A TALENTED Troon rugby player is desperately has high hopes of securing his first cap for Scotland next month.

Former Ayr player D'Arcy Rae (23), who plays with Glasgow Warriors and has been drafted out to Marr Rugby, has been called up for the Six Nations Championship, which gets underway on Saturday, February 3.

The tight head prop, who plays on the forward line, is delighted with his inclusion and said: "I got a phone call from the forwards coach Dan McFarlane on Monday night before the announcement. It was pretty amazing. I was involved in the summer tour to Singapore last year but never got a cap.

"Here's hoping this year I can fight for my chance to get a cap and it would be the highlight of my life if I could achieve that. I have wanted to play for Scotland since I was a wee boy. It would be great to play in the Six Nations. Every single game is massive. The training camp started on Sunday and it will be great preparation."

Ex-Marr College pupil D'Arcy is confident Scotland can do very well in the tournament, which runs for a month, as they seek their first tournament success since winning the Five Nations Championship in 1999 and said: "In Gregor Townsend's first game we beat Australia away and we hammered them at home last year. We ran New Zealand close in the Autumn Test and must believe we can win the tournament. The sky is the limit really.

"We look forward to the opening match away to Wales,which will be tough, but hopefully we will get of to a good start and win. The England game is at home which will help and people come out of the woodwork for that, who are are not normally interested in rugby. They get right behind the team for that game.

"I have played at Murrayfield with Ayr when we won the Scottish Cup five years ago and I also won the league with them, but the Six Nations Championship will be on a different scale and there's a great atmosphere in all the games. I have played in European semi-finals although not a league-winning team with the Warriors. I have been playing rugby since joining the Marr Minis aged four or five. My dad Ian also played for Marr. Richie and Johnnie Gray are key players.

He has not played any games for Marr yet this season, despite being drafted out to the Fullarton Park team but hopes their fortunes improve and added: "Let's hope they can stay in the Premiership this season."

A qualified community rugby coach, D'Arcy has represented Scotland at under-17, under-18, and under-20 level. Now he hopes to add to those honours next month.