Teen and eager for the big time

Scotland's U20 team mirrored the senior side in winning one match and drawing another in the junior version of the Six Nations, even if they saved their worst till last, going down to Ireland by 44-15. Those 15 points came courtesy of Alex Blair's boot and the youngest of the Blair brothers is currently the subject of a tug o'war between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Edinburgh already have David Blair and Phil Godman on their books, although the rumour mill suggests that the latter has yet to sign a new contract. Presuming he does, Alex Blair would start next season as third choice fly-half and find himself in direct competition with his older brother if he insists on playing at ten. If he is looking for some sort of guarantee on first team game time then he may be tempted by Glasgow.

The Warriors are struggling to find a replacement for Dan Parks, who is moving to the Cardiff Blues this summer. Ayr's Kiwi playmaker Frazier Climo, whom Glasgow are courting, is struggling to meet eligibility criteria due to the type of visa he has. Glasgow can still turn to the versatile Colin Gregor, and Ruaridh Jackson, and coach Sean Lineen recently signed Hawks' Duncan Weir, 18, who replaced Blair at fly-half halfway through that U20 match against Ireland.

Weir arguably controls a match better. Like Parks, he is a tactician with a huge boot that ensures his team invariably plays in the right areas of the field even if he does not pose too much of a threat with the ball in hand.

That is not something that anyone can say about Alex Blair. He is an instinctive player with scorching pace and even his fiercest critics concede that he has the "X factor", the ability to carve open the meanest defence. Scotland's juniors scored six tries in total in the recent championship and Blair had a hand in five of them, claiming two touchdowns himself and creating three more for others to finish off: his influence is huge.

However he does make mistakes, too many according to some observers. Alex Blair's rugby character can be compressed into one small cameo against England when he broke from deep and ran 60 yards before dropping the ball over the England line in the act of scoring.

Little wonder that the fly-half is one of those "Marmite" players who divide opinion, something which is immediately apparent when talking to the U20 assistant coaches Craig Chalmers and Peter Wright. The latter has strong ideas about who the team will choose going forward, favouring the player from the Glasgow club where he coaches.

"We had a sit-down after the Ireland game and the feeling was that, were we to pick the World Championship team tomorrow, then Duncan Weir would have every chance of starting at fly-half although Alex Blair would probably get a start elsewhere."

It's a valid point, and one that most forwards might espouse, but it is not a view shared by Chalmers. "We stuck with Alex Blair throughout the Six Nations and I think he should continue at fly-half," says the man who knows a thing or two about the position. "We'll let Peter pick the props!

"Alex is a very laid back character but he is still the one that every player wants in the team because he makes things happen. He did drop the ball over the English line but it's not a mistake that he will make again."

Whether or not Alex Blair is the answer to Scotland's fly-half woes only time will tell but two other midfielders, Alex Dunbar and Jonny Kennedy, already have professional experience under their belts, with Glasgow and Sale respectively, while fullback Tom Brown was drafted onto Edinburgh's bench on Friday evening.

In the forwards Stuart McInally is undoubtedly one solution to Edinburgh's lack of No.8 forwards. The U20 skipper has already signed for his home town club and he looks likely to see plenty of action next season regardless of who is fit. Wright also does as Chalmers suggests and picks the two of his props for bigger and better things.

"Colin Phillips and George Hunter are two big tightheads who did well this season," says Wright. "They are both a year young so they will appear again in this side next year but they stepped up well. Philips is the better scrummager, weighing in at about 124kg (19 stones) while Hunter is more of an athlete whose tall frame has yet to fill out. Both boys have a lot to learn but with hard work they might make it."

Two second rows in Stirling County's Grant Gilchrist and Rob Harley from West of Scotland are also capable of greater things according to their forward coach. The former is a strapping 6' 7" tall and, although shorter, his second row partner Harley is one of the most consistent players in the U20 squad; a real workhorse.

All the juniors have one more opportunity to convince the pro-team coaches that they are worth a punt next season. While Scotland are playing Argentina this June, the U20 team will be engaged in a World Championships in the same country. They are in a tough pool with England, Australia and Tonga and any young Scot who can thrive in that testing environment will have earned the right to play pro-rugby.