Anniversaries often provoke mixed emotions; they can be either celebrations or commemorations. For rugby fans in Scotland, 2008 brings a number of significant anniversaries. Last month marked a year since the collapse of the Scotland’s third professional rugby team - the Border Reivers. Later this month, the Border town of Melrose will celebrate its 125th annual seven’s tournament. And over the last weekend of May, Scotland will celebrate one year since the birth of a new tournament in Scotland - the Emirates Airline Edinburgh Sevens.

For Scott Forrest, these events hold a special significance. Within the space of two months he experienced the low point and pinnacle of his sporting career so far. Although playing most of his youth and amateur rugby in and around Glasgow, the versatile 23-year-old broke into professional rugby at the Border Reivers before he lost his job with the cataclysmic news that the team were to be disbanded at the end of the 2006-07 season. However, it was the 7’s game, which got him back on his feet, and back into the thick of the action.

Speaking to In The Winning Zone in the changing rooms at Murrayfeild, Forrest described how he bounced back from the shattering news that he was to be made redundant from the job, and sport, that he loves. He also reveals that the proceedings at the Borders led to him improving his game and maturing into the player he is today.

Forrest has experienced an abundance of international rugby in a Scotland shirt. He first represented Scotland at under-16 level, going on to play for the under-18 A, under-18, under-19, under-21 outfits. More recently, he has been involved in the IRB World Sevens Series, captaining Scotland for the last two years.

He came through the roots of his local rugby team, Cambuslang, before moving to Division 1 side Glasgow Hawks during his time with the Scotland Under-19 Squad. In his inaugural year at Glasgow Hawks, he entered into a winning mentality, and experienced his first taste of success.

“For the first half of the season I was playing for the second team and then I broke into the first team just after Christmas. In my first year of Premiership Division 1 rugby I won the league [Premiership Division 1] and the Scottish Cup out there on the main pitch [at Murrayfield] so that was pretty special.”

After another league winning year in the Glasgow Hawks first team, Forrest signed as an apprentice to Glasgow Warriors around his 21st birthday. After a struggle to get a start for the first team at Glasgow, he moved to the Borders to play for Hawick and sign for the Border Reivers in 2006.

Once he broke into the first team at the Borders, Forrest experienced a season of first team professional rugby, while also leading his country as captain of the Scotland Sevens team on the IRB World Sevens Series. It was arguably the high point of his rugby career. However, while in Hong Kong in March that year with the Scotland Seven’s team, he received the news that Border Reivers was to be disbanded and he was essentially going to be out of a job the next season, and unlikely to be playing rugby at a professional level.

Although not conceding the fact that the breakdown of the Border Reivers was an extremely tough time for everyone involved at the borders, Forrest believes the event was a turning point in his career. He could have easily lain down and let the event get the better of him. Instead, he worked harder and bounced back.

“I’m still pretty young so I figured that I had to jump back. It was a pretty big blow because I had been told that I was going to get another two years at the Borders just before it all closed down. There was only really one thing to do and that was to get on with things.”

And he did. Forrest stepped up to the mark, he trained harder and worked towards the final two events on the IRB World Sevens Series calendar: London and Edinburgh. Scotland reached the quarter final stages in London, and Forrest led his country to a victory over South Africa and another cup quarter final at Murrayfield – an experience he believes has been the pinnacle of his rugby career so far.

“Edinburgh was really special last year. It was the first time playing in the national stadium in front of a home crowd for a lot of the boys. I thought the crowd were amazing – especially against South Africa. I would say that it was one of the high points in my rugby career so far. We had never beaten a top four team in the world before, and do to it at Murrayfield in front of a home crowd was amazing.”

A quarter final spot in Edinburgh 2007 marked their fifth consecutive top 8 finish on the IRB World Sevens Series. Scotland, having continued this trend through the last 4 tournaments managed to reach 9 consecutive quarter finals. However, they have failed to come through any of the quarter finals victoriously. Forrest believes that the team need to step up a gear and break through the next barrier.

“When we first reached the quarter final stage it was as if we had gotten over our first hurdle and it was a pretty big thing. Obviously getting to 9 quarter finals in a row is a big thing. We got over the hurdle to reach our first quarter final, now we need to get over the next hurdle and reach a semi final. I think once we have achieved it, our mentality will change and we will begin to believe we can do it again.”

Forrest’s frequent involvement in the highest competition in world sevens has considerably improved his game. He believes that his one-on-one defence and attack are always improving, while his speed and fitness are continuously being tested. Having been a back-row player for his full career so far, he is currently going through the process of switching position to centre in the back line. Forrest hopes this new lease of life in the fifteen-a-side game will give him a chance at fighting for a place at either Edinburgh or Glasgow.

“This new change of position has given me a fresh start. Alan Tait mentioned it when I was at the Borders. I’m quite athletic and being involved with the 7s setup has helped. Andy Robinson also mentioned it to Stephen Gemmell and they both think it would be a good change.”

It is however the seven-a-side game that is at the forefront of his mind. It is nearing the end of the World Sevens Series and the last event on the tour takes place in Edinburgh. Forrest will lead his country into a packed Murrayfield on the last weekend in May – they may be yet to break the hurdle of the cup quarter final, but if there is a time and a place, it is in front of a home crowd in Edinburgh.

“The boys are looking forward to coming back to Murrayfield again. It’s not often you get to play for Scotland in front of a home crowd so it’s quite a big thing.”

IC
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