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 The BBC's Ian Robertson"Hilton always believed his grandfather was born in Edinburgh"  real 28k |
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It is yet another embarrassment for home nations rugby as the row over imported stars that began in Wales boils over into Scotland.
Hilton factfile |
1994: Scotland A debut vs SA
1995: Scotland debut vs Canada
1995: Scottish World Cup squad
1996: Two Tests on Scotland tour to NZ
1999: Played every game in Five Nations champ side
2000: Grandfather found to be English
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The union argues that "stringent adherence" to the eligibility rules should have a cut-off point of August 1995, when the game became professional.
Hilton's first cap was in January 1995 against Canada, potentially placing him in the safety zone.
SRU chief executive Bill Watson said: "Dave Hilton is an honourable man and has served Scottish rugby with distinction.
 Jon Stuart: Great-grandfathers don't count
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"David was a product of the Scottish Exiles system and first won selection for Scotland when eligibility was taken on trust and the game was amateur."
Watson said the affidavit had been submitted to the International Rugby Board.
The possibility remains that the Glasgow Caledonian, who was likely to be named in the squad to face England on 2 April, will be barred from playing.
I was absolutely devastated when my family completed their research to discover ... he was actually born in Bristol  |
David Hilton
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"I was absolutely devastated when my family completed their research to discover this was, in fact, not the case. He was actually born in Bristol.
"It was the first that any of us in the family knew of this."
Meanwhile, junior player Jon Stuart has been ruled ineligible after it was found that his great-grandfather and not his grandfather was from Glasgow.
The 24-year-old centre has already played for Scotland U21 and Scotland A, but will not now be available for a full cap until he passes the residency qualification in 2002.
Watson said: "Given that Jon Stuart's involvement has been wholly in the professional era, the SRU cannot continue to select him at this stage."
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