A COUNTY rugby starlet was this week named in the first Scottish Rugby Youth Panel.
Jordan Smith, from Tranent, is one of 16 youngsters between the ages of 14 and 20 to be selected for the panel after they submitted YouTube video applications.
The 15-year-old, a pupil at Ross High School who plays and has taken his first steps in refereeing, is the only county representative, and attended the first meeting at BT Murrayfield last week.
Chris Paterson Scotland's most capped player of all time, current internationalist Al Dickinson, Glasgow Warriors pair Hagen Schulte and Scott Cummings and Scotland Women internationalist Claire Bain were all on hand to offer advice, as was Rio Olympic 7s silver medallist Mark Robertson.
Colin Thomson, Scottish Rugby’s head of schools and youth, said: "The Youth Panel will provide young people across Scotland with an opportunity to be heard and influence decisions which affect them.
"It is key that young people’s voices are heard and the opinions of this group will be available to the key decision makers within the union, as we plan, implement and review programmes across our Schools and Youth operations.”
The panel will meet up to three times a year, with each young person serving for a term of two years with a chairperson appointed by a majority vote from all members.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here