SIX internationalists are among the 43 players who will suffer the fall-out from Scotland's latest rugby revolution, which will concentrate the nation's bid for European Cup glory on two super-districts.
In all, eight who were on three-year contracts with the Scottish Rugby Union were missing from the 63 home-based players who, it was announced yesterday, will make up the Glasgow/Caledonia and Edinburgh/Scottish Borders squads. The six capped players who will now have to look elsewhere for their livelihood are hooker Jim Hay, props Alan Watt and John Manson, utility backs Cameron Glasgow and Scott Nichol, and flanker Murray Wallace.
Adminstrators, coaches, and now players. The super-districts personnel picture is now complete, save for the possibility of English-based players within the Scottish set-up being tempted north.
The SRU yesterday stressed that 63 might not be the final number, a statement saying: ''The SRU is currently in discussion with players outwith Scotland. It remains the union's objective that exiles, in particular, will be attracted by the new domestic structure.''
As expected, virtually all of the senior and A-team players based north of the Border have been offered places in the new set-up and, while several capped players have missed out, there was good news for Scott Hastings, who, despite his own fears, is included in the Edinburgh/Scottish Borders squad.
There are several new names who have come to the fore, among them Alasdair Common, the Glasgow Hawks utility back. Common seemed poised to be offered a Caledonia contract under the old regime after impressing for the Reds in their win over Connacht last autumn.
He further enhanced his reputation with good displays in the Emirates Dubai Sevens in December, but it has been his form with Glasgow Hawks that evidently convinced Ian Rankin and his two assistant coaches that Common should be part of the Edinburgh/Scottish Borders playing squad.
Included are long-term injury cases Tom Smith and Stuart Lang, but the prognosis for both casualties is sufficiently optimistic to warrant being offered places.
Significantly, and despite having to lay off home grown products, both squads contain a sprinkling of antipodean players. Tommy Hayes, who has made such a huge impact both with Glasgow and Glasgow Hawks, is one of five Southern Hemisphere players in the Glasgow/Caledonia super-district, which also includes Aaron Collins, the powerful West of Scotland and New Zealand provincial centre, and Gordon Simpson, another New Zealander with a pedigree.
While it was celebration time for those offered places in the new districts, it was disappointment for many among the 43, among them 10 part-timers.
A statement from Murrayfield, however, confirmed that the eight players on SRU contracts would not lose out. It read: ''The financial terms of these contracts, however, will be honoured.
''The players in this category may wish to discuss their situation with the SRU. They will train with the two professional squads, but, like those others released from contract, will be available to play for their clubs.''
The most high-profile omission is Graham Ellis, who as recently as last month was on the bench for Scotland in the Calcutta Cup match. Ellis, who was not on a SRU three-year contract, has given ground to both Steve Brotherstone, the Scotland A hooker this season, and Grant McKelvey, the Scotland hooker against Australia last November in the Edinburgh/ Scottish Borders squad.
In addition, former Scotland lock Shade Munro and Edinburgh hooker Paddy Haslett, who have retired from the game because of injury, were not considered. The other two players also not con-sidered for inclusion in the super- district squads were Melrose flanker Nick Broughton, who is recovering from knee surgery, and Heriot's back-rower Graham Dall, whose medical studies effectively preclude him from serious rugby for at least the next 12 months.
Other prominent players left out of the squads are Millan Browne, the Melrose and Scotland A prop, Mark McKenzie, the Stirling and Caledonia stand-off, Dave McLeish, the West of Scotland and Glasgow back-row player, and Ally McLean, the Boroughmuir and Edinburgh wing.
What remains to be seen now is whether the Scotland selectors, who meet tonight at Murrayfield to decide on the make-up of the tour party to Australia, are in concurrence with the district coaches.
GLASGOW/CALEDONIA
Backs - Graeme Beveridge (Boroughmuir), Alan Bulloch (West of Scotland), Aaron Collins {West of Scotland), James Craig {West of Scotland), Tommy Hayes (Glasgow Hawks), lan Jardine (Stirling County), Shaun Longstaff (Dundee HSFP), James McLaren (Stirling County), Glenn Metcalfe (Glasgow Hawks), David Cfficer (Currie), Derric Patterson (Heriot's FP), Rowen Shepherd (Melrose), Chris Simmers (Glasgow Hawks), Derek Stark (Glasgow Hawks), Fraser Stott (West of Scotland).
Forwards - Willie Anderson (Kirkcaldy), Gordon Bulloch (West of Scotland), Stewart Campbell (Dundee HSFP), Gareth Flockhart (Stirling County), Stuart Grimes (Watsonians), Alan Kittle (Stirling County), Gordon MacKay (Glasgow Hawks), Gordon McIlwham (Glasgow Hawks), Kevin McKenzie (Stirling County), Guy Perrett (West of Scotland), Gavin Scott (Dundee HSFP), John Shaw (West of Scotland), Gordon Simpson (Kirkcaldy), Tom Smith (Dundee HSFP), Rob Wainwright (Dundee HSFP), Martin Waite (Watsonians), Jason White (Watsonians).
EDINBURGH/SCOTTISH BORDERS
Backs - Graeme Burns (Watsonians), Craig Chalmers (Melrose). Alastair Common (Glasgow Hawks), Iain Fairley (Kelso), Hugh Gilmour (Heriot's FP), Scott Hastings (Watsonians), Duncan Hodge(Watsonians), John Kerr (Watsonians), Stuart Lang (Heriot's FP), Jamie Mayer (Watsonians), Cameron Murray (Hawick), Bryan Redpath (Melrose), Graham Shiel (Melrose), Tony Stanger (Hawick), Scott Welsh (Hawick).
Forwards - Mark Blair (Currie), Steve Brotherstone (Melrose), Darren Burns (Boroughmuir), Iain Fullartonn (Kelso), Carl Hogg (Melrose), Andy Lucking (Currie), Cameron Mather (Watsonians), Grant McKelvey (Watsonians), Ross McNulty (Boroughmuir}, Matthew Proudfoot(Melrose), Stuart Reid (Boroughmuir), Brian Renwick (Hawick), Adam Roxburgh (Kelso), Iain Sinclair (Watsonians), Barry Stewart (Edinburgh Academicals), Peter Wright (West of Scotland).
q Top Scots pull out of Australian tour - Page 36
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