Young Borders talents view B&I Cup as springboard to professional game

TWO of club rugby’s most talented young half-backs are gearing up for the British and Irish Cup in the hope that it can act as a springboard to a professional career.

Lee Millar has been a cornerstone of the Gala resurgence in the past three years, the Elgin youngster having joined the Netherdale club while studying at Borders College and gone on to become one of the most influential fly-halves in the club arena. At 21, he is now working for club sponsor Dalgleish’s in the motor trade, but admitted that a pro contract remains a goal.

On Saturday, he is hoping to come face-to-face with former Scotland stand-off Phil Godman as Gala play London Scottish to Netherdale, before heading to Llanelli next week and also tackling Moseley in later rounds. Godman was the match-winner in last week’s Championship win over Cornish Pirates, but Scottish may rest key players in the B&I Cup.

“I hope he [Godman] is playing because it would be a great experience to challenge myself against a former internationalist,” said Millar at yesterday’s launch on the Scotland-England border.

“I’m looking forward to it and would love to get one up on him. I want to play professionally and so this will be a good test of where I am and how much further I still have to go to get to that level.

“But I’m sure it will be a big eye-opener for a lot of the guys, more physical and quicker than the rugby we’re used to. There is a bit of nerves and a lot of excitement, but I’m sure when we get on the pitch it will be just another game.

“Our main goal last season was to get into the British and Irish Cup spots, and we can take a lot of experience from that success last season We haven’t spoken about it this season really, until the weekend there, but we’ve had a good start and have come on to a good game.”

Melrose kick off away to Doncaster on Saturday, with Llandovery coming to the Greenyards next week and Nottingham again in their pool. Their 21-year-old scrum-half Bruce Colvine, a former Scotland U20s squad member, was made redundant as an electrician only last week, so he has more reason than many to hope that the B&I Cup will provide a platform to the pro game.

“Obviously, being successful with Melrose is the first aim,” he said, “but being a pro is still the big target. It was disappointing to lose my job but that’s typical for a lot of people right now, and I’m hopeful of finding something, but I couldn’t wish to be at a better club to try and become a professional player. Fraser Thomson and Bruce Dick have gone on to become EDPs [Elite Development Players] with Glasgow and so that shows that it’s possible, and I think a competition like this widens the shop window.

“We played last year at Leinster in front of scouts, so this gives players at this level the chance to get out there and get your name known.

“It is also a great way to measure yourself against professional outfits, and to see how other countries are developing, how our training and facilities compare to theirs, and where we can improve.

“We know it’s going to be tough, but there’s no point in focusing too much on Doncaster. We need to concentrate on us and our game and what we’re going to do down there.

“Our league form has been pretty good, but this is a different tournament and it’s now about what we can achieve against different clubs. This is a chance for us to show that Melrose as a club, even if we are semi-pro, can challenge with some of the best in British and Irish rugby.”