With a year to go for the Commonwealth Games, Scotland are leaving no stone unturned. Their rugby 7s squad was in Delhi for a week-long training camp, which concluded on Saturday, to get used to the conditions.

“We brought our developing squad so that they can get an idea about the conditions here at this time of year. I’m sure this experience will give us an edge over other teams in the Commonwealth Games,” says coach Stephen Gemmell.

Gemmell expects at least 4 to 5 players from this squad to return next year, one of them being Scott Forrest. The 25-year-old plays for the Glasgow Warriors and is excited as he explains what the Commonwealth Games mean to him. “It’s the pinnacle for a rugby 7s player. The competition is tough — among the top teams, only US and Argentina don’t participate. We will settle for nothing less than a medal,” Forrest says.

The training, at the Hindu College ground, included gym sessions, practice and a few matches. Friday, however, was the most memorable, with rugby’s inclusion in the 2016 Olympics. And though Forrest is not sure whether he’ll make it to Rio, he is happy that rugby will be part of the world’s biggest sporting spectacle. “It doesn’t matter how many will go on to participate in 2016, but it’s a massive opportunity,” he says.

Gemmell said that this decision has made the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow a virtual dress rehearsal. Does he expect Indian ruggers at Rio? “You have to be realistic. We played against the Indian probables on Saturday and easily defeated them. But there is no reason they can’t compete. All they need is facilities,” Gemmell says.

... contd.