David Denton arrived at Edinburgh for season 2010/11 on the back of a succession of compelling performances for the Scotland under-20 team during their 2010 Six Nations campaign.
Having been in contention for selection all season, Denton rose to the fore with impressive displays against both Ospreys and Connacht and ultimately earning his first Scotland cap as a replacement in the Rugby World Cup warm-up victory over Ireland (10-6) in the summer of 2011.
Having narrowly missed a place on the plane to New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup, Denton turned his focus to the club and has been one of the stand-out performers of the season.
After being rewarded with a two-year contract extension in October, Denton continued his trademark dominance with the ball in hand long into the RaboDirect PRO12 and Heineken Cup season; so much so that he earned a return to the Scotland set-up in January and, in his first start for his country, was named man of the match in the nation's opening match of the 2012 RBS 6 Nations at Murrayfield Stadium.
Denton continued to set the stage alight, earning selection in all the nation's matches in the tournament and a nomination for the competition's top player award - an impressive feat for a player who had played just seven professional matches at the start of the season.
He attended Kingswood College in South Africa before progressing to Edinburgh University to study economics. He has played rugby for Eastern Province in South Africa and the Scottish National Academy. Furthermore, he has participated in provincial and national water polo and provincial swimming. He started all of Scotland's matches at the 2010 IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina.
Able to switch between the blind-side flank and the number 8 when required, Zimbabwe-born Denton qualifies to play for Scotland courtesy of his mother.
