Young Scots aim to go on attack

INVERNESS will host only its second age grade rugby international when Scotland play France in the Under-20 match tonight at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, the heated home of Caley Thistle.

Whether the undersoil heating will be required will depend on the forecasted arrival of slightly milder, but significantly wetter, weather to replace the cold, dry, bright conditions the U20 squad have enjoyed over the last couple of days at their base in Nairn.

"Wet weather is not what we want," stated Eamon John, the Scotland Under-20 coach, who has a backline capable of playing exciting rugby. Spearheading the attack is Alex Blair, the younger brother of Scotland A scrum-half, Mike Blair, and one of several young stand-offs being seen as future senior caps, raising the possibility of the two brothers forming a half-back partnership in the senior side.

Blair has a powerful midfield outside him, with the Selkirk player Alex Dunbar partnering Jonny Kennedy, the Sale Sharks centre. But their potential will not be unlocked if Scotland struggle up front to win good ball.

"It's all about the starting points by which I mean the set piece" suggested John, adding : "If we can get control there we can build our game. If we're under pressure in this area then, as we were last year when we lost 30-3 to France in Chalons, we'll be on the back foot and that makes it very difficult".

The Scots will be without the three props who represented them at under 19 level last year. That has meant calling up Colin Philips, the promising Stewart's-Melville tighthead and the versatile George Hunter of Glasgow Hawks, who is on the bench.

Scotland Under-20: T Brown (Edinburgh Accies); O Grove (Worcester Warriors), J Kennedy (Sale Sharks), A Dunbar (Selkirk), D Fife (Currie); A Blair (Edinburgh Accies), A Black (Leeds Carnegie); C Owenson (Heriot's), A Walker (Currie), C Philips (Stewart's-Melville), R Harley (West of Scotland), G Gilchrist (Stirling County), M Maltman (Heriot's), D Denton (Edinburgh Accies), S McInally (Watsonians, captain). Subs L Gibson (Melrose), G Hunter (Glasgow Hawks), M Reid (Heriot's), C Stidston-Nott (London Scottish), K Hamilton (Caithness), M Scott (Currie), J Johnstone (Currie)

France Under-20 : Dulin; Sinzelle, Lamrat, Barthlmy, Lagain; Bosch, Bales; Gourdon, Molcard (captain), Erbani, Souvent, Sousa, Giudicelli, Ivaldi, Ben Arous. Subs Geledan, Lamache, Blandin, Grange, Lafforgue, Hubert, Fritz

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