The final international break for 2023 has now been concluded and even though Heart of Midlothian have not had any fixtures over the last week, that does not mean that players on the books at Tynecastle Park have been sitting idly by.

Nine Hearts players were representing their respective nations during the break, some at senior level and others at Under-23, Under-22 or Under-21. Here’s a quick rundown of how each internationalist has fared over the past week or so.

Lawrence Shankland - Scotland

The Hearts skipper was a late call-up to the Scotland squad as Steve Clarke’s men rounded off their Euro 2024 qualification campaign with a 2-2 draw away to Georgia and a 3-3 draw with Norway at Hampden. Shankland was drafted into the team after Che Adams pulled out of the squad but despite only playing a total of 19 minutes – the 28-year-old was a late substitute in both games – he underlined his international credentials with a well-taken equaliser against Georgia.

Zander Clark – Scotland

The goalkeeper played the full 90 minutes in both of Scotland’s matches as Norwich City’s Angus Gunn, Clarke’s No.1 pick between the sticks, was unable to join up with the squad. With Craig Gordon returning from injury and Gunn a certainty to be included next summer, this was perhaps Clark’s last chance to stake his own claim for inclusion in the squad for the Euros – but he didn’t do himself any favours. The 31-year-old didn’t do all that much wrong in Tbilisi but against the Norwegians, he flapped at a second-half cross that allowed the visitors to draw level. He appears to be ahead of Motherwell keeper Liam Kelly in the international pecking order, though, and will remain hopeful of securing his seat on the plane to Germany.

READ MORE: Zander Clark blanks Scotland critics as he cites 'opinions that matter'

Kye Rowles – Australia

The centre-half was an unused substitute in Australia’s 7-0 demolition of Bangladesh as Graham Arnold’s side started their World Cup qualifying campaign in emphatic fashion. Rowles did gain his 12th cap in the 1-0 win over Palestine though, playing the full 90 minutes and recording a clean sheet as the Socceroos made it two wins in two in qualifying. The 25-year-old picked up a booking with 22 minutes left to play.

Kenneth Vargas – Costa Rica

The on-loan attacker picked up his second and third senior caps over the international break but the 21-year-old won’t have been able to fully enjoy them as Costa Rica were comprehensively defeated over two legs by Panama in the CONCACAF Nations League quarter-finals. The two nations met on Friday for the first leg in Costa Rica where the home side lost 3-0, with Vargas replacing Joel Campbell on the right wing for the final 15 minutes. In Tuesday’s second leg, the hosts racked up a 3-1 victory (6-1 on aggregate) and again Vargas was a second-half substitute. He came on for the final 15 minutes or so but the damage had already been done.

Calem Nieuwenhof – Australia Under-23s

The summer signing was involved in both of Australia’s Under-23s’ fixtures during the international break. He started away to Qatar on Friday night as the Aussies secured a 2-1 win, playing 63 minutes before being replaced. Nieuwenhof was then benched for Tuesday’s 3-1 win away to Saudi Arabia and although he came on for the final half hour against the Saudis, Australia were already three goals to the good and the sting had understandably been taken out of the game.

READ MORE: How Hearts can get the most out of Beni Baningime, Cammy Devlin and Alex Lowry

Yutaro Oda – Japan Under-22s

Japan Under-22s faced Argentina in a friendly double-header during the international break. Oda started the 5-2 home win over the South Americans but wasn’t directly involved in any of his side’s goals. A behind-closed-doors friendly against Argentina was played on Tuesday but there is no footage or reports from the game, so we do not know the extent of Oda’s involvement.

Lewis Neilson – Scotland Under-21s

The centre-back, who is currently out on loan at Partick Thistle, played a vital role as Scot Gemmill’s side picked up four valuable points in their bid to qualify for the U21 European Championships. The young Scots kicked off the international break with a 2-0 win away to Belgium on Friday before following that up with a goalless draw away to Hungary on Tuesday, and Neilson played the full 90 minutes in both games. Playing in the central role in a back three, the 20-year-old provided a steady presence at the back as Scotland climbed to second place in Group B.

READ MORE: Life on the road: Why Lewis Neilson left Hearts on loan to further his development

Aidan Denholm – Scotland Under-21s

The Hearts academy graduate was named on the bench for both matches and although he was an unused substitute in Hungary, the 20-year-old found himself involved early on in the win over the Belgians. Matthew Anderson had to be brought off just 20 minutes into the game and Denholm, a natural midfielder, was asked to come on at right wing-back to replace the Celtic youngster. He handled the occasion well and played his part in an important qualifying victory.

Alex Lowry – Scotland Under-21s

The on-loan Rangers midfielder was an unused substitute in both Under-21s games during the international break, but he should not feel too disheartened about his lack of game time. With Gemmill often setting up in a 3-4-2-1 shape, where Liverpool’s Ben Doak and Fulham’s Kieron Bowie play off of the striker and provide some width up top, there is no No.10 role available for Lowry to slot into – and the competition for the wide attacking roles is fierce. As a playmaker, the 20-year-old isn’t a natural fit into such a system, and he may need to adjust his game if he wants to add to his two Under-21 caps.

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