EDINBURGH'S Neil Cochrane claims to have moved a step nearer a major rugby ambition which could prove a stepping stone to more senior Scotland honours.
The 24-year-old former Boroughmuir and Watsonians flanker, who will shortly move from Rotherham Earth Titans to their full-time English National League Division One rivals Doncaster Knights on a two-year deal, says: "It has always been my aim to exp
erience the English Premiership rugby and, while I've had great times at Rotherham, present circumstances suggest I'll have more chance of reaching my immediate goal at Doncaster.
"Resources are such at Doncaster that I'll be able to play full-time for the first time in my career and I've always wanted to see what that will do for the standards I try to set myself.
"It is certainly a vote of confidence in my abilities to be offered a full-time deal and I intend to use that positively."
Lynn Howells is one of those in charge at Knights and Cochrane, an ex-Scotland under-21 captain, says it was a chat with the former Edinburgh coach which sold the idea of the move to him.
"There are big plans for Doncaster including a 15,000 capacity ground featuring a new grandstand and Lynn is very much at the heart of driving the club forward.
"I have enjoyed myself at Rotherham over three years.
"As well as finishing fourth in my first season we finished runners-up in 2006-07 to Leeds and just missed promotion by five points but my future seems to lie at Doncaster.
"They have a great infrastructure and if I can contribute to getting them into the Premiership there could be benefits all round.
"It's difficult being down here and not in either of the (two) Scottish professional outfits.
"But if you are in England the Premiership is where a player can turn heads.
"I have never put the idea of representing Scotland at as high a level as possible out of my mind so, while there is work to be done, I hope I can eventually start focusing on getting into the A squad as a preliminary step to representing my country again.
"By the time my contract at Doncaster – I start on April 26 – expires I'll be 26 years old so the next couple of years are going to be important in shaping where I'm going rugby-wise. I'm absolutely delighted to have been given a full-time opportunity by a very ambitious club."
The full article contains 424 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
