16 Gunners named in national training squad
15 December 2003
Sixteen Gunners have been named in the first Scotland training squad under new national coach Matt Williams. The squad of 44 will train at the Scottish Institute of Sport at Stirling University from 21 - 23 December. The SRU has announced that the national team will now have its training base at Stirling, rather than Murrayfield.
Among the capital contingent are Young Guns Simon Cross, Ally Hogg, Ally Kellock, Tom Philip, Ally Warnock, and Simon Webster. Not before time, Derrick Lee's excellent form has also been rewarded with a place in the squad. Of the team that started against the Ospreys, only Craig Smith, Jackie Joiner, and Hugo Southwell have missed out.
The recognition of the Gunners' fine form represents another boost prior to Saturday afternoon's Celtic Cup final against Ulster at Murrayfield, a game that will be shown live on STV.
Meanwhile, defeated Ospreys coach, Lyn Jones, was full of praise for Edinburgh's performance in Swansea on Friday night. Despite his disappointment, Jones applauded the Gunners' display and believes Edinburgh will go far in the Heineken Cup.
"You could tell after 10 minutes at St Helens that Edinburgh were the better side and were going to win," said Jones.
Todd Blackadder was Dewi Morris' player of the week. But given that the former England scrum-half also thinks that Cammie Mather plays for the Borders, perhaps his judgement is not too reliable. http://www.skysports.com/skysports/article/0,,581-1115469,00.html
Full squad
Ross Beattie (Gwent Dragons)
Graeme Beveridge (Glasgow Rugby)
Mike Blair (Edinburgh Rugby)
Gordon Bulloch (Glasgow Rugby)
Andy Craig (Orrell)
Simon Cross (Edinburgh Rugby)
Chris Cusiter (The Borders)
Simon Danielli (Bath Rugby)
Marcus Di Rollo (Edinburgh Rugby)
Bruce Douglas (The Borders)
Ross Ford (The Borders)
Phil Godman (Newcastle Falcons)
Stuart Grimes (Newcastle Falcons)
Dougie Hall (Edinburgh Rugby)
Andrew Henderson (Glasgow Rugby)
Nathan Hines (Edinburgh Rugby)
Ben Hinshelwood (Worcester)
Allister Hogg (Edinburgh Rugby)
Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh Rugby)
Alastair Kellock (Edinburgh Rugby)
Gavin Kerr (Leeds Tykes)
Brendan Laney (Edinburgh Rugby)
Sean Lamont (Glasgow Rugby)
Derrick Lee (Edinburgh Rugby)
Gordon McIlwham (Munster)
Cameron Mather (Glasgow Rugby)
Stuart Moffat (Glasgow Rugby)
Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Rugby)
Gareth Morton (The Borders)
Euan Murray (Glasgow Rugby)
Scott Murray (Edinburgh Rugby)
Dan Parks (Glasgow Rugby)
Chris Paterson (Edinburgh Rugby)
Jon Petrie (Glasgow Rugby)
Tom Philip (Edinburgh Rugby)
Sam Pinder (Glasgow Rugby)
Gordon Ross (Leeds Tykes)
Robert Russell (Saracens)
Tom Smith (Northampton Saints)
Simon Taylor (Edinburgh Rugby)
Nikki Walker (The Borders)
Alistair Warnock (Edinburgh Rugby)
Simon Webster (Edinburgh Rugby)
Jason White (Sale Sharks)