Edinburgh's Blake out to impress on international stage

Blake only arrived in the Scottish capital from his native New Zealand in December but coach Vern Cotter has included the 22-year-old in his Scotland squad.

Edinburgh have endured a mixed season to date and currently lie seventh in the GUINNESS PRO12 table but the flanker could soon be in the strange situation of playing at BT Murrayfield for country before club.

He is eligible to play for Scotland through his Glasgow-born grandparents and while he acknowledges that his selection was slightly out of the blue, Blake is convinced he has plenty to offer.

"My call up has come as a surprise," Blake told Radio Clyde. "I've come over at such a young age with ambitions to eventually play for Scotland.

"It's all happened earlier than expected but I'm honoured and psyched to be a part of it.

"My message to people would be to ask them to be open-minded. I'm new. I didn't select the team.

"I'm just going to be trying my best to eventually play for Scotland. Vern Cotter has done his research and I'm just going to do my best for the fans and for Scotland rugby. I just want people to give me a chance.

"There's always been Scotland rugby on in our house. My uncle would get up during the summer to watch the Six Nations.

"As I grew up playing rugby in New Zealand, I always knew I had the option of playing for Scotland. I just decided to give it a good crack, hence why I have come over here at such a young age.

"I played for the New Zealand Colts at the World Cup, but I knew that would be a good chance for me to prove myself to the guys from Scotland. And that's where I got picked up."

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