TWO rising stars within the youth section of Dunfermline Rugby Club were recently given the chance to pull on a Scotland jersey.

Andrew Storie and Mackenzie Timmins, who are both part of the McKane Park colts squad, were selected to play for a Scotland 'Blues' under-18 team for a match with a Wales 'Celts' team earlier this month.

Two squads representing each country – a Scotland 'Reds' also played a Wales 'Druids' side -– took to the pitch on March 5, at Edinburgh Rugby's DAM Health Stadium, located next to BT Murrayfield.

The matches were held in preparation for the next Scotland under-18s match, which will be away to Wales this Sunday, and is their last fixture before that age group's Six Nations campaign begins in a tournament in Ireland on April 8.

Andrew and Mackenzie's selection comes after they, last month, were picked to play for a Glasgow Warriors under-18s side against their Edinburgh counterparts, having impressed sufficiently after representing their Caledonia region, one of four - alongside Edinburgh and the East, Glasgow and the West, and the Borders - across the country.

For the Edinburgh and Glasgow match, players from the Glasgow and West and Caledonia regions, and the Edinburgh and East and Borders, are selected for each team and Andrew's dad Kevin, who is also involved with the club, commented: "They've both done well and they're now in the wider training squad for the Scotland under-18s.

"That's building towards at Six Nations tournament round about Easter time, when the squad will be whittled down to about 30. They're both delighted and happy to still be in the process. They weren't expecting much at all to make it past Caledonia selection but, once they did that, they've just gone on and on.

"It's really good. It's fantastic for the club as well; we're certainly one of the smallest clubs that's putting players forward.

"We continue to go from strength to strength. Our under-15s currently have around 15 players going to the regional selection at their age, which is by far the largest number of players we've had involved at that stage.

"Looking forward, it's just going to be better and better."

In addition, at under-16 level, Torran Baylock was chosen to play for Caledonia Saltires, in three short matches against teams from other regions, in the under-16 FOSROC Academy festival over the same weekend, whilst Dunfermline's under-16 and under-15 boys teams recently progressed to the semi-finals of the Saltire Energy Caledonia Cup.

Gavin Emerson, head coach of the men's first XV, said: "I think the youth set up, for male and female, at Dunfermline is very, very good, very strong, and has a good future."

As well as those call-ups, former Dunfermline player, Elliann Clarke, and her sister, Rhea, are in the Scotland women's squad for the 2023 TikTok Women's Six Nations.

The pair, who currently play for the University of Edinburgh, are in the pool for the tournament, which begins this weekend, with the Scots travelling south to play England at Newcastle's Kingston Park.

Meanwhile, Dunfermline will be hosting an Easter camp for boys and girls from P1-P7 next month.

It will be held on April 3-7, from 9am-3pm, at McKane, and costs £10 a day, or £40 for the full week, with siblings going half price.

For more details, contact Matthew Wilson, the club's rugby development officer, by emailing Matthew.drfcdevelopment@gmail.com, or by visiting the club's Facebook page.