The Club XV Leads Us Into International Action

REGULAR readers will know, this blog prefers to cover club rugby, the fully-professional side of the game gets sufficient attention from the one story per day hard-working mainstream media.

So, I was a happy wee bunny yesterday, when Rob Chrystie was finally able to name his Club XV squad for the first leg of the Dalriada Cup, against Ireland. The match has had to be moved, from a frost-bound Myreside, to Netherdale, where the under soil heating ensures a two game programme, with the Club XV match kicking off at 3.30pm, and the Under-20's game with Italy at 7.30pm.

Pete McCallum, restored to the Club XV captaincy this afternoon

picture courtesy of SNS/Scottish Rugby 

Rob had one or two injury worries to clear-up before naming the following squad, as ever in 1-23 order:

Shawn Muir (Hawick), Ross Graham (Watsonians), Steven Longwell (Ayr), Hamilton Burr (Stirling), Tommy Spinks, Blair McPherson (Ayr), Jack McLean (Heriot’s), Pete McCallum (Captain) (Ayr); Murdo McAndrew (Melrose), Gregor Hunter (Currie Chieftains); Kyle Rowe (Ayr), Robbie Nelson (Currie Chieftains), Robert Kay (Heriot’s), Craig Gossman (Boroughmuir); Paddy Dewhirst (Ayr).

Substitutes: Gary Strain (Glasgow Hawks), Michael Liness, Struan Cessford, Ruairidh Leishman, Iain Wilson, Andrew Simmers, Struan Edwards, (all Heriot’s), Patrick Anderson (Melrose).

That's not a bad team. Nine of the ten Tennent's Premiership clubs have a representative, Edinburgh Academical being the single club to miss out. I am delighted to see young Paddy Dewhirst, who had the 15 jersey for the Under-20s last season, getting an early call-up to a men's team, albeit covering for the injured Fraser Thomson – who would have been a shoo-in but for injury.

But, what I wonder must Granz Anderson be thinking, since he's been tearing up trees again this season at 15 for Ayr, to the extent the immensely-promising Paddy has had to play on the wing. Meanwhile, Ollie Smith, who generally plays centre, inside Paddy, for Ayr, will be wearing the 15 jersey for the Under-20s. Selectors, what do they know.

THE UNDER-20 team to face the young Italians is as follows, again in 1-23 order:

Sam Grahamslaw (Leicester Tigers), Finlay Scott (Jed-Forest)*, Murphy Walker (Stirling County)*, Ewan Johnson (Racing 92), Charlie Jupp (Heriot’s)*, Kwagga Van Niekirk (Lions), Connor Boyle (Captain) (Watsonians)*, Jack Mann (Edinburgh Academical)*; Roan Frostwick (Currie Chieftains)*, Ross Thompson (Glasgow Hawks)*; Jack Blain (Heriot’s)*, Robbie McCallum (Complutense Cisneros), Cameron Anderson (Wasps), Rory McMichael (Heriot’s)*; Ollie Smith (Ayr)*.

Replacements: Euan Ashman (Sale Sharks), Andrew Nimmo (Glasgow Hawks)*, Euan McLaren (Ayr)*, Cameron Henderson, Ross Bundy (Stirling County), Kyle McGhie (Musselburgh), Nathan Chamberlain (Bristol Bears), Rufus McLean (Watsonians)*.

Watsonians' Connor Boyle will captain the Under-20s

The starting XV includes eight players who were in last season's squad, while 13 of the 23 are students at the Forsoc Scottish Rugby Academy, and are marked with an asterisk *. A further five of the squad are from the Scottish Qualified system.

The old romantic in me is delighted to see Kyle McGhie from Musselburgh, currently going well in National League 1, getting into the squad. Apologies to everyone at Stoneyhill – the venue of the first rugby match I ever covered as a full match report, back in the days of the unofficial championship – if I am wrong on this, but, from memory, he might be the first Musselburgh player to get a Scotland call since wee Donald Macdonald, one of the off-field heroes of the 1986 North American Tour.

Could not help noticing when I copied the above teams from the SRU press releases, the Club XV has substitutes, the Under-20s have replacements, also, the teams were set-out in different order in the releases.

Tip to the SRU Media Department – Set a “house style” and stick to it, it is more-professional, it looks better, and it helps us poor over-worked journalists at the coal face. You scratch our backs, we will scratch yours, and everyone is happy.

ONCE AGAIN the 6 Nations' match officials list is a Scottish-free zone, but, at least three of our officials have got the call-up for this busy weekend of international rugby.

Ben Blain, referees France v Wales Under-20s

Ben Blain will have the whistle for the Under-20 match between France and Wales, when he will have Ian Kenny and Ross Mabon on the flags. Meanwhile, Scottish rugby's two jet-setters, Sam Grove-White and Hollie Davidson are adding to their considerable air miles pot, by officiating in the latest round of the HSBC World Rugby Series, in Sydney.

MISTAKES and the dear old Guardian go together like semmit and drawers – except I don't expect the hipsters inside the M25 bubble to know what a semmit is.

This morning the dear old Gruaniad produced a corker, in their 6 Nations preview, when they listed the injured John Barclay as Scotland captain. Easily explained of course, like every other newspaper, they have cut back on the number of experienced, qualified sub-editors they employ; copy is no longer checked as vigorously as in days of yore and egg-on-face bloopers like that, increasingly get through.

We all make mistakes, but, increasingly too, I get the impression, the papers don't seem bothered about some howlers that appear.

The Guardian also assures us this morning, relegation from the 6 Nations is not on the cards. Maybe not in the next two or three years, but, I can guarantee, IF the proposed World League for international rugby happens, and if the money speaks loudly enough it will, then, before too long, to freshen-up things, relegation will come in.

What will also happen is, international rugby will vanish from free-to-air “cooncil telly”, and we will all be paying subscriptions to Sky, BT, Virgin, Premier Sports or whoever. 'Tis the way of the world.