A Badge Too Far Maybe

SINCE I have been declared a “non-person” by those giants of Scottish Rugby – TCD, MH33 and Buddy the Elf, I can with impunity: stand ootside the Big Top, as some of the worker ants inside have dubbed BT Murrayfield – because the clowns are running the show – and be free to piss into it.

Nathan Bombrys shows off the new Glasgow Warriors' logo

Image: © Craig Watson - www.craigwatson.co.uk 

Take this week's bi show – the announcement of a new, super-duper Glasgow Warriors logo. Now, I have nothing in principle against the new logo; it's just:

• Was it absolutely necessary?
  
  
• Can the cost be justified? - These graphic artists, visualisers and corporate identity gurus don't work for peanuts.
  
  
• Does it enhance the Glasgow brand?

To be fair, I quite like the new logo, but, that said, there was nothing wrong with the old one, and to be frank, some of the justification mouthed-off by Nathan Bombrys at the launch was pure corporate bullshit. Although, I did enjoy the wee 90 second video they came up with about the origin of the Glasgow Warrior.

Old Farts like me, who can remember the old Glasgow & District Rugby Union badge can see the nod to history in there, but, shipyard cranes and history – Aye Right, Nathan.

Of course, those among us who must have the most-recent kit, will no doubt, quite happily stump up the £50-plus it will cost them. And a new strip is coming for the new season: the current strip price has been all but halved in the SRU Shop is a definite sign of this.

Still, the SRU has to try to make money somewhere, and inflicting an unnecessary change on the paying public is one way of doing this.

WE ALSO hear that, while the suggested new 18,000-capacity Riverside Stadium might simply be some one putting two and two together and getting five or six, it appears talks are ongoing about further enhancing the Scotstoun capacity, up to 12,000.

As I wrote in my last post, the manner in which putting-up the temporary stands behind the dead ball lines, and in the process taking out the bends in the running track, so the athletes of Victoria Park-City of Glasgow Athletics Club are denied full use of the facilities has made Glasgow Warriors a couple of bad words in some parts.

Last season, Warriors played 15 home games at Scotstoun; that's 15 days on which the stadium was used, with the running track take out of commission. However, you have to add the days when it cannot be used, while the temporary stands behind the dead ball lines are being set-up, and the permanent facilities are being compromised, and those people who wish to use them being denied full access.

I appreciate, using a stadium with a permanent athletics track for football or rugby has to involve compromise, but, if anything Scotstoun had more of a history as an athletics venue than a rugby one, and maybe as the latecomers to the show, rugby ought to compromise a bit more.

Scotstoun's North Stand, could be extended

From what I hear, the proposed Scotstoun development, if it happens, will involve extending the North Stand. Assuming there is the room, I would hope for a structure more akin to the present main stand is built, and not another”Legoland” aberration, like the planned “Mini-Murrayfield” home for Edinburgh.

I know it will be more-costly, but, the SRU and Glasgow City Council are hardly skint entities, so, why not go the whole hog, build a proper 15,000 or 20,000-capacity stadium, with permanent stands which allow full use of the athletics track.

Such a stadium would allow Glasgow to fully cash-in on its reputation as a sporting city, able to host bigger rugby games and bigger athletics meetings, up to Grad Prix or Diamond League level, and would be better than the small-minded, piecemeal developments which are so-prevalent today.

I am always optimistic and firmly believe: if you build it (and market it properly) they will come.

ONE OF the relatively-unsung heroes of the Tennent's Premiership in the season just ended was Ayr loose-head Ruaridh Sayce. “Rugby Sauce” as he is known, came through the youth development ranks at Millbrae, and last season he was a key element in the way the Ayr pack dominated most games.

Ayr's Ruaridh Sayce backs-up Steven Longwell against Heriot's

He always looks to me like a tubby schoolboy who has wandered onto the wrong pitch, but, he has listened to what Pat McAthur and Glen Tippett have told him and along with the outstanding Shaun Muir, Steven Longwell on the opposite side of the Ayr scrum and Stirling County's Murphy Walker, he has been one of the outstanding props in the division.

If Ayr could stop him eating the “wrong” stuff and convert some of his weight to muscle – Sauce could be a tasty addition to the professional ranks.

I mentioned Murphy Walker in the last paragraph. I thought he did well, on the opposite side of the scrum, for the Under-20s against South Africa. I was side-tracked and missed all but the last half hour of the game, when the opposition's power did for the Scots, but, I thought Walker stood up well. It was also good to see Marshall Sykes back in action and none the worse for his long injury lay-off last season.

Not for the first time, Scotland, while looking dangerous with ball in hand, rather let themselves down with handling errors at crucial moments, while, the Welsh referee gave them little or no leeway. There was one moment when the South Africans were given an advantage which took them the length of the field, before he called: “advantage over.” Two minutes later, he gives Scotland an advantage and, three phases in, with the Scots having lost about 20 metres and possession, he calls: “advantage over.” What the fuck was that all about?