Shamed rugby star Rufus McLean was a poster boy for his former private school, we can reveal.

A picture of the domestic abuser playing for Scotland against Tonga was the main image on the hall of fame page on Merchiston Castle's website.

He even took part in a live stream beamed to pupils just weeks after his 20-month campaign against ex-girlfriend Cara Haston, 21.

Under the picture, Rory McCann, the Edinburgh school's director of sport, is quoted as saying: "Our elite sportsmen compete at county, national and international level.

"We support and nurture them every step of the way."

In February 2021, McLean, 22, who left the secondary in 2018, was described as a "first class" role model and interviewed on the site.

Pupils were invited to watch a live webcast to hear about his journey "from Merchiston Juniors to the Scotland team".

The sacked Glasgow Warriors ace made his international debut against Tonga on October 30, 2021, scoring two tries.

But only months earlier, he had used tracking systems on his then-girlfriend's phone to keep tabs on her movements.

He insisted on knowing where Ms Haston was at all times, and challenged her when she turned the tracking system off, Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told last month.

Prosecutors said the winger called the woman a "b****" and a "s***" and sent abusive messages via text and on social media. He also left his victim with a black eye and a burst lip after he pushed her off him during one incident.

A Merchiston Castle School spokesman said yesterday: "These references clearly predated any knowledge on the school's part of his wholly unacceptable and criminal behaviour, which we condemn in the strongest possible terms."

"We had already begun the process of searching through the school's archive and removing any references deemed inappropriate, and this exercise will continue."

McLean—capped three times for Scotland—pleaded guilty to engaging in a course of abusive behaviour between April 2019 and January 2021.

He will be sentenced next month.

The brute received his first call-up to the senior Scotland squad in March 2021 and signed his first professional contract for Glasgow Warriors in June 2020.

But the club fired him last week for gross misconduct due to his conviction. In a statement, Warriors said: "Rufus admitted domestic abuse and his actions cannot be condoned, which has resulted in his employment ending."