Five Borderers named in Scottish squad for rugby’s Under-20 Six Nations

Sam Derrick playing for Southern Knights versus Ayrshire Bulls at the Greenyards in Melrose in May last year (Photo by Bruce White/SNS Group/SRU)

Gala’s Harris Rutherford and Murray Wilson, Hawick’s Corey Tait and Southern Knights Rudi Brown and Sam Derrick have been named in the Scotland squad to contest rugby’s 2023 Under-20 Six Nations.

Ben Afshar, formerly a scrum-half with Fosroc Super6 side Southern Knights but now at Ayrshire Bulls; Edinburgh academy player Ben Evans, at Hawick for part of the 2021/22 Tennent’s Premiership season; and Johnny Rutherford, previously with Duns but now at Edinburgh’s Currie Chieftains, also feature.

They’re part of a 34-man squad announced by head coach Kenny Murray, with Boroughmuir Bears’ Duncan Munn and Liam McConnell as co-captains.

The young Scots’ age-grade Six Nations campaign gets under way this Friday away to England at London’s Twickenham Stoop, with kick-off at 7pm, and they’ll be looking to bounce back from their whitewash last time out, losing all five matches in 2022’s championship, and claim their first victory since March 2020.

Rudi Brown, centre, in action for Southern Knights against Heriot's at Goldenacre in Edinburgh in October (Photo by Paul Devlin/SNS Group/SRU)

Their first home match of the championship, against Wales, follows on Friday, February 10, at Glasgow’s Scotstoun Stadium, with kick-off at 7.15pm.

They then play France away at Agen’s Armandie Stadium on Friday, February 24, at 8pm; Ireland at home on Friday, March 10, at 7.15pm; and Italy at home on Sunday, March 19, at 2pm.

All their matches will be streamed live on BBC iPlayer.

Murray, 49, said: “We had a tough campaign last year, although that gave a number of our players the experience of a high-pressure international playing environment.

Gala's Harris Rutherford on the ball for Edinburgh under-20s versus Glasgow Warriors at the capital's DAM Health Stadium in November (Photo by Mark Scates/SNS Group/SRU)

“I feel pleased about our preparations as we head into the Under-20 2023 Six Nations.

“We’ve been able to name a strong squad, although there are a number of players still to return from injury who may be added to the squad over the course of the championship.“Over the past year in the role, I’ve been able to build strong relationships with the players, and a new coaching group, as we develop them into not only great rugby players but great people too.

“I have been impressed by the players’ commitment to their craft across the course of the programme and I’m looking forward to what will be an exciting campaign ahead.”

The initial squad’s other forwards are Max Surry, Craig Davidson, Moby Ogunlaja, Callum Norrie, Robbie Deans, Eben Cairns, Elliot Young, Jerry Blyth-Lafferty, Harris McLeod, Ruairaidh Hart, Eddie Erskine, Jake Parkinson, Jonny Morris and Ewan Guy, accompanied by backs Finlay Burgess, Charlie Clare, Richie Simpson, Kerr Yule, Geordie Gwynn, Findlay Thomson, Amena Caqusau, William Robinson, Logan Jarvie and Dan King.