Scotland U16 development squad named for Valladolid training camp

A Scotland U16 development squad consisting of 22 home-based players has been selected for a two-week training camp in Valladolid, Spain, from Monday 3 to Sunday 16 July to mark the age-grade’s final player-development camp of the season.Selection for the summer camp is based on the players’ overall performances and attitude from two training days in January; three training camps across February and March, and the Colwyn Bay Rugby Festival in April, which saw the squad return from Wales with three wins from four.The camp is funded in conjunction with the Erasmus+ programme and New College Lanarkshire to help players enhance their employability and gain cultural awareness, as well as increasing their exposure to high-performance environments.Head Coach, Eddie Pollock, said: “This is a full-time, professional camp in fantastic conditions and top-class facilities.It’s a real eye opener for the players to see what it takes to make the next step towards becoming a high-performance athlete.”We address everything from the players’ rugby skills to physical training and nutrition, and aim to test them to see how they respond under pressure.”We then compare their performances against previous camp attendees so we can help benchmark how the players can compete at the next level.The players are therefore better prepared for senior rugby as the camp focuses on skills and strength and conditioning to improve the individual players’ development rather than the squad’s performance as a whole.”Over the last few years, many players have used this camp to push on to U18, U20 and professional rugby.It’s a fantastic experience for a young player and a huge positive for youth rugby in Scotland, as well as helping lay the groundwork for the future of Scottish rugby.”  Scotland U16 Valladolid squad Luca Alessandri (Kings Park Secondary School / Cartha Queen’s Park)Eck Allan (North Berwick High School / North Berwick)George Breese (Glenalmond College)Callum Brown (Gryffe High School / Bishopton)Scott Clelland (Prestwick Academy / Ayr)Matthew Currie (Merchiston Castle School)Jamie Dobie (Merchiston Castle School)Jake Fairley (Earlston High School / Melrose)Dan Gamble (Merchiston Castle School / Kelso)Alex Harley (George Watson’s College / Currie)Will Harper (Merchiston Castle School)Scott King (Preston Lodge High School / Preston Lodge)Finlay Lennox (Robert Gordon’s College)Alex Marsh (Strathallan School / Perthshire)Nick McAllister (St Aloysius’ College)Ethan McVicker (Boroughmuir)Brandon Mills (Glenwood High School / Howe of Fife)Gregor Mitchell (North Berwick High School / North Berwick)Nathan Moffat (Stewart’s Melville College) Ben Muncastor (Rugby School / North Berwick)Cameron Scott (Boroughmuir)Joseph Strain (Castle Douglas High School / Stewartry)