Development XV - December 2024

[Cameo]

There has been a lot of talk recently about our issues bringing players through, and it has been all change with Nucifora, the end of S6, and some more A games and development games. I thought it would be good to track a 15 of players who, all going well, we hope will come through to real prominence in the next year or two.

It's very unscientific and there are nonreal criteria (either for current status or what I mean by real prominence), but I would of thought we should be hoping for many of the below being proper contenders for Scotland squads or teams in two years' time. If they are not, I hope it was because of bad luck or underwhelming performances rather than they've barely played a club game.

Forwards - not really worried about these apart from the front row - largely because Glasgow have done such a good job bringing forwards through.

1. Bad start - a position of okay strength for us but they are all getting on a bit - maybe Mikey Jones of Edinburgh
2. Gregor Hiddlestone - been getting lots of chances, amd taking them, something has gone wrong if he hasn't fully broken through in two years. If we were being more ambitious, could say Harri Morris or the other Blyth-Lafferty
3. Ollie Blyth-Lafferty - he'll still be very young for a prop but hopefully won't just be drifting along with the odd A game. Could really do with Murphy Walker coming through too.
4. Jare Oguntibeju - massive few weeks for him. I was a bit sceptical after the Sale game as thought he died a bitnin contact but his performance against Toulon was top draw for someone with so little rugby.
5. Alex Samuel - not counting Williamson as he is probably already first choice for Glasgow and not counting Henderson as he is in England, though really hope he gets an injury free spell.
6. Liam McConnel - Big hopes for him and already got an Edinburgh cap, but we know how hard it is for players to break through in the back row there. Euan Ferrie is the other one but a bit further along and I'm not worried about him getting chances.
7. Freddy Douglas - not forgotten Connor Boyle, but not immune to a bit of hype. Can be phased in slowly, but let's not waste years like we did with Darge and have done with Boyle.
8. Tom Currie - Not seen him play but seems to be rated. Anyone else at 8 (Mann has looked good but a bit older, and Muncaster a bit too established for this list though it has taken a long while).

Backs - Not so many obvious names here.

9. Ashfar - Doing very well. My worry, as always, is the backlog of 9s at Glasgow. I feel Dobie could have had two or three years of regular starts under his belt by now. Other one is McAlpine but the talk of an SA 9 coming to Edinburgh is not good for him.
10. Richie Simpson - big year for him once Jordan leaves. Always highly thought of but not highly enough to get any game time. Hopefully they find an easier game or two to give him a chance this year.
11. Jacob Henry - I think he's on loan this year. Others include Sweeney and Amena Caqusau. You'd have thought wing would be a relatively easy position to give youth a chance (half of New Zealand's wingers peak in their mid twenties), but we seem to struggle to find anyone worth giving minutes to and prefer playing people out of position.
12. Duncan Munn - perennially promising - never playing.
13. Kerr Yule - think he is probably more of a 12 but another who seems to have been getting mentions for a long time without appearing much. Think Ben Salmon is a 13 but don't know anything about him.
14. See 11
15. Paterson - I know he has a few caps so doesn't really belomg here but could either have faded out the picture in a few years or be a solid international. Can't think of any real youngsters.

A bit thin on the ground in some positions in the backs. I know I'll have missed some and we don't need a top international in every position in each year group, but a bit worrying how long it is since a young wing came through for example.

Any glaring omissions? Any thoughts on what it'll take for some of those backs (or props) to break through?

[Mikey Brown]

Thanks for doing this. I can't contribute much (other than the endless concerns about front row depth) but will be interested to see what other names pop up.

It's great that some of the Glasgow guys in the back 5 of the scrum are starting to stand up at this level. It felt like Sykes and Hodgson were the next hopes at lock for a while and neither now seem to look like internationals in the making.

[septic 9]

Thanks for doing this. I can't contribute much (other than the endless concerns about front row depth) but will be interested to see what other names pop up.

It's great that some of the Glasgow guys in the back 5 of the scrum are starting to stand up at this level. It felt like Sykes and Hodgson were the next hopes at lock for a while and neither now seem to look like internationals in the making.

Hodgson did improve but TBH was never going to be more than a pro team squad player. Sykes has been the big disappointment. Taken from Glasgow academy to Edinburgh to play 6 according to Cockerill!
Before he moved he looked like the big hard B we always want at lock, and a very good player with it. And ready to move up. A few years later he has basically not moved on. Not seen this week's massacre of Bayonne but hear he really stepped up. Needs to do that consistently against better sides
And not sure if Gregor Brown isn't on the initial list because he is "established", but he is also a genuine back row option

[septic 9]

15. Paterson - I know he has a few caps so doesn't really belomg here but could either have faded out the picture in a few years or be a solid international. Can't think of any real youngsters.

Back 3 - Fergus Watson at Glasgow worth watching. Looked really exciting runner at U20. Big lad as well, still 19.

[septic 9]

10. Richie Simpson - big year for him once Jordan leaves. Always highly thought of but not highly enough to get any game time. Hopefully they find an easier game or two to give him a chance this year.

agree on Simpson

Mathew Unwin also in Warriors academy also looks a talent (again still just 19) while Isaac Coates has been above both for U20 at times (although his eligibility may not stretch to senior Scotland). I'm backing one of the Warriors lads to break through

[switchskier]

Sweeney is a fullback isn't he? Know he's had a tough time with injuries and you play someone when they're ready, not when they hit a certain age, but he needs games. Heard promising things though.

Who's the young wing at Ealing? Looked good for the U20's though possibly a yard short of pace?

[septic 9]

Sweeney is a fullback isn't he? Know he's had a tough time with injuries and you play someone when they're ready, not when they hit a certain age, but he needs games. Heard promising things though.

Who's the young wing at Ealing? Looked good for the U20's though possibly a yard short of pace?

Geordie Gwynn

[Cameo]

Thanks for doing this. I can't contribute much (other than the endless concerns about front row depth) but will be interested to see what other names pop up.

It's great that some of the Glasgow guys in the back 5 of the scrum are starting to stand up at this level. It felt like Sykes and Hodgson were the next hopes at lock for a while and neither now seem to look like internationals in the making.

Hodgson did improve but TBH was never going to be more than a pro team squad player. Sykes has been the big disappointment. Taken from Glasgow academy to Edinburgh to play 6 according to Cockerill!
Before he moved he looked like the big hard B we always want at lock, and a very good player with it. And ready to move up. A few years later he has basically not moved on. Not seen this week's massacre of Bayonne but hear he really stepped up. Needs to do that consistently against better sides
And not sure if Gregor Brown isn't on the initial list because he is "established", but he is also a genuine back row option

Yeah, that's the only reason I didn't include Brown. With the exception of Douglas, I was trying to avoid capped players. I'm a bit fan of his though - hope he can stay fit.

Heard the same re Sykes.

A lot of people seem to be dismissing Hodgson completely (not accusing you). I've not seen anything to suggest he is going to be a top player, but we shouldn't dismiss the value of a bit of strength in depth in those attritional positions.