Proud Scots, But, That's The SRU

RICHARD Cockerill is to be the new Edinburgh Head Coach. I heard that rumour on Saturday at Millbrae, my first thought was: “Surely not – the SRU must have more ambition than that”. But, apparently they don't. I am not impressed.

Cockerill is yesterday's man. His coaching style is passe, his day is done. Appointing him makes no sense. Now, had the SRU gone for another Englishman – Stuart Lancaster, I would have jumped for joy. OK, he lost the England Head Coach's job, but, being Head Coach of any of the three major English national sides, the cricket, football or rugby ones is by its very nature, Mission Impossible.

In all three sports whoever gets the top job is hamstrung by the Old Fart mindset of the governing bodies on one hand and the mantra of: “England expects” from the fans and, more-imrtantly, the thickest, most-myopic sports media in the Northern Hemisphere (perhaps the world but, the Aussies might have something to say about that).

Meeting English expectations and actually winning a World Cup does not guarantee survival. They sacked Sir Alf Ramsey and pushed Sir Clive Woodward out the door.

Sorry, got diverted there. Lancaster is a very good coach, as he is demonstrating at Leinster, he also has a Scottish connection. Cockerill isn't in the same class as a coach, and, as far as I now doesn't have a Scottish connection.

It's a bad appointment, and, in more ways than one. What does this appointment say to the young, ambitious and good Scottish coaches who are making a name for themselves in the BT Premiership, or in assistant roles with our professional or age group sides. To me the message is: “Forget promotion, when we have a big job to fill, we will look beyond Scotland.”

If the SRU is unwilling or unable to set-up the third professional side we need, if they are unwilling to give young Scottish coaches a chance at the top level, what does that say about their attitude to the principle of growing the game in Scotland?

I don't think Cockerill is the right man for the job, I foresee disaster, but, I hope I am wrong and wish him well. Mind you, and this is the only plus I can see from the appointment – he might sort-out our perceived scrum weaknesses. He certainly has some good raw material to work with at Edinburgh.

THIS could be a fraught week for Vern Cotter and his backroom team, as they ponder selection for Saturday's BT Murrayfield meeting with Wales.

We already know Scotland will be without skipper Greig Laidlaw and Josh Strauss. But, there are also injury concerns regarding Sean Maitland, Mark Bennett, Duncan Taylor, John Barclay, John Hardie and Ryan Wilson and form concerns regarding Henry Pyrgos and maybe a couple of other fringe players. We hear they might try to rush Alasdair Dickinson back to shore-up the scrum, while WP Nel is still out.

Then there is the captaincy question – who will lead us in the absence of Greig Laidlaw and the concerns over Barclay? I understand there will be a reluctance to lumber Jonny Gray with the job, given his other duties as line-out caller and defensive fulcrum. Decisions, decisions.