Dropped Borders rugby starlet signs for French team after Facebook appeal

A young rugby player from the Scottish Borders has signed to a club in France after advertising himself on Facebook.

Flying winger and fullback Finn Douglas was dropped by Edinburgh two weeks ago after facing competition from some of the finest back threes in world rugby.

Rather than suffer defeat, he turned to social media and has now secured a one-year contract with Valence Romans, based in Romans-sur-Isère, and will play in the club’s under-23 system.

The 20-year-old from St Boswells said: “I felt I could either sit and not take rugby seriously anymore, or I could go out and see what else was out there.”

He added: “On the Facebook post I got interest from countries all over the world.

“It was amazing the clubs that got in touch, at all sorts of levels, and that really helped me because I had put myself out there and could have got a real knock-back with no-one interested.”

Though he had won Scotland under-20 caps last year, Douglas’ competition at Edinburgh included Scotland Test stars Duhan van der Merwe, Darcy Graham and Harry Paterson, as well as Argentinian Emiliano Boffelli and South African Wes Goosen.

But he knew he did not want to give up on the sport – and knew he wanted to play in France even before making his appeal on a Facebook page called Rugby Union Vacancies.

“I love the way they play and the style of rugby in France, so in an ideal world that was where I would have liked to end up,” Douglas said. “So, I’ve been really lucky.”

He could have pursued a career in another sport having won Scottish sprint titles and played football with Hibernian FC’s academy, but decided at 15 his future lay with rugby.

He said he had no regrets going down that route, following his father, Andy, a former Jed-Forest centre and Scotland youth internationalist.

But Douglas said reaching the top level for a young Scot was incredibly difficult with just two professional teams – Glasgow and Edinburgh – and competition from foreign players.

Valence Romans were promoted into the French ProD2 last year and Douglas will now play against the likes of former European Cup winners Brive – the former club of Gregor Townsend – Biarritz and Colomiers.

Fellow Borderer Rudi Brown, who left Edinburgh last year for France, has enjoyed a successful season in the ProD2, winning promotion with his club Vannes to the French top 14.

“Rudi has been very supportive and says it’s great out there,” said Douglas, who is awaiting news of a flat north of Marseilles.

He added: “As soon as the accommodation is sorted I’ll be on the first flight out to France.”

Douglas will be part of the club’s under-23 system – known as the Espoirs – where he will train with the 1st XV and play tough under-23 games every week.

He said he was looking forward to training at a high level and playing games every week.

“I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

“If I’d never put myself out there and posted on Facebook, then I’d maybe not be involved in rugby anymore.

“I know it will be a challenge. I’m learning French because I know it will be tough, but I’m looking forward to learning the language, the culture and improving my rugby.”