EDINBURGH RUGBY'S new scrum-half signing Ross Samson insists he hasn't re-crossed the border to make up numbers.
The 21-year-old former Newcastle Falcons academy prospect fills a gap left by Ben Meyer who is returning to New Zealand and, even though competition will be tough from new Lion Mike Blair and Greig Laidlaw, Samson, a sevens internationalist, says he
relishes the task of trying to disrupt the pecking order.
"It will be a massive challenge to compete with Mike, who is world class while Greig has to be respected having had a great couple of years at Edinburgh," says Samson, who learned his skills at Stewart's Melville College before heading to university on Tyneside and stands at 5ft 9in, weighing 13st 8lb.
"I have massive ambitions to play for Scotland but I know it is not going to be a quick process. As part of that I am in the ideal place to learn from the other scrum-halves and to try to improve as I go along.
"Andy Robinson wants me to be the best I can and, if I adopt the right attitude, which I intend to, then hopefully I can add to competition for the No.9 jersey.
"I have not come to Edinburgh not to be in the first team."
Despite playing entirely for Falcons' second string while also being farmed out to English national league division two side, Tynedale, Samson believes his professional career is only now taking off.
"I grew up watching Edinburgh and it was always an aim of mine to join the club at some stage. I had an opportunity a couple of years ago when Lynn Howells was coach but that didn't fit with my university history degree which has now been completed.
"The timing for returning home couldn't be better and I'll hope to draw on some positive experiences at Falcons.
"For example I was able to train regularly in the company of quality internationalists including Toby Flood, Jamie Noon, Matthew Tait and Johnny Wilkinson and all of them were prepared to put in extra stints after training helping out us younger lads."
Samson represented Falcons at Middlesex Sevens and has also turned out for the Barbarians, scoring a try at Raeburn Place when Edinburgh Academicals celebrated their 150th anniversary last year.
Mainly though, he has been playing for Tynedale which provided an insight into the sort of competition Scottish entrants will face in next season's new cross-border British Cup featuring English national league clubs.
"Tynedale's English Cup campaigns brought us up against the likes of Leeds Tykes, Bedford Blues and Manchester.
"No disrespect to Scottish rugby but the sheer depth of resources in England makes things more intense and the combined academy/back up team might have the best chance of success in the cross border tournament."
With every game Samson plays, though, he will feel grateful for treatment prescribed to help him over a potentially damaging injury a few years ago.
"As a member of the Stewart's Melville College squad around the same time as Dave McCall (ex Edinburgh), Lewis Calder (former Scotland under-20 captain) and Adrian Duncan (Gloucester) I was due to be on the bench for a schools' cup final but had to pull out due to a stress fracture of the spine.
"It was not as bad as it sounds and more to do with growing. In fact, it is quite common among young sportsmen.
"But I did have six months out undergoing a rest cure."
That mini-sabbatical seems to have made Samson, himself an age-group internationalist who was spotted by one-time Falcons coach John Fletcher playing for Edinburgh under-18s in the Borders, all the more determined to make up for lost time.
With every pass and tackle he will also be looking to ensure rugby's gain is tennis' loss.
"I was in an East of Scotland junior squad playing out of the St Serfs' and Next Generation clubs even being coached by Andy and Jamie Murray's mum, Judy.
"Temperamentally, I always felt more suited to team-sports like rugby and I'm determined to make the most of this chance."
The full article contains 706 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
