As part of a number of changes to the way in which Scottish Rugby structures its Performance Player Development Programme, seven "Elite Development" players have been aligned to Glasgow Warriors to further assist in their progress.

Winner of the 2010 Macphail Scholarship, Finlay Gillies, will now train alongside the Warriors as part of the club's Elite Development Squad.

Players on the programme (which is the successor to the National Academy) are now linked more directly to the Warriors while clubs and schools will also play a greater role in their development.

Also, for the first time, selection of players for the programme has involved the Scotland team and pro-team coaches, in addition to Scottish Rugby's performance staff and Scotland age-grade coaches.

Stephen Gemmell, Scottish Rugby's Head of Player Development, said: "We believe the newly structured programme will give our best young prospects the opportunity to develop and respond in a positive way to the many challenges they will face.

"It's clearly important that they are immersed in the professional set-up so our Elite Development players will be part of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors squads."

"But we also recognise that the greater the integration into an environment where they can be challenged more often, the better, and clubs have a major role to play there.

"The changes to the league structure will mean that games will be more competitive week in, week out and, working alongside the Premier clubs, we are committed that the Elite Development players will play for those clubs until at least the December break. Thereafter the representative programme commences in which most of these players will be involved.

"They will also train with their clubs on both Tuesday and Thursday nights during the season."

Ally Donaldson, coach of Scotland's champion club, Currie and head coach of last season's Scotland Club International side, welcomed the initiative.

"I think everyone involved in the club game will agree it's a positive step," he said. "These guys need to be playing rugby to develop and it seems to be the case this season that their programmes will be based on their involvement with the clubs rather than the other way around."

Gemmell described the selection process for the programme as a key component in Scottish Rugby's succession planning. "The fact we have coaches at every level involved in choosing players for the programme means that identifying the next generation of pro and national players will be improved," he declared.

Beneath the 16 Elite Development players, there are 32 players in the Regional Academy. They receive guidance on strength, conditioning and nutrition in addition to other support from the sportscotland Institute of Sport network. These players' individual programmes will be managed by Scottish Rugby's Regional Academy Coaches.

Gemmell added: "The way in which we are now structured means that a player from the Regional Academy could be promoted during the course of a season to the Elite Development group.

"Players in the Regional Academy are also aligned to either of the pro-teams and, where appropriate, they will have some interaction with the pro-teams during the course of the season."

Performance Player Development Programme
 
Elite Development Players: Glasgow Warriors
Nick Campbell (Glasgow Hawks), Michael Doneghan (Stirling County), Finlay Gillies (Heriot's), Kerr Gossman (Glasgow Hawks), Stuart Hogg (Hawick), George Hunter (Glasgow Hawks) and James Johnstone (Currie)

Elite Development Players: Edinburgh
Chris Bloomfield (Currie), Tom Brown (Currie), Struan Dewar (Heriot's), Grant Gilchrist (Stirling County), Robin Hislop (Boroughmuir), Gregor Hunter (Heriot's), Nicky Little (Melrose), Colin Philips (Stewart's-Melville) and Alun Walker (Currie)

Regional Academy Players
Adam Ashe (Alva Academy/Stirling County), Sam Atkin (Edinburgh Accies), Chris Barnes (Glasgow HS/Glasgow Hawks), Mark Bennett (Ayr), Murray Beckwith (Marr College/Ayr), Magnus Bradbury (Oban HS/Oban Lorne), Michael Crawley (Stewart's-Melville FP), Matthew Douglas (Hawick HS/Hawick Albion), Jamie Farndale (Edinburgh Academy), Dougie Fife (Currie), Danny Gilmour (Stirling County), Alex Glashan (Edinburgh Academy), Johnny Gray (Calderglen HS/Cambuslang), Kris Hamilton (Caithness), George Horne (Strathallan School/Howe of Fife), Rory Hughes (GHA), Craig Jackson (Melrose), Sean Kennedy (Stirling County), Harry Leonard (Boroughmuir), Robert McAlpine (West of Scotland), Murray McConnell (West of Scotland), Sean McDonald (Dunblane HS/Stirling County), Adam Redmayne (Dundee HSFP), Adam de Ste Croix (Boroughmuir), Matthew Scott (Currie), Alex Spence (Heriot's), Scott Steele (Merchiston Castle/Dumfries Saints), Jamie Swanson (Boroughmuir), Callum Templeton (Dumfries HS/Dumfries Saints), George Turner (Stewart's-Melville FP), Robbie Wilson (Dunbar GS/Dunbar), Ruaridh Young (Loretto/Musselburgh).

Aviva Premiership side Sale Sharks will visit Firhill on Friday 20 August (kick-off 7.30pm) in what will be the club's only home pre-season friendly.

Tickets are available now by CLICKING HERE or by calling 0844 800 3490, priced £10 for adults and £5 for under-18s and concessions.

Season ticket holders will receive THREE briefs for the game, one for themselves and two for friends or family (on a like-for-like basis).

SEASON TICKETS, INCLUDING THE FANTASTIC BAND OF WARRIORS DEAL (where an adult and child can watch all the Magners League and Heineken Cup action for just £200) ARE AVAILABLE NOW. CLICK HERE TO BUY.