[4] He attended West Coats Primary School[5] (Cambuslang) and Hamilton College, then studied sport and exercise science at the University of Strathclyde.
Despite breaking an ankle playing 15s rugby in November 2008, he returned to take part in the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai the following March, leading his nation to victory in the Plate (the second-tier competition for those who did not progress in the primary Cup),[8][5] then achieving rare semi-final placings at the 2009 London Sevens and 2009 Edinburgh Sevens World Series events.
[9] After the event (in which Scotland placed sixth overall, losing the Plate final to Samoa), Forrest announced his retirement from playing at the age of 26 on account of long-term injury.
[11] From 2012 Forrest coached the First XV at Cambuslang, then in May 2014 moved to Premiership side Ayr, where he had also been a player, to become the club's backs specialist.
[6] In April 2012 he became the coach for the new Scotland Women 7s squad that were scheduled to compete in a FIRA-AER tournament in Belgium in June 2012.