Gavin and Callum ‘Pick of the Pride’ ambassadors for Scotland

Scottish students Gavin Rittoo and Callum Kerr, from Edinburgh and Ayrshire respectively, will travel to New Zealand as part of the 2017 British & Irish Lions Tour to represent Scotland as ‘Pick of the Pride’ ambassadors.This is the first Lions tour to involve youth ambassadors, and on the launch of the initiative in March, British & Irish Lions Chief Operating Officer Charlie McEwen said: “Fans throughout the world have followed and enjoyed the Lions Tours over the last 129 years and now for the first time the phenomenon of the Lions will be used to directly have an impact on grassroots rugby in the UK and Ireland.”The programme has been developed in collaboration with the Four Home Unions with the aim of using the Lions brand to inspire a future generation of rugby players and to help retain existing youth players in the game.Having been selected for ‘Pick of the Pride’, the Scots pair will work alongside six other individuals aged 18-21 from Ireland, England and Wales, tasked with documenting their experience to share with their rugby communities back home.The ambassadors leave on Monday 12 June and as part of the trip will visit NZRU Headquarters and the Te Papa Museum; meet former Lions; attend warm up fixtures and the first Lions Test match; be part of the Fan Engagement evenings, and meet New Zealand Rugby club members.Gavin, from Edinburgh, commented on his selection: “It took two or three days to properly sink in. The competition on selection day was really tough and all the other candidates from each Union were fantastic, so to be selected from such a talented bunch is incredible.Everyone I have spoken to has been absolutely buzzing for me. A lot of people couldn’t believe it and thought I was joking at first.Ayrshire-born Callum added: “I was so overwhelmed about getting through to the final five and being flown to London for the interview that anything else would have been a bonus.It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity I’ve been given.”Before the final team of ambassadors was selected, the short-listed candidates were invited to Hilton Garden Hotel in Heathrow on Saturday 29April where they took part in team building exercises and panel interviews.Gavin, who studies Journalism at Robert Gordon University, explained why he was interested in the role: “The chance to rub shoulders with the best of the best was too good to turn down. Every Lions tour is special, but the fact that this year’s tour is in New Zealand, the home of the World Champions and a country with such famous rugby heritage, makes it extra special.Callum studies Sports Journalism at the University of the West of Scotland and said: “I felt my reporting skills bode well with telling the world what I will learn in New Zealand and how it can benefit Scottish Rugby.The main idea of the ambassador’s role is to create a legacy in our home nations from this tour and I feel a huge honour being part of that.”Callum went on to reflect on the trip: “This is going to be an incredible experience and along with learning a great insight into New Zealand’s rugby set-up, I will create stories to tell for the rest of my life.”We meet up with a lot of the great minds within World Rugby, both past and present, and I can’t wait to pick their brains and learn as much as I can from them.”Gavin also mentioned the personal benefits he looks to gain from the experience: “Going over to New Zealand will allow me to develop my communication skills whilst working with the other ambassadors in an unknown environment.I also hope to bring home the lessons learned whilst on tour about how rugby is coached and developed amongst young people in New Zealand and share this experience when back in Scotland to get more young people involved in the sport.”Gavin concluded by sharing his thoughts on what he’s most looking forward to on the tour: “Obviously getting to go to a few warm-up games and the First Test will be amazing.”There’s talk of us learning the Haka which both excites and scares me at the same time.”