Edinburgh Rugby Academy Press Release 27/07/2007
Edinburgh Rugby develop more Scottish talent
With the new season just eight weeks away, Edinburgh Rugby are delighted to announce some new recruits to their Rugby Academy for 2007/08.
Joining the current crop of developing Scottish talent that includes Scotland U-19 lock and captain Fraser McKenzie, comes stand-off David Blair - younger brother of Edinburgh and Scotland scrum half Mike Blair.
Signing from the Sale Sharks, David, (22), said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for me and I'm really looking forward to developing my game - and to be playing alongside my brother!"
Edinburgh backs coach Rob Moffat expressed his delight at seeing another bright young Scottish prospect pledge his future to Edinburgh and rugby in Scotland: "David has played stand-off for Scotland U-21 and we think it is great to have yet another exciting young Scottish talent sign for Edinburgh."
The new season will see other additions to the Academy, including scrum half Ciaran Beattie (21), fullback James Thompson (22), centre Stephen McColl (18) and hooker Sean Crombie (21).
Rob Moffat said the new signings to the Academy demonstrates Edinburgh's commitment to the future of Scottish rugby: "We are in the business of developing young Scottish players at this club and always have been. The emergence of Scotland U-19 captain Fraser McKenzie, lock Steven Turnbull and prop Innes Brown into the first team squad last season is testimony to that."
With prop Alan Dymock, who progresses successfully into his second year, the final pieces of Graham Shiel's Academy jigsaw are soon to be filled by young players currently on trial with the club.
CIARAN BEATTIE(Edinburgh Rugby)
Scrum half. Born: 23.2.86. Height: 5ft 8in (1.75m). Weight: 12st 9lb (80kg).
Ciaran Andrew Beattie joined Edinburgh Rugby Academy in 2007-08. A product of Selkirk Youth Club, played for Scotland at under-18 level and made a scoring debut for Scotland at Sevens in the 2005 Autumn Test curtain-raiser against Argentina at Murrayfield, his last-minute try under the posts secured the 33-33 draw. He went on to make his tournament debut at the IRB Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens at the beginning of December 2005 before travelling on with the squad to George, South Africa, the following week and then to the tournaments in Wellington, New Zealand and Los Angeles, USA. At those two tournaments he helped Scotland to lift the bowl before travelling to Melbourne, Australia for the Commonwealth Games and then on to Hong Kong and Singapore. Ciaran, a former pupil of Selkirk High School, was part of Scottish Rugby's National Academy set-up since the age of 16 and joined Border Reivers as an apprentice in summer 2006. By then, he had already made his debut for Reivers as a replacement in the final Celtic League match of the season, when the Borders beat Newport Gwent Dragons 43-5 at Netherdale.
International record: Scotland u18, Sevens
DAVID BLAIR (Edinburgh Rugby and Edinburgh Academical)
Stand-off. Born: 14.7.85 in Edinburgh. Height: 5ft 11in (1.81m). Weight: 12st 9lb (80kg).
David William Blair joined Edinburgh Rugby Academy in 2007-08. He joined Sale Sharks as an academy after leaving Edinburgh Academy in 2003 and joined their senior squad in 2006. He made his debut for the Guinness Premiership side in 2004 off the bench against Leicester and made his first start against Gloucester in 2007. He is only the player to score 100 points for Scotland in under-21 internationals. He achieved that target with his second penalty against Italy in Benevento in March 2006, and he raised his tally to 102 points by converting Steve Biggart's late try for a 21-14 victory in that match. David's record extended to 135 points three months later in the IRB Under 21 World Championship in France. David, who dropped a goal on his under-21 international debut against France in Bourgoin in February 2005, scored 88 points over the 2005 and 2006 six nations campaigns. His 43 points in 2005 included 18 (with a try) against Italy in Inverness, his overall performance there earning him the man-of-the-match award, and then 14 in the 19-17 win against England at Northampton. Because of injury his participation on the subsequent under-21 world championship in Argentina was limited to two matches, but he returned to the national under-21 team as captain throughout the shadow six nations championship in 2006, including wins in away matches against Ireland and Italy. He scored 19 points, including a try, in the 24-21 victory against the Irish in Athlone. He was also captain for the under-21 world championship. David has represented Edinburgh at under-16, under-18 and under-19 level and Scotland at under-18 and under-19 as well as under-21. His international honours at under-19 included four games in the age group's IRB world championship in Durban in 2004, when he scored 14 points, with a try against Wales. David joins his older brother at Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland scrum half Mike.
International record: Scotland u18, u19, u21
INNES BROWN (Edinburgh Rugby and Heriot's)
Prop. Born: 8.11.86 in Kirkcaldy. Height: 5ft10in (1.78m). Weight: 17st 5lb (110kg).
Innes Peter Brown joined Edinburgh as an apprentice in 2006-07. He made his first appearance for Edinburgh Rugby off the bench in the Heineken Cup match against SU Agen at Murrayfield in January 2007. He made his Scotland under-19 debut against Italy in December 2004 and went on to play in all of Scotland's next eight under-19 internationals, including the five games in the IRB's 2005 world championship in Durban, South Africa. His under-21 international debut followed in February 2006 as a substitute in the Falkirk match against the French, and he also played as a replacement against the Welsh at Newport a week later as well as being on the bench for the subsequent Falkirk game against the English. Later that year he was in the Scotland squad for the under-21 world championship in France. He was set to play in the under 20s for the shadow six nations competition in February 2007 but injury forced him to withdraw from the squad. Innes has a national qualification in stone-masonry from Telford College in Edinburgh,
International record: Scotland u18, u19, u20, u21.
Edinburgh appearance: 1
SEAN CROMBIE (Edinburgh Rugby and Boroughmuir)
Hooker. Born: 25.6.86 in Kirkcaldy. Height: 5ft 11in (1.81m). Weight: 16st 7lb (105kg).
Sean Crombie joined Edinburgh Rugby Academy in 2007-08. He was an apprentice with Border Reivers in 2006-07 and the Scotland under-19 and under-21 cap went on to make his competition debut as a replacement in the Magners League match against Ulster at Ravenhill in November 2006. His Scotland under-19 debut was as a replacement in the match against Italy in December 2004 and went on to play in all of his country's eight other matches at that level in 2005, including the five in the IRB's world championship in Durban, South Africa, when he scored a try against Italy. His under-21 debut was in the Scots' Falkirk match against France in February 2006, and he also played in the subsequent games against Wales and England and the away wins against the Irish and Italians and then in the world championship in France. His debut for the Scotland in the IRB's 2006-2007 sevens series was in the New Zealand tournament in Wellington in February 2007, and he also played in the subsequent events in San Diego (USA), Hong Kong, and Adelaide (Australia). Sean has also played for Caledonia under-16 and under-18 teams and Scotland u18A as well being in his country's sevens squad in the Commonwealth Youth Games in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, in November and December 2004.
International record: Scotland u18A, u19, u21, Sevens
ALAN DYMOCK (Edinburgh Rugby and Dundee HSFP)
Loose-head prop. Born: 24.5.87 in Dundee. Height: 5ft 11in (1.81m). Weight: 17st 3lb (109.5kg).
Alan Thomas Dymock joined Edinburgh Rugby as an academy player in the summer of 2006. He played in all four of Scotland's under-19 internationals in season 2005-2006, adding to national honours at under-18 level. He went on to play in the five matches in the 2006 IRB Under 19 World Championship in Dubai, scoring two tries in the 48-0 win against Japan. In February the following year he was Scotland's loose head in under-20 internationals in the six nations shadow competition. Alan has played also for the Caledonia under-16 and under-18 teams, and he was in the Dundee High School teams who contested the Bell Lawrie Scottish Schools Cup finals in 2004 and 2005.
International record: Scotland u18, u19, u20.
STEPHEN McCOLL (Edinburgh Rugby and Dunfermline)
Centre/stand-off/full back. Born: 16.08.88 in Dunfermline. Height: 6ft 2in (1.88m). Weight: 16st 1lb (102.5kg).
Stephen McDonald McColl joined Edinburgh Rugby Academy in the summer of 2007. He was in the Scotland squad for the IRB Under 19 World Championship in Belfast in April 2007, kicking a total of 26 points in four of the five matches, against Ireland (twice), Fiji and France. He was captain of the Dunfermline team who contested the 2006 Lloyds TSB Scotland Youth League Cup final, and later in the year he made his Scotland sevens debut in Dubai, the opening tournament of the IRB's 2006-2007 world series. He was also in the squad for the subsequent tournament in George, South Africa. He has played for Fife under-15 and under-17, Midlands under-18, and the Dunfermline club's seven as well as being Inverkeithing High School's sports champion. Stephen was named Scotland Under-18 Player of the Year at the Scottish Rugby Awards Dinner in May 2006. He was formerly a member of Scottish Rugby's Junior Academy.
International record: Scotland u18, u19, Sevens
FRASER McKENZIE (Edinburgh Rugby and Watsonians)
Lock forward. Born: 28.3.88 in Dunfermline. Height: 6ft 6in (1.98m). Weight: 17st 8lb (112kg).
Fraser Rolland McKenzie joined Edinburgh on an apprentice contract in summer 2006. He marked his Scotland under-20 international debut with a try in the Falkirk match against Wales in February 2007. He captained Scotland for the IRB Under 19 World Championship in Belfast in April 2007, playing in all five matches against Ireland (twice), Fiji (twice) and France That added to his international honours at under-18 level. Fraser played for the Dunfermline club's first XV when he was 16, and in January 2006 he was in the Dunfermline team who contested the Lloyds TSB Scotland Youth League Cup final. Three months later he was in the Scotland squad in the Home Unions' under-18 tournament in Gloucestershire, and he subsequently was enlisted by Edinburgh Rugby as an apprentice. He has played for Fife at under-15, under-16, and under-17 and Caledonia Reds at under-16 and under-18 as well as Scotland under-18. He is a former pupil of Queen Anne High School. His father, Grant, is the Dunfermline club vice-president.
International record: Scotland u18, u19, u20.
JAMES THOMPSON (Edinburgh Rugby and Heriot's)
Full back. Born: 05.11.84 in Catterick. Height 6ft 1in (1.85m). Weight: 14st 8lb (93kg).
James Gordon Thompson joined Edinburgh Rugby Academy in 2007-08. A former pupil of Stewarts Melville and Dollar Academy, he has a degree in Sport and Exercise Science from Napier University. James played for Royal High under 18s alongside Ben Cairns in the Youth Cup final. He moved to Heriot's in 2003 and was in the team which made the final of the Melrose Sevens in 2006. He played for Edinburgh under 20s and was selected for Scotland under 21 trials in 2004-05 before his season was cut short through injury. He went on to play for the Scotland Club side which beat Ireland Clubs 18-11 at Meggetland in March 2007. James' father Derek Thompson was a jump jockey and is a presenter on Channel Four Racing. His cousin is Scotland and Gloucester scrum half Rory Lawson, his uncle Alan Lawson also played for Scotland and his grandfather is former rugby commentator Bill McLaren.
STEVEN TURNBULL (Edinburgh Rugby and Heriot's)
Lock. Born 10.4.87 in Stirling. Height 6ft 7in (2.01m). Weight 17st 12lb (114kg).
Steven Turnbull joined Edinburgh as an apprentice in 2006-07. He moved from Stirling County to Heriot's the same season. He made his debut for Edinburgh Rugby as a replacement in the 22-all draw with Connacht in the Magners League match in Galway in September 2006, and his first start followed two months later against Cardiff Blues at Murrayfield. He formed an ever-present lock partnership with Richie Vernon in Scotland's four under-19 internationals in season 2005-2006 before going on to play in four matches in the age group's world championship in Dubai. He added to his international honours by playing in the under-20 match against England at Bath in February 2007. Injury prevented his participation in other shadow six nations matches until the final game against France in March 2007. He had previously played for Caledonia under-16 and under-18 and Scotland under-18A and under-18, and he represented his country also at basketball in the under-16 and under-18 groups. A former pupil of Dunblane High School and Strathallan, he has put his studies in sport and exercise science at Napier University on hold during his apprenticeship. He was named Scotland Under-19 Player of the Year at the Scottish Rugby Awards Dinner in May 2006.
International record: Scotland u18, u18A, u19, u20
Edinburgh appearances: 6