North fans can spur us on - Bennett
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Mark Bennett is tackled by two Welsh opponents during the recent under-20s RBS Six Nations match at Stirling.
SCOTLAND under-20 centre Mark Bennett hopes rugby fans in the Highlands will really get behind the side tomorrow (Friday).
The Scots youngsters will take on their Irish counterparts in the RBS under-20 Six Nations championship at the Caledonian Stadium in Inverness, with free entry to the game.
Last year there was a crowd of more than 3,000 there to see Scotland under-20s get an 8-8 draw with France and Bennett hopes there will be at least as many again this time.
Bennett said: “Hopefully people will get behind us and we’ll get a big crowd. It’s always easier for us if we’ve got a big crowd behind us.
“Last year there were 3-4,000 up at the game in Inverness and hopefully we’ll get at least that again, as the bigger support we have the better.”
The 18-year-old is one of the rising stars of Scottish rugby. A year ago he was playing club rugby for Cumnock but since then he has appeared for Ayr in Scottish Premiership 1 and has recently joined professional side Glasgow Warriors in the Magners League.
He said: “It is another level, but the guys have all been great and really help you fit in. It’s all going very well, but it shows what I need to do and what I have to work towards.”
And having scored a hat-trick for Scotland’s under-18s against Italy last year, Bennett has now been fast-tracked into the under-20 squad.
“It is a lot quicker and a lot more physical than the under-18s,” he said. “Most of the boys are full-time pros, so it is a big step for me.”
Bennett says the best moment of his career so far was scoring for the under-20s earlier this month against France.
“I think my best experience was over in France in front of 7,500 people and managing to score at the end, which was good.
“That was the day after my 18th birthday and there’s no other way I’d rather have celebrated.”
He admits he hasn’t really looked at the Irish team he’ll come up against tomorrow.
He said: “I don’t think we’ve got anything to worry about. We just need to play our own game and it’ll take care of itself.
“But I think at this level most of their squad will be solid all-round players.”
Bennett dreams of making it at full international level, but knows it could prove to be a tough task to break into the squad.
“I think it’s the same for everyone at this level, as we all want to get there,” he stated.
“We just need to keep our heads down and work hard and hopefully we’ll get there one day.
“I just want to get to as high a level as I can and who knows where it will end.
“I want to get a few caps for Scotland and maybe also a trip with the Lions.”
Tomorrow’s game kicks off at 7.30pm.
