Up-and-coming Hawick rugby star Corey Tait hoping for back-to-back wins for under-20s in France

The young Scots pulled off that feat at Glasgow’s Scotstoun Stadium a week ago on Friday, beating Wales 18-17, and Boroughmuir Bears hooker Tait, 19, was chuffed to have played a part in getting the age-grade side back to winning ways.

“It’s an honour to be playing for my country and national side and to follow on from all the boys who came before,” he told Scottish Rugby’s website.

“Wearing that thistle is a massive thing for everyone.

“It was a really good morale boost for the boys.”

That win followed a 41-36 loss to England seven days previously, and next up for head coach Kenny Murray’s side in this year’s Under-20 Six Nations is a trip to France tomorrow night.

“We kind of felt that we played well against England and if we didn’t play well against Wales, it would be for nothing, so it was good to back that up and we look to back that up again against France,” said Tait, younger brother of former under-20 captain Rhys Tait.

“The England game was frustrating. There were positives and negatives in it. We didn’t win, which was frustrating, but there were glimmers of it.

“We took that confidence last week into the game against Wales and we got the win, which was something we couldn’t do against England, so we are pushing forward and hope to beat France this week.

“We were really proud of ourselves after the Wales game, and being together is what we like to do, just being there for each other through everything. It is good that is kind of showing. When we have been pushed massively, it’s good for the squad.

“We are looking forward to it. We have taken confidence off the first two appearances against Wales and England.

“We know France are going to be a big and physical team, so it’s just preparing ourselves for that.

“The set-piece is a major weapon, so it is just trying to target that.

“We prepared for the Under-20 Six Nations a little bit earlier this year, which gave us a lot more confidence. We took a lot of confidence going into this year and we just knew it was about getting that win.

“We need to back it up until we get to the end of the campaign.”

Tait says he’s turned to his sibling, 20, currently on loan from Glasgow Warriors to Doncaster Knights, for advice as his international career gets under way.

“We have good chats and we are pretty close,” he said.

“He has got really good knowledge and I bounce ideas off him and we critique each other’s games so we can be honest with each other and push each other to be better.”

Tait is one of two Borderers in tomorrow’s matchday squad, co-captained by Duncan Munn and Liam McConnell, the other being Melrose’s Rudi Brown.

“Duncan and Liam have been good leaders and pushing the boys,” said Tait. “They’ve been helping all the boys settle in and are pushing us in training, which is a good thing to help us improve.