International Career
Cross represented Scotland Under-19 in the 2000 IRB/FIRA Junior World Cup.
In 2002, Cross turned down the opportunity to play with the England Under-21 team and in 2003 joined the Scottish national training squad pending a ruling from the IRB on his qualification to play for Scotland.
Cross, who has always considered himself to be Scottish, was born in a British military hospital in Mauritius. His mother, Fiona, was also born in a British military hospital in Germany, and his father, Peter, is English. Cross's maternal grandfather and great-grandfather were aso born in military hospitals, both in India. His great-great-grandfather was born in Scotland.
On 21 January 2004, the IRB Regulations Committee ruled that he was free to play for Scotland having demonstrated a "close, credible and established national link with the country" and accepted that "certain rights flow from birth in a British military hospital".
The Committee's statement went on to say that "if the player, his mother and/or grandfather had not been on military service and therefore born in British military hospitals, the strong likelihood is that given the historical circumstances and family lineage at least one of them would have been born in Scotland."
"The committee also took the view that close links to Scotland were further demonstrated by the fact that the player, who was eligible to play for other unions, refrained from representing such other unions."
"In particular he turned down opportunities to play with the England national representative under 21s team in 2002."
Despite having been selected for national training squads by both the current Scotland coach, Frank Hadden, and his predecessor, Matt Williams, and even being named among the replacements, Cross has yet to receive a full international cap.
In 2007, Cross represented Scotland during the final four rounds of the 2006-07 IRB Sevens World Series in Hong Kong, Adelaide, London and the inaugural Edinburgh Sevens at Murrayfield.
Read more about this topic: Simon Cross (rugby Union)
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