Mather hangs up his Test boots

Scotland flanker Cameron Mather has announced his immediate retirement from international rugby, admitting that he lacked the desire to fight his way back into Test reckoning.

Mather had been included in Scotland's prelimarary Six Nations squad, but when told by coach Matt Williams that he would be left out of next weeks squad, the 32-year-old decided to call it a day.

"I just didn't feel I had the will to do it any more at international level," Cameron told the Scotsman newspaper.

"I was like an 18-year-old again when I was back playing in the World Cup and then the Six Nations, but the body doesn't feel like that when it gets bad injuries.

"Fighting back to full fitness has been a struggle, but I seem to lack the desire to fight my way back into the international reckoning again; having done so on previous occasions the will just isn't there to prove everybody wrong again.
 
"At 32, I feel my time is better used bringing through some of the exceptional young talent at Glasgow, and utilising what spare time I have working on a new property business venture. 
 
"There are so many good young guys coming through now - guys like John Beattie and Andrew Wilson at Glasgow for instance - that if I pushed myself in there I'd feel I was holding back a young player who should be getting his chances now to push for the World Cup."

Mather - one of the original 'kilted Kiwis' - made his Test debut against Romania in 1999 and went on to win 10 caps, the last coming in the game against France during last season's Six Nations championship.

As a result of Mather's decision, Borders back row forward Kelly Brown has been drafted into the Scotland training squad.

The 22-year-old will meet up with 34-man party for the training camp in Stirling next week.

Brown is a former Scotland Under-18 captain and has operated at No.8 and openside flanker for Borders this season.

He was named in the Scotland Sevens squad earlier this week to compete in the IRB tournaments in Wellington and Los Angeles next month.