I ACCEPT the modern thinking which states that, because of the physical conditioning of today's full-time, professional players and the higher collision and attrition rate in the modern game, as against the old amateur one, squad rotation is a must over the intense programme of the Autumn Tests and the Six Nations.
But, there is squad rotation and there is needless tinkering; and I fear that during this Autumn Test phase, Scott Johnson has been guilty of unnecessary tinkering. I believe he has got his selections wrong over the three games and we may suffer for this in tomorrow's Murrayfield clash with the Australians.
Good management is about identifying your best team and trying to have them primed and ready for the biggest games. OK, in an ideal world, Scotland's schedule for Autumn 2013 might have read: Japan, Australia, South Africa, but, it didn't. Had that been the schedule, Scotty could have decided which key men had to be primed for the biggest test, the Saffers, and worked round his selection from there.
In the event, I feel he was too-conservative against the Japanese, seeking to ensure a good win, and that compromised his selections for the two bigger games, which followed.
We are now in the situation where some players are being played out of position, we have a skimpy bench and, I fear, against an Australian side who will be keen to obliterate the bad press they have "enjoyed" this week, by winning well - we will suffer.
TONIGHT'S two Rabo Pro12 games, Ulster v Edinburgh and Glasgow v Gwent Dragons will be very interesting ones. Alan Solomons will be wanting to make a good impression back at his old Ravenhill stomping ground, while the Dragons offer the Warriors' fringe men a chance to show what they can do.
I know one or two of the Warriors who haven't featured much of late will be really keen to put down a marker tonight and while I forecast a hard night for Edinburgh, I think we may well see tries and points aplenty at Scotstoun.
It is significant that Solomons is seeking to drag Edinburgh out of the doldrums by reliance on South African-trained guys whom he knows of old. However, I am so pleased that he is persisting with Harry Leonard at stand-off. With Scotland's top two 10s vying for game time at the other end of the M8, young Harry is quietly getting on with things at Murrayfield and I hope he continues to develop as he has - the more depth the better in this crucial position.
NO QUESTION what is the game of the day in the RBS Premiership tomorrow. It has to be the Millbrae collision between table-topping Gala and defending Champions Ayr.
After last week's unexpected loss at Currie, this is a game which Ayr cannot afford to lose. Indeed, with Heriot's coming to Alloway next Saturday, these two Saturdays could make or mar the Millbrae Men's season.
Ayr v Gala matches are always tight, hard-fought affairs, but, with ground to make up, I expect Ayr to shade it - just.
I SEE, in terms of the long-running saga of the Heineken Cup, we are all out of step but the English. By their failure to attend this week's Dublin meeting of the six major European Unions, we have to accept that the RFU have cravenly chosen to allow their elite clubs to run the game in England.
When will Will Carling's 57 Old Farts realise - the top clubs don't give a monkeys about the game, all they care about is milking it of as much money as they can garner.
Rugby isn't just about Leicester, or Bath, or Northampton or Wasps - it is also about Old Shirt-Lifters Extra C XV, village clubs in Cumbria, university sides in the Midlands and so on.
Unless the RFU gets a grip and hauls in the so-called big boys, they will suffer.
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