Robinson Names Squad For Scotland Training Camp

Scotland coach Andy Robinson OBE has today named eight uncapped players in a 44-strong squad for a Scotland training camp at St Andrews later this month.Seven of the eight were part of the victorious Scotland A squad who captured the IRB Nations Cup in Bucharest in June – namely centre/wing John Houston, openside flanker Alan MacDonald, full-back Jim Thompson and loose-head prop Kyle Traynor (all Edinburgh), stand-off Ruaridh Jackson and No 8 Richie Vernon (both Glasgow Warriors) and the Worcester Warriors and Scottish Exiles centre Alex Grove.Scotland coach Andy Robinson OBE has today named eight uncapped players in a 44-strong squad for a Scotland training camp at St Andrews later this month.Seven of the eight were part of the victorious Scotland A squad who captured the IRB Nations Cup in Bucharest in June – namely centre/wing John Houston, openside flanker Alan MacDonald, full-back Jim Thompson and loose-head prop Kyle Traynor (all Edinburgh), stand-off Ruaridh Jackson and No 8 Richie Vernon (both Glasgow Warriors) and the Worcester Warriors and Scottish Exiles centre Alex Grove.Completing the newcomers for the camp from 17-19 August will be Richie Gray, the 6ft 9ins, 19st 9lbs, 19-year-old Glasgow Warriors lock, who played in all ten of Scotland under-20’s international matches last season.The squad also includes the four Scots who were involved in the British and Irish Lions summer tour of South Africa – Mike Blair, Ross Ford, Nathan Hines and Euan Murray.  Missing from the squad is the 60-times-capped back-row forward Simon Taylor (Stade Francais) who turns 30 on the first-day of the camp.Robinson said: “I have spoken at length with Simon and he has requested not to be involved with Scotland at this stage.  I am agreeing to his request but the door remains open for Simon to be involved with Scotland at a later stage and I will be monitoring his form over the next few months.”Robinson regards the camp as integral to setting the tone ahead of Scotland’s opening matches of the season – the Bank of Scotland Corporate Autumn Tests against Fiji, Australia and Argentina at Murrayfield in November.He said: “It’s good to have a three-day get-together before the season starts where we will discuss our objectives and how we are going to work together.  Our themes will be developing leadership, game understanding and improving individual skills and fitness.”He explained that any player not chosen in this squad could still be involved in the Autumn Tests.Scotland squad for three-day training campSt Andrews – Monday 17-Wednesday 19 August: BacksMike Blair, Ben Cairns (both Edinburgh), Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors), Simon Danielli (Ulster), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh), Thom Evans, Max Evans (both Glasgow Warriors), Phil Godman (Edinburgh), Alex Grove (Worcester Warriors), John Houston (Edinburgh), Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors), Rory Lamont (Toulon), Sean Lamont (Scarlets), Rory Lawson (Gloucester), Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors), Chris Paterson (Edinburgh), Hugo Southwell (Stade Francais), Jim Thompson (Edinburgh), Nikki Walker (Ospreys), Simon Webster (Edinburgh) ForwardsJohn Barclay, Johnnie Beattie, Kelly Brown (all Glasgow Warriors), Geoff Cross (Edinburgh), Alasdair Dickinson (Gloucester), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Gray (Northampton Saints), Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors), Craig Hamilton, Jim Hamilton (both Edinburgh), Nathan Hines (Leinster), Allister Hogg, Allan Jacobsen (both Edinburgh), Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Lawson (Gloucester), Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors), Alan MacDonald, Scott MacLeod (both Edinburgh), Euan Murray (Northampton Saints), Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester), Kyle Traynor (Edinburgh), Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors), Jason White (Clermont Auvergne). Tickets are on sale now for the 2009 Bank of Scotland Corporate Autumn Tests.  The matches are:  Saturday 14 November – Scotland v Fiji, Murrayfield, kick-off 2.30pm Saturday 21 November – Scotland v Australia, Murrayfield, kick-off 5.15pmSaturday 28 November – Scotland v Argentina, Murrayfield, kick-off 2.30pm