AN OPPORTUNITY to play more games has led a talented young rugby player to make the switch along the M8.

Rory Darge, of Aberlady, had spent the last three years at Edinburgh Rugby but had agreed a deal to move west to Glasgow Warriors at the end of the season.

That move was brought forward last month, with Darge making his debut from the bench during his new side’s defeat to Italian outfit Benetton in the Rainbow Cup.

The 21-year-old said: “I had been at Edinburgh for a few years and had not got a lot of opportunities.

“Even though you feel you deserve opportunities, it does not mean you do and some guys don’t get them, and that is just the way professional sport is.

“It is not as if I have got a lot of grudges, I just did not get an opportunity.”

The back-rower, who began his career with North Berwick before moving on to Melrose, told Courier Sport he had settled in well at Scotstoun and was looking to get as many minutes as possible between now and the end of the campaign, with the two Scottish professional sides locking horns on Saturday at BT Murrayfield Stadium.

Many of Darge’s new team-mates were already known to him through playing at various age groups with Scotland, which has helped him settle in at the club.

He said: “It’s been awesome.

“Obviously, there has been a big transition and I had been at Edinburgh for a few years but the players, the club and staff – everybody – have made me feel really welcome, which has helped after three years at one club.

“To move midway through the season is quite a big transition for me but everybody has been awesome and welcomed me.

“I am getting up at 5am to get through there but will try to move tto Glasgow at the end of the month.”

It has been a busy few months for the former Aberlady Primary School and North Berwick High School pupil.

Ahead of the Six Nations, where Scotland finished fourth after victories over England, France and Italy, Darge was invited into the national squad’s training camp.

The openside flanker enjoyed the experience but stressed his focus was very much on his new club.

Darge said: “It was just awesome being there. If I get the opportunity to go again in a different capacity, that would be awesome.

“But I want to get as many minutes in and play well for Glasgow and do well as a team – that is all my focus.”

Darge comes from a talented sporting family, with his younger brother Arron making the move from Longniddry Villa to Hearts ahead of the 2017-18 season.

Since then, he represented Scotland’s under-19s in January 2019 and signed his first professional contract in the summer of the same year.

The 18-year-old was on the bench for the Jambos’ away trip to East Fife in the League Cup.

While youngest brother Harris has shown promise playing rugby for North Berwick High School.