Meet Robbo-Cop, As Scotland Aim To Be Bang On Target

Scotland’s players have enjoyed an afternoon of training with a difference as part of their preparations for Rugby World Cup. As guests of HQ 2 Division of the Army at their base near Edinburgh, the players and coaches met with members of the specialist unit responsible for bomb disposal. Competition was also a theme of the day with target golf and clay pigeon shooting on the agenda. Intriguingly, the team led by goal-kicking sharp-shooters, the Edinburgh duo Chris Paterson and Greig Laidlaw, also proved bang on target, winning on the ranges.    Scotland head coach Andy Robinson explained: “The players have been working hard on their fitness, conditioning and rugby skills. “But exercises like this, give everyone an insight into the team-working that goes on in other walks of life from which we can often learn something as sportsmen and also keep things in perspective when we talk about being ‘under pressure’.” Paterson and Laidlaw had both shot in the past but it was a new experience for another of Scotland’s goal-kickers, stand-off Dan Parks.  Yet the hand/eye co-ordination that is common ground in both sports, was underlined as Parks banged his first three clays. Scotland are continuing their on-field preparations and you have a chance to wish them well for Rugby World Cup at the two EMC Tests at Murrayfield next month. Tickets are on sale now for the matches against Ireland (Saturday 6 August) and Italy (Saturday 20 August).  They cost from£5 for children and students and from£10 for adults.