Stephen Gemmell, the Scotland 7s head coach , will have a final opportunity to look at World Cup squad candidates this weekend in the opening round of the FIRA-AER Euro Sevens at Matmut Stadium in Lyon.
The squad for the IRB Sevens World Cup in Moscow from June 28-30 is to be announced next week
The European Sevens series has grown into a strong competition and the first round, in Lyon for a third successive year, has attracted several top sides, for a vital warm-up event ahead of the Moscow World Cup. Scotland are in Pool B with IRB World Series teams, Portugal and France, as well as Russia. Each team plays four pool games today and one tomorrow before going into the knock-out stages at cup, plate and bowl levels.
Gemmell has made changes from the squad that secured World Series core status in London four weeks ago, opting to rest Colin Gregor, Lee Jones, Michael Fedo and Colin Shaw and bringing in the likes of the London Scottish full-back Jim Thompson, Edinburgh Accies forwards Nyle Godsmark and Callum Reid and the Jed-Forest flyer Lewis Young.
"Callum [Reid] and Nyle [Godsmark] played well last weekend in Wales and we said we'd offer this opportunity to the two best forwards in that competition. I'm also looking forward to seeing how Lewis [Young] copes. He has continued to train well since just missing out on selection for Glasgow and London" said Gemmell. Joe Nayacavou, a Fijian serving with the Royal Scots, has joined the squad in place of Struan Dewer, who has a leg injury.
Scotland will play France (11.06am), Germany (12.54pm), Portugal (4.10pm) and Italy (5.58pm) today and face Russia at 11.06am tomorrow before moving into the knock-out stages.
team. Scotland 7s (FIRA-AER tournament, Matmut Stadium, Lyon, today & tomorrow; players are Scotland 7s-contracted unless stated) Joe Nayacavou (Royal Scots), Chris Dean (Scotland 7s EDP), Michael Maltman, Nyle Godsmark (Edinburgh Accies), Callum Reid (Edinburgh Accies), Lewis Young, Alex Glashan (Scotland 7s EDP), Jim Thompson (London Scottish), Mark Robertson, Andrew Turnbull (capt), James Fleming, James Johnstone
Pool A England, Spain, Wales, Georgia, Ukraine, Romania Pool B Portugal, France, Russia, Scotland, Italy, Germany
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