Hilton recalled as Scotland go from 'Grannygate' to open gate

David Hilton, one of three front-line internationals who saw their Test careers disappear beneath the rubble of rugby's "Grannygate" scandal, is back in the Scotland squad for the first time in 31 months and will train with Ian McGeechan's élite party on Monday.

The Glasgow prop, whose claim to Scottish ancestry failed to survive the most cursory of examinations, qualifies on residential grounds having completed the three-year term imposed by the International Board. From Grannygate to open gate, it seems.

The son of a Bristol butcher, Hilton won 41 caps for Scotland between 1995 and 2000 on the strength of an Edinburgh-born grandfather. That rewarding run of high-profile activity came to a sudden end when the eligibility issue flared up during the inaugural Six Nations' Championship when two New Zealanders, Shane Howarth and Brett Sinkinson, were shown to be playing for Wales under false pretences. Checks on Hilton's credentials revealed that the Edinburgh link was nothing more than a family myth: his grandfather had been born rather nearer home. In Bristol, embarrassingly enough.

However, Scotland have not produced too many world-beating front-rowers since Hilton's disappearance from the Test scene, and McGeechan, the national coach, wasted little time in beginning the process of reintegration. Hilton, who played first division rugby for his home-town club and won Heineken Cup honours with Bath before throwing in his lot with the newly-professionalised Glasgow team, will push hard for further recognition when the Scots begin their autumn international programme next month.

"There is no sentiment about this," McGeechan said yesterday. "David's technique as a loose head is exemplary and he can scrum on both sides. He has done that at international level and that sort of experience is invaluable." Hilton, meanwhile, talked of his strong desire to win another cap. "I don't think the news of my inclusion has sunk in yet," he said. "I feel like a young buck, nervous with anticipation. It means so much to me to be a part of things again."

Now 32, Hilton won his last cap in Scotland's defeat by Wales in Cardiff in March 2000 – a match played when the eligibility scandal was at its height. Six other players have been added to McGeechan's party as a reward for recent performances: the Borders flankers Andy Mower and Andy Rennick, the Edinburgh prop Craig Smith, the Orrell centre Andy Craig, and two hookers, Dougie Hall of Edinburgh and Steve Scott of Borders.

There was a serious outbreak of panic in the European club movement yesterday when Serge Blanco and Patrick Wolff, respectively the president and vice-president of the French league, resigned following a fractious meeting of the Ligue National de Rugby in Toulouse. Nerves were calmed almost immediately, however, when they were persuaded to stay on.

Blanco, one of the great French full-backs, is in favour of further streamlining the French First Division, which was cut from 21 to 16 clubs two seasons ago. The more progressive clubs – Toulouse, Stade Français and Bourgoin among others – have been pushing Blanco to accelerate the process, but the conservative elements are digging in their heels. "France still has its Cliff Brittles," said one source yesterday, referring to a former chairman of the Rugby Football Union, who did everything in his power to obstruct the professional club game in England.

Ironically, this political brinkmanship came after a weekend of unblemished Heineken Cup success for French clubs. All six contenders – Beziers, Biarritz, Bourgoin, Montferrand, Perpignan and Toulouse – won their opening pool matches, leading Blanco to assert that French clubs had come to grips with the tournament after five years of failure.