Three Academy stars to watch in pre-season

• 16 July 2019
• Features

With pre-season now in full flow, the squad were this week bolstered by the inclusion of several Fosroc Scottish Rugby Academy players who will look to make a mark this coming campaign.

Name: Connor Boyle

Age: 19

Position: Back-row

A former pupil at the city’s Stewart’s Melville College, Boyle joined Watsonians at the beginning of the 2018/19 season where he established himself as a key man for the Myreside outfit.

Boyle was named Scotland U20 captain ahead of the 2019 U20 Six Nations and led from the front in a campaign where he started all five matches, scoring two tries in the process.

His international form continued into the World Rugby U20 Championship where his ability as a leader was once again on show despite a disappointing tournament for the age-grade side. The back-row currently studies International Management at Heriot Watt University.

Name: Jack Blain

Age: 19

Position: Wing

Capital-born Blain has risen through the age-grade ranks, representing Scotland at U16, U18, U19 and U20 levels.

Last season the athletic winger became the first player born in 2000 to represent Edinburgh when he faced Bath in a pre-season friendly at Meggetland, while he made his full debut in March’s Guinness PRO14 match against Benetton.

Having made his Scotland U20 debut against Italy in the opening match of the 2019 U20 Six Nations, Blain went on to enjoy an ever-present year representing the thistle and scored a number of memorable tries – one of which came in the 27-20 win over Wales at Meggetland.

Name: Roan Frostwick

Age: 19

Position: Scrum-half

A product of North Berwick RFC, tenacious scrum-half Frostwick has been a mainstay in the Scottish Rugby age-grade system since representing the thistle at U16 level.

Now a key man for capital side Currie Chieftains, Frostwick has developed in the number nine jersey and made his Scotland U20 debut against Italy in the opening match of the 2019 U20 Six Nations.

Frostwick cemented himself as a starter at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Argentina, starting four out of five fixtures.