Meaty Reward For Top Training Scotland Players

Top butchers from throughout Scotland congregated at Murrayfield today to ensure Scotland’s star rugby players are fuelled by first class Scotch meat.

With just a few weeks to go before the Scotland squad departs for New Zealand, the players who have shown exceptional endeavour in training were awarded top class meat prizes by the butchers.

During the past few weeks Scotland coach Andy Robinson has identified four players as performing exceptionally well in training. The players were presented with vouchers for Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork during the pitch side ceremony.

The butchers, all members of the Scotch Butchers Club, had travelled to Murrayfield from as far afield as Fraserburgh, Montrose, Dalbeattie , Coldstream and Kemnay. With the countdown well underway to the team’s departure, the butchers were delighted to have the opportunity to wish the players good luck.

The players who received their meaty awards this week were Greig Laidlaw, Simon Danielli, Al Strokosch and Geoff Cross.

Scrum half Greig Laidlaw, a nephew of Scotland’s legendary scrum half Roy Laidlaw, won his first cap for Scotland in the opening EMC Autumn Test against New Zealand at Murrayfield in November 2010.

Prop Geoff Cross was named EMC Man of the Match for his part in Scotland's secure scrummaging in their win against Ireland last weekend.

Winger Simon Danielli, with 27 caps to his name, made a try-scoring start to his Scotland career when he crossed in the comprehensive win against Italy in the 2003 RWC Countdown Test.

Back row Alasdair Strokosch, who has 20 caps for Scotland, has the distinction of having played for Scotland in victories against England in three age grades and seven-a-side rugby as well as for Scotland A and in a Calcutta Cup match.

The butchers who had travelled from across the country to wish the players good luck and present the awards were Graham Sanderson and son Owen, of GJ Sanderson Family Butchers in Coldstream, Hebbie Fowlie of Bert Fowlie Butchers in Strichen; Annie Collie and grand-daughter Heather Barclay of A&G Collie Butchers, Kemnay, Aberdeenshire; Neill Watt of Watt the Butcher, Montrose and Alan Elliot and apprentice, Robert Dodd of Dalbeattie Fine Foods, Dalbeattie.

Jack Broussine, Marketing Executive with Quality Meat Scotland, which runs the Scotch Butchers Club, said the butchers had been delighted to get involved.

“Our butchers take an enormous pride in the quality of the Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork they serve and the opportunity to travel to Murrayfield to present the players with a delicious and nutritious award was one they didn’t want to miss.

“As well as ensuring the players are well fuelled with top Scotch meat, the butchers also extended their very best wishes to the players in the run-up to the departure of the team for New Zealand.”

Caption: Pictured with two of the top training award-winning Scotland rugby players, Geoff Cross and Greig Laidlaw, are from left, Owen Sanderson and his father, Graham, of GJ Sanderson Family Butchers in Coldstream; Hebbie Fowlie of Bert Fowlie Butchers in Strichen; Annie Collie and grand-daughter Heather Barclay of A&G Collie Butchers, Kemnay, Aberdeenshire; Neill Watt of Watt the Butcher, Montrose and Alan Elliot and apprentice, Robert Dodd of Dalbeattie Fine Foods, Dalbeattie.