Scotland sevens contract for Test winger Hoyland
Damien Hoyland during an Edinburgh training session in 2024
- Published
Former Test winger Damien Hoyland is one of six contracted players as Scotland launch a men's sevens programme.
It will be run by Scottish Rugby and will also oversee the men's and women's Great Bitain sevens teams prior to World Series events.
Hoyland, who made his Scotland debut in 2015 and has previously played for Edinburgh, joins after featuring in Major League Rugby in the USA for Old Glory DC.
Josh Radcliffe, a 22-year-old Australian-born sevens player who qualifies for Scotland through his father and has recently been playing for New Zealand Universities, is also included.
Great Britain Sevens players Finn Callaghan - who came through the Glasgow Academy - Matt Davidson, who has played for Edinburgh, and Watsonians' Roan Frostwick are among the six.
Jacob Henry - a former Scotland Under-20s player who featured in the 2022 Commonwealth Games - is the final member of the squad.
The programme will be run by Ciaran Beattie, who was previously head coach of Scotland sevens and has led Great Britain sevens since Scotland, England and Wales combined to compete on the World Series.
The core contracted players will be complemented by others from outside, including from Glasgow and Edinburgh's professional academies.
It was announced in May that the GB men and women's full-time sevens programme would be scrapped in July, with no more permanent contracts and players instead coming together to play on the World SVNS Series.
The unions say the decision was driven by financial pressures and a bid to improve the crossover with the 15-a-side game.
The GB women's sevens programme will operate predominantly out of England and Wales with players from all three countries able to be nominated for selection.
Scottish Rugby performance director David Nucifora said: "The Sevens World Series is an excellent opportunity to expose our players to international rugby and better prepare them for the demands of professional rugby.
"The new model allows us to develop young Scottish players in a full-time training environment prior to exposing them to the world stage by competing for Great Britain."