Grant Gilchrist - more injury misery
FORMER England football winger Darren Anderton was injured so often, he was known universally as: "Sick Note". That nickname can surely, and sadly, be passed-on to Edinburgh captain and lock Grant Gilchrist.
On his first game back from the injury which kept him out of the World Cup and which has blighted his career, the big lock has sustained another broken arm, and is again consigned to the side lines. Honestly, if it wasn't for his bad luck, he'd have no luck.
Rumours were flying around last week that Gilchrist had been targetted by Toulon, who need a big, rumbustious lock, now that Paul O'Connell has been forced to hang up his boots. Well, while it is always wise to "never say never", it is clear that, any big-money move to the sunny South-West of France for Gilchrist will have to wait a while yet. With the timing of this latest injury, his season is effectively over.
SPEAKING of bad luck, or not getting the breaks - other than broken limbs; you have to feel for that much-maligned bunch, Scotland's rugby referees.
We are used to seeing poor refereeing displays in the Pro12, some of the Irish and Welsh guys we see at Scotstoun and Murrayfield on a regular basis give the impression of having been over-promoted, well above their pay grade.
And we ask ourselves: "Are Scottish referees really that bad"? I must admit, this season, I have not had as much cause to castigate our referees in the BT Premiership, as in past seasons. However, we have had few chances to see if the men with the whistle can operate successfully at a higher level.
The fact is, only three Scottish referees - Lloyd Linton, Neil Paterson and Sam Grove White are listed among the Pro12 referees, and of these, only Lynton has had the chance to officiate as the man in the middle in a Pro12 match.
Lynton, of course, and Paterson, have the first requirement to be a Pro12 referee, they are Irish-born, but, while some fairly ropey Irish whistlers have incurred our wrath this season, Lynton hasn't had the whistle since SEPTEMBER, right at the start of the season.
On 5 September, he refereed Munster v Benneton Treviso, and six days later, he took charge of Newport Gwent Dragons v Zebre. Since then, nothing.
Paterson, who took charge of his first Pro12 game back in November, 2006, hasn't had a game this season. I mean, it's not as if he is an untried youngster. That label might be applied to young Grove White, who has yet to make his Pro12 bow.
You have to ask yourself - what do our referees have to do to get an even break? They didn't even get the nod for the two 1872 Cup matches, between Glasgow and Edinburgh. If you cannot trust a Scottish referee to officiate at an all-Scotland match, when can you.
Again, we stress. John Jeffrey is the chairman of World Rugby's refereeing committee, as such, he is the top man in the world when it comes to referees. Come on JJ, how about sticking-up for Scottish referees. FFS big man, your nickname is the White Shark - bite somebody and give our lads an even break. They cannot be worse than George Clancy, can they?
THIS season is already scheduled to stretch into late May. Just have a look at the forthcoming fixtures in some of the lower "coarse rugby" divisions if you don't believe me. However, some fixtures are set in stone, and, this is potentially causing problems for our top club sides.
At Netherdale, on Friday night, the Scotland Club XV is due to face the English Counties in a club international. The side selected by Phil Smith includes five Ayr players - skipper Ross Curle at centre, prop George Hunter, lock Rob McAlpine, flanker Will Bordill and number eight Pete McCallum, a great boost for our leading club.
However, Ayr are scheduled to travel to Bridgehaugh on Saturday, to face Stirling County in the last 16 of the BT Scottish Cup. Having already finished top of the heap in the regular season of the BT Premiership, and thus assured themselves of home advantage in the Play-Off semi-final, Ayr have genuine hopes of a League and Cup double.
However, if they have to go to Stirling minus five of their top talents, these hopes could be hanging by a thread. So, what do they do?
Do they ask the quintet to pull out of the Club XV at short notice, thereby upsetting Smith's careful preparations? Does Ayr forfeit the cup tie and with it their double hopes? Do they seek a postponement, thereby further crowding an already crowded fixture list? Might they re-schedule for Sunday, County being in agreement, given this is a Six Nations weekend and the SRU would surely be happy to co-operate with this?
It's a difficult one for the MIllbrae men to sort out.
SPEAKING of the English Counties XV, they are scheduled to tour Canada in the summer, playing matches in Alberta and British Columbia. Having toured there with Scotland back in the amateur days of the mid-eighties, I can say, they will receive a really warm welcome and terrific hospitality.
What will it take for the Scotland Club XV to enjoy similar touring opportunities?
Come on SRU, why not give our top club players a wee bit more encouragement?
Rumours were flying around last week that Gilchrist had been targetted by Toulon, who need a big, rumbustious lock, now that Paul O'Connell has been forced to hang up his boots. Well, while it is always wise to "never say never", it is clear that, any big-money move to the sunny South-West of France for Gilchrist will have to wait a while yet. With the timing of this latest injury, his season is effectively over.
SPEAKING of bad luck, or not getting the breaks - other than broken limbs; you have to feel for that much-maligned bunch, Scotland's rugby referees.
We are used to seeing poor refereeing displays in the Pro12, some of the Irish and Welsh guys we see at Scotstoun and Murrayfield on a regular basis give the impression of having been over-promoted, well above their pay grade.
And we ask ourselves: "Are Scottish referees really that bad"? I must admit, this season, I have not had as much cause to castigate our referees in the BT Premiership, as in past seasons. However, we have had few chances to see if the men with the whistle can operate successfully at a higher level.
The fact is, only three Scottish referees - Lloyd Linton, Neil Paterson and Sam Grove White are listed among the Pro12 referees, and of these, only Lynton has had the chance to officiate as the man in the middle in a Pro12 match.
Lynton, of course, and Paterson, have the first requirement to be a Pro12 referee, they are Irish-born, but, while some fairly ropey Irish whistlers have incurred our wrath this season, Lynton hasn't had the whistle since SEPTEMBER, right at the start of the season.
Lloyd Linton, no Pro12 games since September
On 5 September, he refereed Munster v Benneton Treviso, and six days later, he took charge of Newport Gwent Dragons v Zebre. Since then, nothing.
Paterson, who took charge of his first Pro12 game back in November, 2006, hasn't had a game this season. I mean, it's not as if he is an untried youngster. That label might be applied to young Grove White, who has yet to make his Pro12 bow.
Sam Grove White - still waiting to make his Pro12 debut
You have to ask yourself - what do our referees have to do to get an even break? They didn't even get the nod for the two 1872 Cup matches, between Glasgow and Edinburgh. If you cannot trust a Scottish referee to officiate at an all-Scotland match, when can you.
Again, we stress. John Jeffrey is the chairman of World Rugby's refereeing committee, as such, he is the top man in the world when it comes to referees. Come on JJ, how about sticking-up for Scottish referees. FFS big man, your nickname is the White Shark - bite somebody and give our lads an even break. They cannot be worse than George Clancy, can they?
THIS season is already scheduled to stretch into late May. Just have a look at the forthcoming fixtures in some of the lower "coarse rugby" divisions if you don't believe me. However, some fixtures are set in stone, and, this is potentially causing problems for our top club sides.
At Netherdale, on Friday night, the Scotland Club XV is due to face the English Counties in a club international. The side selected by Phil Smith includes five Ayr players - skipper Ross Curle at centre, prop George Hunter, lock Rob McAlpine, flanker Will Bordill and number eight Pete McCallum, a great boost for our leading club.
However, Ayr are scheduled to travel to Bridgehaugh on Saturday, to face Stirling County in the last 16 of the BT Scottish Cup. Having already finished top of the heap in the regular season of the BT Premiership, and thus assured themselves of home advantage in the Play-Off semi-final, Ayr have genuine hopes of a League and Cup double.
However, if they have to go to Stirling minus five of their top talents, these hopes could be hanging by a thread. So, what do they do?
Do they ask the quintet to pull out of the Club XV at short notice, thereby upsetting Smith's careful preparations? Does Ayr forfeit the cup tie and with it their double hopes? Do they seek a postponement, thereby further crowding an already crowded fixture list? Might they re-schedule for Sunday, County being in agreement, given this is a Six Nations weekend and the SRU would surely be happy to co-operate with this?
It's a difficult one for the MIllbrae men to sort out.
SPEAKING of the English Counties XV, they are scheduled to tour Canada in the summer, playing matches in Alberta and British Columbia. Having toured there with Scotland back in the amateur days of the mid-eighties, I can say, they will receive a really warm welcome and terrific hospitality.
What will it take for the Scotland Club XV to enjoy similar touring opportunities?
Come on SRU, why not give our top club players a wee bit more encouragement?
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