Review: Scotland U18 in Italy for training and matches

A group of 29 players travelled to Italy and trained for a week, training with Wales U18 and Italy U18 for a day each and then twice on their own before playing both nations in 25-minute games on the final day.

Two tries and conversions from Jake Dalziel were not enough as Scotland lost 21-14 to Wales in their first game.

But an impressive 35-14 win against Italy followed, with Murray Waugh (2), Dalziel, Samu Laweci and Fraser Inglis crossing the whitewash.

This was the fourth iteration of the summer training camp for the U18 men, which has taken place in a different host country each year.

Training with and playing against other nations aims to provide the players with the knowledge of how they compare not only to other players in Scotland but also against some of the best players their age in the world.

Scotland U18 Head Coach John Fletcher said: “In a lot of ways, the training days are more valuable than the matches. We had double sessions and it gives us a chance to really start to embed our identity and how we want our pathway players to play into our best talent.

“The matches were both probably fair in terms of result. Wales were marginally better than us, and then we played well against Italy, a couple of things clicked, we scored some good tries.

“We’re pleased with how it went, hopefully the players have got good information about where they are compared to other good players from other countries.”

Scotland U18 Men squad for training week in Italy

Forwards
Keagan Bedwell (Dunfermline RFC/Stirling County)
Zak Burgess (GHA RFC)
Oskar Elwine (Loretto School)
Struan Finlayson (Hutcheson’s Grammar School)
Matthew Herbert (Strathallan School/Aberdeen Wanderers RFC)
Will Kenny (Glenalmond College/Mackie RFC)
Angus Matthews (Strathallan School/Linlithgow RFC)
Max Morrison (Lenzie RFC/Glasgow Hawks RFC)
Jack Nesbitt (Sedbergh School)
Archie Proctor (Currie Chieftains)
Josh Provan (Kilmarnock RFC/Ayr RFC)
Sam Scott (Stewart’s Melville College/Gala RFC)
Dan Shellard (Garioch RFC/GHA RFC)
Archie Smellie (Peebles High School/Peebles RFC)
Teddy Smith-Milne (Clifton College/Gloucester)
Rowan Walsh (Morrison’s Academy)

Backs
Finlay Anderson (Strathallan School/Preston Lodge RFC)
Jak Clark (Strathallan School/Dunfermline RFC)
Jake Dalziel (Merchiston Castle School)
Glen Gammell (Clifton College/Bristol Bears)
Fraser Inglis (Marr RFC)
Samu Lawaci (Merchiston Castle School/Highland RFC)
Cameron McGarey (Ayr RFC)
Jack McLay (Currie Chieftains)
Olly McKenzie (Huntly RFC)
Chikadibia Ofodile (Robert Gordon’s College)
Xander Snedden (SLM Blues)
Efosa Sule (St Aloysius’ College/Marr RFC)
Murray Waugh (Hutcheson’s Grammar School)