Ruaridh Jackson is a confident, multi-talented stand-off who has developed into a key figure for both Glasgow Warriors and Scotland, having learned much in both environments from one-time Firhill favourite Dan Parks.

His selection for the 2011 Rugby World Cup gave him a first opportunity to showcase his gifts on the global stage as part of an eight-strong Warriors contingent picked to go to New Zealand.

Jackson signed for Glasgow Warriors in May 2008 and marked his first starting appearance with a fine display against Bath in the Heineken Cup match at The Rec in December the same year.

He made his international debut as a second-half substitute for Parks in the opening EMC Autumn Test against New Zealand at Murrayfield in November 2010. Two years earlier he made his Scotland A debut as full back in the win against Georgia by 69-3 at Firhill, Glasgow.

For his second Scotland A match, against the Irish three months later at the RDS, Dublin, he was in his favoured position at stand-off, scoring a conversion and a penalty goal. Two weeks later he was at inside centre in the 22-all draw with Italy in the A international at McDiarmid Park, Perth. Three more Scotland A appearances followed in June 2009, when he scored 26 points in starting at stand-off in the wins against Russia and France A in the IRB Nations Cup success in Bucharest. Jackson has since represented Scotland A in two games against Ireland A and Italy A in 2010.

Before joining Warriors, Jackson had played international rugby at under-18, under-19, and under-20 levels as well as 7s. His first appearance for Scotland 7s was in the opening tournament of the 2006/07 IRB Sevens World Series in Dubai. He was in the squad also for the subsequent tournament in George (South Africa) and the series finale at Murrayfield. In October 2007 he was in the Rugby Ecosse Scotland squad in the Singapore sevens, and that was followed with selection for the IRB Sevens World Series tournaments in Dubai and George.

In Dubai he had a try in each of three successive matches, including the late score that took the Scots through to a 17-12 win against France. He followed up with a try against the Arabian Gulf in a 27-5 win that took Scotland into the Cup quarter-finals, and he improved on that tournament tally by scoring four in George, where Scotland reached their seventh successive IRB Cup quarter-final.

Under-18 international honours in 2005/06 were followed up when he played in all five of Scotland’s matches in the IRB Under 19 World Championship in Belfast in April 2007. His international honours continued when he played in all five of Scotland’s matches in the 2008 under-20 Six Nations Championship: he was at outside centre for the games against France and Wales before switching to his preferred position at stand-off in the matches against Ireland, England, and Italy.

He also played in four of Scotland’s matches in the 2008 IRB Junior World Championship in Wales, starting as captain and stand-off against Samoa, USA, and Canada and scoring two tries (against Samoa and Ireland). Ruaridh represented Caledonia under-16 and North under-18 before being selected for the Scotland under-18 squad in season 2005-2006.

It has been well documented that Glasgow head coach Sean Lineen first spotted Ruaridh playing for Robert Gordon’s College in the Royal Navy Scottish Schools Sevens in 2006 when they reached the final. Ruaridh kicked four conversions against Selkirk High School to win the competition. In winning the tournament with a 28-19 victory in that final, Robert Gordon’s qualified to represent Scotland in the Four Nations’ Rugby Sevens in Portsmouth.

Later in the year Jackson made his first appearance in Glasgow Warriors’ squad, selected on the bench for the European Challenge Cup match against Saracens at Watford, though he did not get on to the field. Ruaridh also played a major part in helping Gordon’s 1st XV to reach the final of the Bell Lawrie White Scottish Schools Cup in January 2006. After school rugby he joined the Cartha Queen’s Park club in Glasgow, and in 2007 he switched to Glasgow Hawks. Rugby runs in his family: his father, Greg, played for Melrose, as did two uncles, Norman and Trevor.

Ruaridh, a graduate of Scottish Rugby’s National Academy, has played for Scotland also at cricket as a member of the national under-17 team.

Honours: Scotland, Scotland A, Scotland 7s, Scotland U20, Scotland U19, Scotland U18