COUNTY rugby ace Ally Miller is aiming to "kick on to the next level" at London Scottish this season.

The former Musselburgh and Preston Lodge back-row joined London Scottish alongside four of his Scotland U20 team-mates in the summer.

The quintet are living together, and Miller told Courier Sport he has settled in well at the club.

He said: "It's been really good.

"The facilities are superb and since we moved down here the weather has been brilliant – we've been training in 30 degree heat some days.

"I've been here six weeks now and we're really looking forward to the season starting."

As part of the club's pre-season programme, Miller lined up against Premiership and European Champions Cup winners Saracens in London.

The former Longniddry Primary School pupil was in direct opposition to World Cup-winning South African Schalk Burger.

Miller added: "It was a really great experience.

"It just showed the processes they go through and the little things that make the difference."

The Exiles, who play in England's second tier, lost that match 73-5, but Miller is keen to see their defence at the forefront of their game this term.

Ahead of the season opener against Nottingham, he said: "We've not really set ourselves any targets as a team.

"One we have looked at is having the best defence, because there are some good teams in the league.

"I think that's a big goal for us."

On a personal level, the 20-year-old hopes to impress, having moved from Melrose as part of a partnership agreement between the Exiles and Scottish Rugby.

"I want to just kick on and move to the next level, from the BT Premiership.

"It'll be a big step up from Prem 1 but I'm really looking forward to it.

"We've had a good pre-season, and we're all just really looking forward to getting started."