Players Delighted To Be Selected For Team Scotland

Players Delighted To Be Selected For Team Scotland

The Scotland 7s team will compete at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi following the announcement today that Commonwealth Games Scotland has confirmed that the squad nominated by Scottish Rugby last month will travel as part of their 200-strong Team Scotland. The nominated team of 12, contains seven players who played in the Edinburgh leg of the 2010 IRB Sevens World Series at the end of May, finishing 5th, and an additional two players who played in the team which achieved back to back semi-final places in London and Edinburgh in the 2009 tournament.Players delighted to be selected for team Scotland The Scotland 7s team will compete at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi following the announcement today that Commonwealth Games Scotland has confirmed that the squad nominated by Scottish Rugby last month will travel as part of their 200-strong Team Scotland.The nominated team of 12, contains seven players who played in the Edinburgh leg of the 2010 IRB Sevens World Series at the end of May, finishing 5th, and an additional two players who played in the team which achieved back to back semi-final places in London and Edinburgh in the 2009 tournament. Today Scotland 7s coach, Stephen Gemmell, who will lead the team at the Games, described his anticipation ahead of the event. We are delighted that our participation in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi has been confirmed, he said. The Commonwealth Games is a major event on the world sporting calendar and Scottish Rugby and Scotland 7s are hugely honoured to be part of it. We’ve worked hard through our selection process with the Commonwealth Games Council Scotland and I’m delighted that at the end of that selection process, the team we’ve nominated has been confirmed. Our preparations will now start in earnest with a view to contributing to a successful Team Scotland in October.   Scotland 7s coach Stephen Gemmell talks to www.scottishrugby.org  All the nominated players have previously played in successful Scotland 7s teams including one who played in the 2006 Commonwealth Games – Edinburgh speedster Andrew Turnbull. There are six Scotland A caps in the squad and one full Scotland internationalist in Dave Callam. Despite October proving to a particularly busy period for professional rugby, Gemmell has secured a squad brimming with international sevens experience and is delighted that the quality of talent has been recognised. There are seven guys who were part of the squad in London and Edinburgh and we’ve got two additional players – Scott Forrest and Hefin O’Hare – who both played in the semi final team in London and Edinburgh last year. There’s a wealth of experience there, then you bring in players such as Scott Newlands who has been performing well for Edinburgh. To have someone such as Dave Callam in there as an internationalist it gives us real leadership and experience both on and off the field. He’s really excited to be included and is looking forward to going to Delhi. The decision to include rugby sevens as part of Team Scotland was based on results from both the 2009 Rugby World Cup 7s and the IRB Sevens World Series during a three year period. Rugby sevens is one of ten core sports at the Commonwealth Games and made its debut in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, but Manchester in 2002 was the first occasion Scotland entered a team. Now an approved Olympic Sport, included in the 2016 Games, sevens takes on an even greater significance as part of the Commonwealth Games. Following his inclusion in the squad, Edinburgh centre John Houston said: I’m delighted to be selected. It’s a real honour for me and my family so I’m really looking forward to representing my country again but in a different atmosphere and being part of Team Scotland who have done well in Commonwealth Games in the past. Glasgow Warriors flanker, Chris Fusaro, echoed Houston’s excitement. It’s a great honour to be picked to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games, he said, and I’m really looking forward to the opportunity. I’m very excited but also a bit nervous as well because it’s going to be such a massive event. I can’t wait to go out there because the atmosphere is going to be brilliant. Congratulating the team, Michael Cavanagh, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland said: I am absolutely delighted to confirm rugby sevens’ selection for Team Scotland at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Since their first inclusion in 2002 they have always added a fantastic and unique dimension to the overall team and I am sure this year will be no exception. We are confident that with the squad of players that Scottish Rugby has nominated, Scotland 7s can compete strongly, despite the challenging opposition they face in pool A. We welcome all the players to Team Scotland and wish them all the best with their final preparations for the competition which gets underway exactly two months today. In Delhi a total of 16 teams will compete for one gold medal. These teams include reigning Commonwealth Games gold medallists New Zealand, Rugby World Cup champions Wales and IRB Sevens World Series champions Samoa. Scotland will go into the Games seeded eighth by the IRB and will play in pool A, against defending Games champions and top seeds New Zealand, World Series regulars Canada and Caribbean champions Guyana, who also competed on the World Series this season in Las Vegas. The Rugby 7s competition will take place on 11 & 12 October 2010 at Delhi University – North Campus. Scotland 7s squad to compete as part of Team Scotland at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi (11 & 12 October): Mike Adamson (Glasgow Hawks), Alex Blair (Edinburgh), David Callam (Unattached), Scott Forrest (Ayr), Chris Fusaro Glasgow Warriors), John Houston (Edinburgh), Lee Jones (Edinburgh), Stuart McInally (Edinburgh), Scott Newlands (Edinburgh), Hefin O’Hare (Glasgow Warriors), Colin Shaw (Glasgow Warriors), Andrew Turnbull (Edinburgh) Reserve players: Struan Dewar (Edinburgh), Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors), James King (Edinburgh), Scott Riddell (Blaydon)  Emirates Airline Edinburgh 7s tickets on sale now! Supporters who cannot make the journey to Delhi for the Commonwealth Games will be able to see the Scotland 7s team when they compete on home soil in the final leg of the IRB Sevens World Series at Murrayfield on 28 & 29 May 2011. 2011 Ticket pricesAdult -£20Senior citizen -£10Student -£10Under 18 -£5All tickets are any day tickets – valid for one day of your choice, either Saturday 28 May or Sunday 29 May. Keep checking www.edinburgh7s.com for some terrific ticket offers throughout the season!Autumn Tests ticket offerHere’s another great ticket offer to take advantage of – buy a ticket for any of Scotland’s Autumn Tests this November and get an adult ticket to the 2011 Emirates Airline Edinburgh 7s for only£10 – that’s half the usual price!Scotland go into the Autumn Tests on the back of their first historic Test series success against Argentina in June and aiming to enhance an unbeaten record that stretches to five games. Scotland’s Autumn Tests are:Scotland v New Zealand, Sat 13 Nov, Murrayfield, 5.15pmScotland v South Africa, Sat 20 Nov, Murrayfield, 2.30pmScotland v Samoa, Sat 27 Nov, Pittodrie Stadium, (Aberdeen) 2.30pmAdult tickets for these matches start from as little as£15 with under-18s from£7.50 and can be bought online from www.scottishrugbytickets.com , via the 24-hour credit card hotline on 0844 335 3933 or in person from the Ticket Centre at Murrayfield, open Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm.Remember to add your 7s ticket at the same time and hey presto, you’ve got an even better deal!

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