Scottish Rugby people selected for Commonwealth Games Scotland Achieve programme

Three Scottish Rugby people have been selected as part of 66 up-and-coming athletes and coaches who will enjoy a multi-games experience with Commonweath Games Scotland in Birmingham later this month, as part of the 2022 Achieve programme.

April McKenzie and Andy McLean have been selected as up-and-coming rugby 7s athletes, whilst Sarah Hogwood, who works for Scottish Rugby as a Development Officer in Dundee and Angus, has been selected as a coach.

April has been playing for Garioch RFC, and has been involved in the Scottish Futures programme. She will move to Edinburgh for University in September and will join a new club upon her arrival.

Andy has played for his school, Robert Gordon’s College, and club side Gordonians RFC, both in Aberdeen, and will join Glasgow Hawks this season. He was part of the Scotland U18 squad at their recent Six Nations festival.

They will be supported by a network of mentors with an impressive range of backgrounds and experiences to call on.

The mentors include former Edinburgh Rugby and Scotland 7’s coach Bob Easson, father of Scotland Women Head Coach Bryan.

Bob Easson has been chosen as one of the 2022 Achieve programme mentors.

Travelling to Birmingham in two groups, the participants will get a feel for a large Games environment, from attending sport sessions to taking part in bespoke workshops.

First run in 2010, when 45 young athletes and coaches travelled to the Dehli Commonwealth Games, Achieve has since seen a further 90 participants go through the programme. Many have since made the step-up to compete or coach for Team Scotland at a Commonwealth Games.

The scheme, supported by the Team Scotland Youth Trust and sportscotland, aims to propel more future stars into sporting success, whilst helping them develop a host of vital and transferrable skills.

Rugby Development Officer for Dundee and Angus Sarah Hogwood has been selected as a coach.

Sarah said: “I’m really excited to have been selected to be part of Team Scotland’s Achieve Programme and heading down to Birmingham. I’m looking forward to experiencing what a multisport games is like for coaches and athletes as part of Team Scotland.

“The programme will provide us the opportunity to spend time at Scotland House, attend workshops, meet coaches and athletes from other sports and watch competition sport with the intention of offering us the insight into what life would be like competing at future Commonwealth Games.”

Former Scotland international Gavin Hastings, who is the Chair of Team Scotland Youth Trust, said: “Congratulations to the aspiring athletes and coaches on their selection. The Team Scotland Youth Trust exists to support the next generation of athletes on their sporting journey, and the Achieve Programme can be a key part of that development. We look forward to seeing them in Birmingham.”