There's Bad, Then There Is Edinburgh

THE BT SPORT rugby commentary team are forever telling us what a great league the Gallagher Premiership is, and what wonderful teams their top outfits such as Leicester are. Aye Right!!!

If Leicester are that good – how come, even allowing for the terrible conditions – they could only beat an Edinburgh team who were the epitome of “A Shite Team” by ten points. Edinburgh were awful, rank rotten. To see international players making the wrong decisions and the unforced errors which Edinburgh produced last night, well it was embarrassing.

Edinburgh's abject performance, regardless of the patronising efforts of the likes of Ben Kay to put a brave face on things, well it had me wondering what is going-on there? I refuse to concede that appointing Steve Diamond was a good move. Nothing less than a complete clear-out of the coaching staff will do for me – and, last night we saw, one or two of the big names are past their sell-by date.

These players are good when playing for Scotland, but, shite in an Edinburgh shirt – something is seriously amiss and only major surgery can turn this club around.

EDINBURGH''S abject capitulation in Leicester was made to look so much worse by the way Glasgow Warriors hammered 14-man Dragons at Saturday tea time. Some of Glasgow's play was top-drawer; Huw Jones' coast-to-coast try was a thing of beauty, as was that glorious front row effort from Allan Dell, setting-up scorer Johnny Matthews. That try was the pick of Matthews' nap hand of touchdowns.

Dragons' red card undid them, but, I have to admit, they went down with all guns blazing, and played their full part in a thoroughly-entertaining match.

Good too to see Ryan Wilson released from commentary box duties to come off the bench and charge around in his own, unique fashion.

Glasgow's win was for me the highlight of a glorious day of rugby, following great games in Durban and Cape Town.

Warriors' reward for coming out on top in a game which featured 106 points – 73-33 to Glasgow, will be a home quarter-final against Emirates Lions, who knocked out Racing '92 to deny the Warrior Nation a reunion with Finn Russell. I cannot say I am too unhappy at the thought of The Gallus One not coming back to play at Scotstoun – that's the sort of challenge which would have brought the best out of him, and been bad news for Warriors.

EUROPEAN club rugby, from the shores of the Indian Ocean, who'd have thunked it. Gripping though the Sharks v Munster match in Durban was, for me the big deal was again those water slides and the pool behind the in-goal area at King's Park.

Come on Billy McHarg and Tony Peters, why shouldn't we have the same facilities, plus summer rugby, at Millbrae and Fullarton Park?

IT'S HAWICK v The West of Scotland in the semi-finals of the Tennent's Scottish Cup, following today's quarter-finals.

Ayr flew the flag for National League 1 with their big win over Selkirk. This sets up what will be an interesting Ayrshire Derby against Marr, at Millbrae. Marr set this up with an excellent win come from behind win at Currie Chieftains.

With Hawick already through to the semi-final, the only other question was: who would they face? The answer was Glasgow Hawks, who guaranteed themselves a home tie against the Champions, with a good win over Heriot's Blues.

THE PASSING of Big Stewart Hamilton was a shock to all of us who knew him and loved him. The Big Man from Larkhall was not only a smashing player and person, he was a character – a one-off.

I have always felt it a terrible mistake by the Scotland selectors that neither Stewart no his oft-times Glasgow boiler-house partner Hugh Parker were capped. I have long felt, inferior contemporaries of theirs won caps which ought to have gone to one or both of the Hamilton/Parker pairing. However, neither Stirling County, nor Kilmarnock were Establishment clubs.

There is a rumour that the reason for Hamilton's overlooking was an easy one to explain. Apparently, one night, while on a Scotland Tour, the players were invited to favour the company with their School Song.

Hamilton, a proud former pupil of Larkhall Academy duly favoured the company with that school's theme song: 'The Sash My Father Wore.'

FINALLY – time to stick-up for a pal, and let one of our current heroes have it – with both barrels. I understand, after last night's Heineken Cup last 16 clash between Leicester Tigers and Edinburgh, Mark Bennett stayed down south – he'd managed to wangle a corporate hospitality package for Manchester City v Liverpool.

With Steph, his better half, in Denmark, the bold Marko has shipped the dugs off to Steph's grandparents in Ayr. Aye, that's what grandparents are for – looking after the weans.

But, I expect better from a Cumnock Rugby Club old boy – so, Marko, you really have to take Grandpa Jimmy along the next time you get a nice freebie. Or steps may be taken.