Former Scotland captain lands new role developing next generation

Laidlaw, capped 76 times, was assistant coach to the Scotland Under-20 side during this year’s U20 Six Nations but now moves to Merchiston to work with the next generation of talent.

The school has an impressive record of helping develop players and current Scotland internationals Dobie, Bradbury, Stafford McDowall are all former pupils.

The appointments are part of a major expansion of the school’s rugby offering, which will aim to give pupils access to elite-level coaching, mentoring and performance development within a school environment.

Laidlaw captained Scotland 40 times, more than any other player, and worked as head coach at Urayasu-D Rock in Japan’s elite professional league.

‘Ambitious environment’

Glasgow’s Dobie and Edinburgh’s Bradbury were both part of the Scotland squad during this season's Six Nations while Carmichael is an Edinburgh team-mate of Bradbury’s.

“This is a hugely exciting moment for Merchiston Rugby and a major investment in the opportunities and experiences available to our boys,” said Nick De Luca, Director of Sport and Activities at Merchiston and former Scotland international. “Bringing together coaches and mentors who are current and former internationals creates an incredibly ambitious environment for young players.

“To have Jack Moran as our new Director of Rugby is especially exciting, given his experience, ambition and proven track record in developing young athletes.

“We’re also incredibly proud to see former Merchiston pupils like Magnus Bradbury and Jamie Dobie returning to support the next generation coming through the school. They are brilliant examples of the pathway from Merchiston into the professional game and are exceptional role models to our pupils, demonstrating the standards, ambition and values we want our boys to aspire to.

“The new rugby coaching programme is made of people who care deeply about developing young men, not just rugby players. That combination of high performance, strong values and outstanding support is what makes Merchiston special.”