Lewis Niven, the 20-year-old National Academy prop, is today named as recipient of this season’s John Macphail scholarship.

Niven, who has played for Scotland at under-18, under-19 and under-20 level, hopes to follow in the footsteps of other young Scottish forwards, who have used the scholarship as a stepping stone to the professional ranks and, the ultimate ambition, a Scotland jersey.

The scholarship will enable Niven, who plays at tight-head in his club rugby for Edinburgh Accies in Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership Division 1, to spend his summer playing club rugby in Auckland, New Zealand.

Niven, a former pupil of Trinity Academy and a graduate of Edinburgh BATs, said: “I know most of the previous Macphail scholars either through training with them in the National Academy or having played in Scotland age-grade teams and all of them have spoken about the scholarship as a brilliant experience where the onus is really on you to make the most of things.

“I’ve been out in New Zealand once before, with Joe Edwards who was the development officer at BATs, and I played some club rugby in Waikato in 2007.  I felt I learned a lot from that experience and I’m determined to gain as much as I can from this chance.”

Earlier this month, the previous recipient of the Macphail Scholarship, openside flanker Roddy Grant, won a two-year professional contract with Edinburgh. Grant was praised by former All Black Jason Hewitt during his scholarship as a “gifted, powerful and intelligent player who reads rugby well and is able to control his area of the game with aplomb.”

The first recipient of the scholarship in 2005 was the 12-times capped Scotland openside flanker John Barclay. He excelled playing club rugby in Wellington, New Zealand and the experience provided the impetus for him to win a professional contract with Glasgow Warriors, become part of Scotland’s squad at the 2007 Rugby World Cup and go on to make his international debut against New Zealand in that competition.

Barclay said: “Prior to winning the scholarship I’d spent most of the year troubled by injury.  When I went to New Zealand I got the chance to play a completely different type of rugby in a completely different environment and it really whetted my appetite.

“The key thing about the scholarship is to seize the opportunity with both hands.”

Grant said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and getting the games at Auckland University back to back was invaluable after I’d missed a large part of last season due to reconstructive surgery on my knee.

“The whole way of life was an eye-opener and people were so rugby knowledgeable.  It’s a golden opportunity for any young player. I’m indebted to the Macphail family and The Robertson Trust for giving me the chance.”

Niven added: “When I look at Roddy and what he has achieved this season then I think if I work hard and gain as much as I can from the scholarship then that could be me winning a professional contract in the next two years or so.”

John Macphail won two caps for Scotland as a hooker against England in 1949 and South Africa in 1951.  In his business career he was chief executive, then chairman of the Edrington Group, a private company that is owned by the Robertson Trust.

Mr Macphail died in the summer of 2004 and his family and the trustees were keen to establish a scholarship in his memory.

Duncan Munro, Director, The Robertson Scholarship Trust, said: “The Trust is delighted to provide a further opportunity for a talented, young Scottish player to experience an intensive 12 weeks of rugby in New Zealand.

“We congratulate Lewis on his selection as the fifth John Macphail Rugby Scholar.  We hope that he can take inspiration from what the previous recipients of the scholarship have gone on to achieve and we look forward to following his progress over the summer as he trains and plays with the Auckland University Club.” 

Stephen Gemmell, National Academy Manager, said: “Over the last four years the scholarship has provided a unique rugby and life experience for all of the players fortunate enough to have received the award and therefore I am delighted that once again the Macphail family and The Robertson Trust have shown their continued support of Scottish Rugby.

“I am confident that Lewis will make the most of this opportunity to further his development as a player and ultimately help him fulfil his goal of playing rugby at the highest level.”

The previous winners of the Macphail Scholarship were:

2005 – John Barclay
2006 – Graham Hogg
2007 – Kevin Bryce
2008 – Roddy Grant

Lewis Niven (Edinburgh Academicals)
Prop. Born 3 May, 1988 in Edinburgh. Height: 6ft 1ins (1.86m). Weight: 116kg
Lewis Alexander Paul Niven, who was in Trinity Academy’s first XV for three seasons, played at tight head prop in all of Scotland’s matches in the 2008 under-20 Six Nations Championship. He made his debut in the Falkirk game against France and scored against England at the same venue.  Last June he played in three games in the IRB Junior World Championship in Wales.  He represented Edinburgh at under-18 level before winning national recognition at that level in the Home Unions’ 2006 under-18 tournament in Gloucestershire.  In 2007 he played for Scotland in the IRB under-19 world championship in Belfast and was a member of Edinburgh Accies’ squad for the Scottish Hydro Electric Cup Final against Glasgow Hawks.