Cross Purposes

SINCE ever Super-6 and Agenda-3 were first mooted, almost as if carved on tablets of stone – we have been told: “The Premiership is not fit for purpose.”

Blame for this statement appears to have settled-on the head of the currently notice-working Scott Johnson. The thing about this is, as far as we are aware Scott has only ever attended one Premiership game, so he has never been in a position to know if the statement attributed to him is fact-based or simply conjecture.

I have now learned, however, the Lesser-Spotted one was merely repeating comments made to him: by full-time professional players who had spent a few games playing in the Premiership.

These pros felt, they were not being adequately-stretched in Premiership games, with the result, when recalled by either Edinburgh or Glasgow, they found themselves a wee bit off the pace.

The thing is, there is a skills gap in the Premiership. Look at the league at the moment: we have, as always it seems, Ayr and Melrose slightly ahead of the rest at the top of the table, followed by three clubs: Currie, Heriot's and Watsonians, in their own private Edinburgh battle for the other two play-off places.

There is then a 12-point gap to the “par” teams in the division: Boroughmuir and Stirling County. I say “par teams” because – if you can beat them, you have a chance of being in the top of the table mix; if you cannot, you are struggling.

Finally, we have the three strugglers – Glasgow Hawks, Hawick and Edinburgh Academicals, fighting to avoid the possible relegation and promotion/relegation play-off places. (And how much-more helpful it would be if the Murrayfield minions could decide if there is, or isn't going to be promotion and relegation at the end of this season).

Now, I can understand how a professional, perhaps coming back from injury, maybe lacking game time, might feel a bit aggrieved, if he was drafted to one of the lower teams, and was perhaps expected to lift a struggling side by force of personality.

He might not fancy laying his body on the line in the cause of a club with which he has no affinity, for no additional reward. He might also detect a less-than-cordial welcome in the dressing room, since he will not be there long. So, yes, I can see why some Premiership clubs are not overly-keen on having a professional drafted to them.

On the other hand, occasionally, a drafted player builds a solid relationship with his drafted club, an starts to make a difference. I noticed that last season with big Greg Pederson at Marr, where he was very-much one of the boys. He told me after one game: “I enjoy playing for Marr, it's like being back playing with my mates in Sydney.”

Lelia Masaga - winning friends and influencing people at Hawks

The same thing is now happening with Lelia Masaga and Glasgow Hawks. “Flash” may only have played one Test for them, but, he is and now always will be: “An All Black.” That gives him status within the game. Now 33, he has fallen to being seventh choice winger for Glasgow Warriors, and has, let's be honest, little chance of featuring for them again this season – barring a spate of injuries.

So, he has “bought into” the Hawks ethos, and the younger three-quarters around him are thoroughly-enjoying tapping into his knowledge and learning wee pointers from him. The club elders also love having him around the place.

There have been others in similar situations with Warriors. For instance, I have no idea how Ratu Tagive is so-far out of things at Scotstoun. He has impressed me any time I have seen him in action for Stirling County, where he has played most of his rugby this season. He is certainly a firm favourite around Bridgehaugh.

Former Warriors, such as big Al Kellock, Dougie Hall and James Eddie always brought something extra to the table when asked to drop into the Premiership and play. However, there have been other full-time professionals who have been asked to honour the Premiership with their talent, and who have felt insulted by this offer and, to be frank, gone through the motions.

One Scotland international prop was given the full Alex Ferguson “hair dryer” treatment, with some additional expletives which even Fergie had not never thought off, when Jock Craig read him the Riot Act after an insipid performance for Ayr. While Peter Wright, when coaching Selkirk during Alan Solomons' less-than-exciting spell as Edinburgh coach remarked: “Aye, Edinburgh will happily let you have one of their players – but, you have to promise to send him back fit to hold a tackle bag on Monday.”

With S6, that competition, rather than the Tennent's Premiership (or will it be renamed Championship?) will be the level to which the professionals are drafted, and, hopefully, this will mean a more-even playing field for the draft process and a better understanding of what is meant to happen.

At least, we know, with S6, this is not – as most people see the current Premiership, the top tier of the club game – but, a separate tier, where player improvement and progression is perhaps more-important than winning the thing. We will wait and see.

I WAS speaking last week to one of the main advocates of S6, a man who is convinced the single thing which will galvanise this new level of rugby and take the Scottish game to new heights, will be the cross-border competition with the leading Welsh Premiership sides.

“When we were in the British & Irish Cup, I always felt the matches in which we really had to dig deep and reach new heights were those against the Welsh,” he said.

“Sure, the English sides were all big, but, they tended to be limited in how they played and did not test us as much as facing the Welsh sides did. I think, when we get into the cross-border games with the Welsh it will be the same thing – we will have to dig deep and be at our very best if we wish to compete. I am really looking forward to this.”