MY
favourite sporting epigram remains: “It matters not who won or lost
– so long as you beat England.”
And
Gregor Townsend has just named the squad he hopes to do just that –
beat England, in the Calcutta Cup match on Saturday. The squad, in
1-23 order is:
Toony's team to face England named
1.
Gordon Reid (London Irish), 2. Stuart McInally, 3.
Simon Berghan; 4. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), 5. Jonny
Gray (Glasgow Warriors); 6. John Barclay (Captain)
(Scarlets), 7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh), 8. Ryan
Wilson (Glasgow Warriors); 9. Greig Laidlaw (Clermont
Auvergne), 10. Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors); 11. Sean
Matland (Saracens), 12. Peter Horne, 13. Huw Jones,
14. Tommy Seymour; 15. Stuart Hogg (all Glasgow
Warriors);.
Replacements:
16. Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons), 17. Jamie Bhatti
(Glasgow Warriors), 18. Wilem Nel (Edinburgh), 19. Tim
Swinson (Glasgow Warriors), 20. Dave Denton (Worcester
Warriors); 21. Ali Price, 22. Nick Grigg (both Glasgow
Warriors), 23. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh).
That's
pretty-much the expected squad. It's maybe, given England's wealth of
line-out options, a wee-bit tough on Ben Toolis, undoubtedly our best
man at the touchlines, but, Tim Swinson's greater grunt and devil
around the park will be handy.
Nick Grigg - deservedly promoted to the bench
Unashamed
Mark Bennett fan though I am, and undoubtedly biased towards Marko, I
cannot argue with Nick Grigg's promotion to the bench. The wee man is
in fantastic form just now and if he can bring his PRO14 A game to
the international arena, a tiring English defence might be in bother.
Great
optimism is, in spite of so many cold reality showers, my default
position when it comes to the Calcutta Cup – we are overdue a win
against Them, this year, why not?
THE
Scotland Club XV to face Ireland, at Duberry Park, Athlone, on Friday
night, was named on Tuesday, by Head Coach Rob Chrystie of Melrose –
it is a squad I like The team, in 1-23 order reads:
1.
Shawn Muir (Hawick), 2. Russell Anderson (Melrose), 3.
Steven Longwell (Ayr); 4. Iain Moody (Melrose), 5. Rob
McAlpine; 6. Blair Macpherson (both Ayr), 7. Jack
Turley (Heriot's), 8. Pete McCallum (Ayr); 9. Charlie
Shiel (Currie Chieftains), 10. Craig Jackson (Melrose);
11. Craig Gossman (Ayr), 12. Robbie Nelson (Currie
Chieftains), 13. Ross Curle (Stirling County), 14. Jordan
Edmunds (Boroughmuir); 15. Fraser Thomson (Captain)
(Melrose).
Replacements:
16. Michael Liness (Heriot's), 17. Nick Beavon
(Melrose), 18. Struan Cessford (Heriot's), 19. Ruaridh
Leishman (Stirling County), 20. Rory Drummond
(Watsonians); 21 Murdo McAndrew (Melrose), 22. Scott Lyle
(Ayr), 23. George Taylor (Melrose).
Rob Chrystie - has named a very good squad
My
squad would not have differed greatly from the one wee Rob has chosen
and I feel this is a squad capable of winning in Ireland. My only
quibble is with the whole Club XV concept – I firmly believe there
ought to be more games at this level, and they should be tied-into
the Six Nations programme.
Sending
a squad all the way to Athlone, while the main focus this weekend is
on games against England, this is a nonsense.
But,
for this to happen, Murrayfield would need to recognise the very real
contribution the club game makes to Scottish Rugby, and that is not
going to happen any time soon. Nothing appears to matter below the
level of the PRO14, as far as Murrayfield is concerned – well,
until they need our cash that is.
Before
I leave this subject, time to get back on a particular hobby horse of
mine – No mention of the Club XV in either of the two
Scottish-published newspapers which we look to for serious rugby
coverage. Poor show – again – chaps.
Never
mind, if it gets Scotland's rugby constituency rushing to read about
this in the leading Scottish rugby blogs, why should we complain.
And, might I at this point thank everyone who has bothered to find
Aristotle Armstrong – Scottish Rugby Philosopher and read his
ravings. This blog has just been named as the number three rugby blog
in Scotland – behind Scottish Rugby Blog and the Offside Line.
I
am honestly chuffed to be in such august company. Also, can I give a
plug to another smashing Scottish rugby blog – Weegie R Ugby,
disgracefully marked down at number eight. I like this one, and its
concentration on West Regional rugby.
D'ARCY
Graham was on water boy duties for Hawick at Ayr on Saturday. This
week, he is with the full Scotland squad preparing for the Calcutta
Cup match on Saturday.
D'Arcy Graham - should be doing this, not acting as water boy
OK,
he will not play on Saturday, he is with the national squad for the
experience, however, D'Arcy is “The Next Big Thing” in Scottish
rugby. He will be capped, sooner rather than later regardless of the
talent we have on the flanks. He is in the tradition of Ken Scotland,
Andy Irvine, Jim Renwick, John Rutherford, Gregor Townsend, Chris
Paterson and Stuart Hogg – we know he is good, we know he will play
for Scotland, the question is when.
Here
we are, eight weeks into 2018, and, in those eight weeks, D'Arcy has
featured just thrice for his club, Edinburgh. He has made two starts,
and one appearance off the bench.
As
far as I know, he has not been injured, so, it seems incredible to me
that a youngster, with that amount of talent and promise is not
seeing more action. Hawick would have dearly loved to have had him
playing at Millbrae on Saturday. The Ayr support would have relished
seeing him in action, but, Murrayfield made the decision he could not
play.
If
this absurdity called Super Six comes to pass, you can guarantee, you
will see a lot more occasions when exciting young talents are left
cooling their heels on the touchlines – because Murrayfield has
decided they cannot play – they need a rest.
I
appreciate getting the balance right between encouraging youthful
promise and curbing their enthusiasm is a difficult act to pull off,
but, we in Scotland have not got it right yet, and I don't see this
changing under Super Six.
We
want to see the D'Arcy Grahams of Scottish rugby dashing down the
wing carrying the ball, rather than a crate of water bottles.
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