Gray steps out of Scotland wilderness
Suspended lock Scott MacLeod was an expected omission from the Scotland squad announced on Tuesday for the autumn internationals against New Zealand, South Africa and Canada.
Suspended lock Scott MacLeod was an expected omission from the Scotland squad announced on Tuesday for the autumn internationals against New Zealand, South Africa and Canada.
The 29-year-old Scarlets forward was revealed on Monday to have failed a drugs test and has been banned from competitive rugby pending an investigation.
MacLeod was one of sixteen players axed from the 50-man training party called up last month, which has also lost four players to injury.
The only new name in the 31-man squad announced by Head Coach Frank Hadden was Northampton flank Scott Gray, who has done enough in the past month to earn a Scotland recall four years after his solitary cap.
“I'm really enjoying being at the Saints,” said the 30-year-old, who was born in Zimbabwe and qualifies for the national team courtesy of a Scottish father.
“I've played at openside and have been getting plenty of game time.”
Gray is one of eight Guinness Premiership stars selected, with Hadden electing to drop only three of the original ten who were at the centre of the Scottish Rugby Union's recent row with English clubs over player release.
Hadden also named uncapped prop Geoff Cross and back Max Evans in the squad for the forthcoming Tests.
“We know the huge importance of our November matches given the draw for the 2011 Rugby World Cup and at this stage I'm pleased at the competition we have for places,” the boss explained.
“Twenty-three of the squad were with us in Argentina during the summer, including Max Evans and Geoff Cross, and we've been impressed especially by the manner in which Max and Geoff have raised their game this season.
“We've also been watching Scott Gray closely at Northampton, where he's put in some great shifts at openside.”
The Scotland-based players are set to convene on Monday at a warm-weather training camp in Spain, while the rest of the squad will be able to join them two days later, twelve days before the opening Test against the All Blacks on November 8.
But Hadden could lose his eight Premiership players for five days during that period, with the International Rugby Board recently ruling their clubs could recall them to play in EDF Energy Cup matches on the weekend of November 1.
“This is the best route to maximise the limited time we have together for the matches against the All Blacks, Springboks and Canada,” Hadden continued.
“Our training facilities on the back pitches at Murrayfield are currently being enhanced and are thus out of the equation, so we have identified the warm-weather camp in Spain as the ideal route.”
Scotland training squad:
Backs: Mike Blair (captain), Ben Cairns (both Edinburgh), Chris Cusiter (Perpignan), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh), Max Evans, Thom Evans (both Glasgow Warriors), Phil Godman (Edinburgh), Rory Lamont (Sale Sharks), Sean Lamont (Northampton Saints), Rory Lawson (Gloucester), Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors), Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors), Chris Paterson, Hugo Southwell, Simon Webster (all Edinburgh).
Forwards: John Barclay, Kelly Brown (both Glasgow Warriors), Geoff Cross (Edinburgh), Alasdair Dickinson (Gloucester), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Scott Gray (Northampton Saints), Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors), Jim Hamilton (Edinburgh), Nathan Hines (Perpignan), Allister Hogg, Allan Jacobsen (both Edinburgh), Euan Murray (Northampton Saints), Matt Mustchin (Edinburgh), Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester), Simon Taylor (Stade Francais), Jason White (Sale Sharks).
Not considered due to injury: Dave Callam (Edinburgh), Simon Danielli (Ulster), Ross Rennie (Edinburgh) and Fergus Thomson (Glasgow Warriors).