Pro-academy profile: McVie following in his father’s footsteps

• 30 Aug 2024
• Features

For many players, having a father that played for his boyhood club could be a burden, but not for up-and-coming lock Euan McVie who is more than excited to be following in his father’s footsteps.

McVie is walking the same path as his dad, Malcolm McVie, who played for Edinburgh District and Edinburgh Accies in the early 90s.

Having grown up watching his dad ply his trade at Raeburn Place, McVie has always been immersed in the game, and his passion and drive to become a pro player has only become stronger as he’s progressed through the club’s academy system.

“My dad played at Accies for a long time, coached there and things like that. So, I’ve been down at many Accies games since primary four,” said McVie.

“I was there right until it turned into BATs in primary seven, and through until under 18s. And then from there, in my last year at school, I started training with Accies and then played in the Premiership in 2022.”

“My dad didn’t quite play in the pro era,” continued McVie. “I think it was a year or two before that. I think he’s more excited than I am to be involved with Edinburgh, to be perfectly honest!”

McVie is enjoying training with the club’s pro-academy

Dreaming of a debut

For McVie, making his professional debut for Edinburgh Rugby would be a dream come true.

The lock featured in last season’s Scottish Building Society pre-season clash vs Connacht, whetting his appetite for more senior rugby a Hive Stadium.

“It would mean everything,” he says. “It’s kind of a cliche, but it’s a bit of a childhood dream.

“And you never know, it could be a couple of injuries away. So just be as ready as you can, hopefully get the opportunity and take it if it comes.”

Learning from the best

McVie has been fortunate to learn from experienced players like Sam Skinner and Grant Gilchrist, a double centurion for Edinburgh Rugby who is now in his 14^th season of professional rugby.

“It’s the difference between being able to kind of integrate and not,” Euan explains. “Because obviously it’s a lot to take on going from club/school into a pro environment where you’ve got guys that you watch on TV who are playing internationally. So the help and support you get to learn is massive.”

Euan’s playing style is reminiscent of Marshall Sykes and Sam Skinner, known for their physicality and ball-carrying abilities.

He continued: “I’m someone who likes to carry the ball, you know, physical. And then obviously Sam Skinner as well are the two main fours.

“And then obviously Glenn Young as well, but I think I’ve got a bit of work to do to catch up with any of them.”

U20 success

Euan was part of the Scotland U20 team that recently won promotion back to the World Rugby U20 Championship in 2025.

The experience was challenging but rewarding, and McVie believes that the pressure they faced will only make them stronger.

“You can only play what’s in front of you. And you look at what happened last year, that was exactly the problem,” explained McVie.

“It can be pretty hard going into a game where you’ve got all the expectations, and you’ve got results from last year to live up to and then having to do the same.

“I think we definitely felt pressure. I think the opening two games we knew were going to be pretty difficult, but we knew what we had to do and stick to our own game and we got two pretty comfortable results there.

“I think the third game against Japan was probably the most nerve-wracking game I’d played for the 20s, more so than even England, which is surprising because that was probably one of the most special games.

“It was pretty difficult going from such a difficult game to then having to repeat that in a final against a completely different team.

“So there was a lot of expectation from spectators and fans but I think it was a very fun experience.”

McVie celebrates scoring the opening try against USA U20

Looking ahead

With the 2024/25 season fast approaching, McVie’s has set his sights on making his professional debut for his hometown club while he is also excited to see other academy players like Freddie Douglas, Tom Currie and Liam McConnell make their mark.

“Ultimately, to make a debut for the main team would be a pretty successful year. If that opportunity came up, I’d be very grateful. Aside from that, I want to pull as many of the A-team fixtures as possible,” said McVie.

“We’re going to have some big challenges. So it’ll be a big step up, which I think will only help.”

He continued: “I think you’ve got to keep an eye on Freddie Douglas, Tom Currie, obviously Liam [McConnell]. He’s not technically academy anymore, but those three are a pretty decent shot. They’re obviously all back-row players there.

“Freddie, I think a lot of people will be familiar with from his work at the breakdown. Tom, his defence is outstanding. The work rate is incredible. Same with Liam. Very, very strong line-out. They do a lot of unseen work and carry a lot in defence as well.”

With his dedication and the support of his family and teammates, McVie is well-positioned to step up in 2024/25.