Age 20 (22 April 1997) Born Edinburgh Club Currie Country Scotland Position Back-row

When did you first play rugby?

At five. Football is big in the area I’m from, but one day I was walking with my dad and we heard all this noise at Livingston rugby club. People were running into each other and I wanted to give it a shot. We went home, Dad gave them a call and I went along to training.

Have you always played back-row?

I started in the second row, but around U18s I moved to the back row. I’ve always been pretty quick for a forward.

What do you like about the position?

It’s better than putting your head between two front-rows! I enjoy it because you get more time on the ball. I try to accelerate aggressively through contact when carrying. I want to do the basics well – run hard with the ball and tackle hard.

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When did you first achieve Scotland honours?

At U18. I wasn’t selected at U16 – I was competing against players from private schools who were getting more exposure to rugby. I kept training and pushing myself, then I played for Edinburgh U16 and got my first cap for Scotland U18. Last season I got a Stage Three academy contract – my first full-time contact – and played U20s.

And you play for Currie…

I’ve been at Currie since high school and worked my way up from the U16s to the first XV. I made my debut at 17, away at Hawick.

This season I’m also training full-time with Edinburgh. I’m still signed with the academy but instead of training with them I’m training with the pros. I want to get as much exposure at Edinburgh as I can.

What do you do away from rugby?

I’m doing a degree in business management with marketing at Heriot-Watt University. They do a scholarship for athletes playing at a high level, so you can do your studies part-time. That helps me balance it with full-time training.

RW Verdict: Crosbie has a balanced outlook but has impressed Richard Cockerill enough to be picked for Edinburgh – he made his debut as a sub against Zebre in the Pro14 in October. He could well earn a professional contract by the season’s end.

This article first appeared in the December 2017 issue of Rugby World.