Tough campaigns in the past with Scotland under-20s made this week’s World Rugby Trophy triumph “all the sweeter”, says Aberdonian Andrew McLean.
The young Scots defeated USA 48-10 in the final at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh on Wednesday evening to clinch promotion back into the 12-team top-tier Championship for 2025.
Before that Scotland had beaten Samoa by a record score of 123-15 in Pool A and then followed it up by seeing off Hong Kong China 101-0 and Japan 46-10.
Stand-off McLean, the 19-year-old who has previously played at Aberdeen Grammar, Robert Gordon’s College and Gordonians, contributed 29 points versus Samoa, 21 versus Japan and two against USA and can be happy with his contribution over the piece.
“I am buzzing to have played my part in this tournament win,” he said after the match, proudly wearing his winners’ medal.
“This was my fourth competition in total with the under-20s – two Six Nations and two World Rugby Trophys – and there have been some tough ones, so that makes this success feel all the sweeter.
“Last year we lost out to Uruguay in this competition and that was tough to take, while there have been some harsh lessons in the Six Nations, but the build up to this event went very well and we felt in a a good place coming into it.
“The results have been good and we are most pleased about the fact that we stepped things up when we had to against tougher opponents like Japan and USA – our fitness began to tell in those games.
“In terms of myself, there were ups and downs during the tournament, but that will happen as a stand-off and, generally, I was just happy to contribute to these positive results and tried my best to get the team moving in attack.
“I will be too old for the under-20s next year, so it is exciting to leave the young guys with a place in the Championship – and that is where Scotland needs to be.”
McLean’s rugby future unclear as he hails family and friends’ ‘big support’
McLean will now take a well-deserved rest before he firms up his next rugby move.
Most recently he was playing for Boroughmuir Bears in the part-time professional Super Series, but the competition has been disbanded.
McLean may dip back into the Premiership where he used to play with Glasgow Hawks, but he is going to be based in Edinburgh as he starts up at the University of Edinburgh to study international business.
And after a busy couple of weeks with four games in Edinburgh with the under-20s, McLean saved the last word for his north-east based family and friends.
He was representing the area along with Seb Stephen, and McLean said: “My family and friends are such a big support to me, they have clocked up the miles up and down to Edinburgh during this tournament and it was great that they could share in this success with me.
“I am really grateful for their support, I really am.”
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