White to continue as Scots captain

EDINBURGH, Scotland -- Jason White has been confirmed as Scotland's captain for the Six Nations Championship.

White, who led the side for the first time in 2005's autumn test matches, missed the 2007 Six Nations because of injury but captained the Scots at the World Cup.

Coach Frank Hadden, who has named a 35-man squad which will start training next week, said that White's position as captain was never in doubt.

He said: "Jason is a key figure for us. He sets the tone as a leader both on and off the field and I look forward to working with him again during this season's championship."

Twenty two members of the squad are home based, including six uncapped player.

The sextet are Edinburgh backs Ben Cairns, Nick De Lucas and Cal um Mac Rae, Glasgow wing Thom Evans and prop Moray Low and Edinburgh back-row forward Ross Ronnie.

Cairns, 22, a product of the Scotland age group set-up and Scotland Sevens, is with the seniors for the first time, while wing Simon Danielli returns after missing the World Cup through injury.

Hadden said: "I continue to be impressed with the competition for places in the squad.

"A number of players have maintained their good form from the World Cup but they are going to be pushed extremely hard by some of our young, up-and- coming talent in the next few weeks."

World Cup squad players who miss out are lock Scott Murray, prop Craig Smith and hooker Scott Lawson but Hadden there would be chances for them and other contenders outside the training squad, to push for places.

Center Marcus Di Rollo has chosen to make himself available exclusively for his French club, Toulouse, during this season's championship, but he vowed to compete for his Scotland place again in the future.

Di Rollo said: "Making myself unavailable for Scotland for this year's Six Nations Championship was not a decision I took lightly.

"After a period of injury and transition from Scotland to France I felt it would be beneficial for my game to take some time to settle into my new club." E-mail to a friend