Hannah Dunnett gets Scotland call-up for Under-18 Six Nations festival
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Caithness rugby player Hannah Dunnett has been selected to play for Scotland in the inaugural Under-18 Six Nations festival.
The Thurso High pupil is the sole standard-bearer from the north in the 26-strong squad taking part in the event, which gets under way in Edinburgh on Saturday.
The 16-year-old's Caithness club colleague Morven Thomson has been named as a standby reserve and will be called up in the event of an injury or illness.
The pair have been involved in a series of sessions and get-togethers at Murrayfield and the national sports training centre at Inverclyde as part of the training squad of 32.
Hannah's dad, local businessman Sinclair, who coaches the Caithness girls' teams, said: "She's absolutely delighted – she's over the moon."
He said his delight for her daughter is tempered by his disappointment at Morven having just missed the cut.
Hannah got the bug for rugby as a six-year-old as a Caithness mini and has graduated through the club's youth ranks.
At the end of last month she played for Caithness under-18s in the final of the Scottish national girls' Shield, when they lost out 36-19 to Dundee.
Hannah, 17 later this month, is due to meet up with the rest of the squad on Thursday to prepare for their three matches on the back pitches of BT Murrayfield and Edinburgh Rugby's DAM Health Stadium.
Sinclair Dunnett said: "After they meet up, they have to stay in their own bubble for the rest of the eight days. They are not allowed to leave the camp.
"It's partly because of Covid and partly to give them a feel of being part of a professional set-up."
The festival starts on Saturday when Scotland have 35-minute games versus Wales and Italy.
They will meet Italy again on Wednesday for a 35-minute each-way match.
