Chamber staff member ready for World Cup appearance

A Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce staff member is preparing to don the colours of Scotland in an international rugby tournament this week.

Dan Retter, a new business manager at the Chamber, will be competing in the X-League World Cup - a quickfire, shortened version of Rugby League.

Scotland are among nine teams featuring in the competition at Sheffield Hallam University Sports Park from 11 to 13 November - alongside England, Ireland, Wales, Spain, Hungary, Poland and combined teams representing Scandinavia and the Balkans.

Dan, who plays club rugby for Coventry Bears, grew up in Stourbridge but qualifies to represent Scotland through his Glaswegian mother Sharon.

And it was north of the border where Dan discovered his love for Rugby League after relocating to Aberdeen as a teenager.

The 29-year-old said: “I went to Oldswinford School in Stourbridge and hated rugby - I would find any excuse to get out of it!

“But when I was in Year 8 I thought I might as well go training and then found out I was ok at it.

“I moved to Aberdeen when I was 16 and carried on playing Rugby Union, although my coach was a massive Rugby League advocate.

“I joined Aberdeen Warriors when they set up in 2011 and so my first Rugby League game was also theirs too. ”

Having previously represented Scotland 'A ' in the full 13-a-side code of Rugby League, Dan turned his attention to X-League.

The fast-paced format involves seven players on each team taking part in 13-minute semi-contact matches.

Scotland will face Ireland and England in their World Cup group stage fixtures, with the aim of progressing to the final on Sunday 13 November.

Dan is excited to be representing his adopted country.

He said: “I don 't really get nervous until matchday. I can play any level of rugby and it has always been same feeling of nerves, a degree of apprehension but also great excitement as it 's something I love doing and am very lucky to do - not only for fun but also representing my country.

“I 'm very excited to be able to say I 've played in a World Cup. ”

Pictured: Dan (right) receives his first cap from Scotland team manager Liam Burnett