November 15: Scotland v South Africa, Murrayfield
Saturday, November 22: Scotland v Canada, Pittodrie
Scotland training squad:
Backs: Mike Blair, Ben Cairns (both Edinburgh), Chris Cusiter (Perpignan), Simon Danielli (Ulster), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh), Rob Dewey (Ulster), Max Evans, Thom Evans (both Glasgow Warriors), Phil Godman (Edinburgh), Andrew Henderson (Glasgow Warriors), Stephen Jones (Newcastle Falcons), Rory Lamont (Sale Sharks), Sean Lamont (Northampton Saints), Rory Lawson (Gloucester), Calum MacRae (Edinburgh), Mark McMillan, Graeme Morrison, Dan Parks (all Glasgow Warriors), Chris Paterson (Edinburgh), Gordon Ross (Saracens), Hugo Southwell (Edinburgh), Nikki Walker (Ospreys), Simon Webster (Edinburgh).
Forwards: John Barclay, Johnnie Beattie, Kelly Brown (all Glasgow Warriors), Dave Callam, Geoff Cross (both Edinburgh), Alasdair Dickinson (Gloucester), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors), Craig Hamilton, Jim Hamilton (both Edinburgh), Nathan Hines (Perpignan), Allister Hogg, Allan Jacobsen (both Edinburgh), Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), Gavin Kerr (Edinburgh), Scott Lawson (Gloucester), Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors), Scott MacLeod (Scarlets), Euan Murray (Northampton Saints), Scott Murray (Montauban), Matt Mustchin, Ross Rennie (both Edinburgh), Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester), Simon Taylor (Stade Francais), Fergus Thomson, Dan Turner (both Glasgow Warriors), Jason White (Sale Sharks).
