Laying Down A Marker

MARK Dodson was waxing lyrical again yesterday, at the media event to publicise the new SRU Academy at Napier University's Sighthill Campus. This is the third SRU regional Academy to be opened, and, welcome they are.

 

Dodson, who, in spite of the fantastic developments inside and outside Murrayfield which have taken place on his watch, remains a figure mistrusted by some in the wider Scottish Rugby family. I have always found him approachable, affable and I reckon he has done well in a difficult job. But, he is, to many, "an outsider" and I suppose we will have to wait until he is no longer around, before we get a proper assessment of how well he has done. Scottish Rugby is, like so-much in Scotland, essentially tribal, and he is not from any of our native tribes.

 

MD is hoping, within five years, the two pro sides will be essentially "Scottish" sides - and why not? The pro teams ought to be the gold standard for our players, every kid currently enjoying Sunday morning mini-rugby should be striving to, in time, wear the Warriors' or Edinburgh's shirt - as base camp before the real prize - a navy blue Scotland one.

 

But, with the best will in the world, from a talent pool as shallow as that we have always had in Scotland, only occasionally will we ever, indeed have we ever, had a pool of seasoned top players deep enough to lift Scotland in amongst the real big guns of the game.

 

We will always need to import, hopefully from the great Caledonian Diaspora - after all, Sean Lineen was by no means the first "Kilted Kiwi" when he arrived. That said, the fewer Lineens, Maitlands, Hineses, Metcalfes or "Project Players" we have to bring-in, the healthier will our domestic game be.

 

Also, hand on heart, consider this - would we rather not have had Niko and Leone bringing their South Pacific brand of magic to Scotstoun this past wee while?

 

Mark Dodson's vision of mainly Scottish pro team squads is a laudable one, but, a wish is just a dream that hasn't come true - making it happen will be the hard part.

 

This, of course, would be a whole lot easier, if we could cut through the bullshit and get the semi-pro Premiership up and running. Of course, funding a semi-pro league will be costly. It will mean some clubs which, in spite of the evidence of languishing in lower divisions, still having delusions of adequacy - of being "big" clubs, needing to "see themselves as ithers see them", and of either shaping-up or shipping-out to the playing for fun regional leagues.

 

Then, once the semi-pro Premiership was producing better potential professional players, we could maybe get round to forming at least two more professional sides in Scotland, and maybe looking at using London Scottish better. 

Smirking In London - Priceless

Bloody typical - how like a woman. "Management" decided we should spend last weekend up at that there Lunnun, so, on the basis of what Rabbie termed: "secret favours, sweet and precious", I passed on Warriors' trip to Belfast and headed for the flesh pots of the Sudetenland.

Apart from a severe attack of the dreaded lurgey on Sunday night - which I put down to the efforts of my youngest grandson - the weekend went well. We were in a hotel in the leafy suburbs of Surbiton, one which, by its proximity to Twickenham, was well-filled by Bath supporters, up in town for the Aviva Premiership final.

I managed to avoid informing them, given the Scottish connection - big Jim Hamilton and Duncan Taylor, plus the fact my elder brother had played for them when they were an unfashionable amateur club, I favoured a Saracens' victory; which duly arrived.

It was, however, even-more difficult not to gloat, late on Saturday night and on Sunday, at the magnificent Warriors' win in Belfast. I always fancied Glasgow could and would win, more-so after realising that Conor Murray would be missing; and thus it transpired.

The win itself, plus the way it was achieved, was wonderful for Glasgow and a much-needed boost for Scottish rugby, so, why does it worry me?

Well, for a start, money talks, and one or two under-achieving English and French clubs will now be casting envious eyes towards Scotstoun. Toony has just added an additional zero to the salary he would attract in either of the two big-money European leagues, while the same can be said about the likes of Finn Russell, Hoggie, Jonny Gray, not to mention the injured Alex Dunbar and Mark Bennett.

Also, big Al Kellock, Niko, Jon Welsh and DTH were playing their final game for Warriors, add the departing Sean Maitland and that's a lot of talent to replace next season.

Further factor-in how many Warriors will be involved in the World Cup effort, it is reasonable to assume Glasgow will be a full team down for the entire campaign, and, already defending the title looks difficult.

Or, is that me being a typical Scot, with the wind aye in my face?

Ach! Let's enjoy the moment. Well done boys.

BARELY had the dust settled on the Pro12, than BVC was naming his initial 47-strong World Cup squad. Straight away: congratulations big man on having the good sense to recall John Barclay.

No real surprises in the squad - Kelly Brown wasn't in Sarries' cup final squad, Johnny Beattie will not get another cap until he comes home, none of the other omissions can be deemed a serious loss. That said, I would still have Pat McArthur in there, but, he seems to have talents which are oblivious to all at Murrayfield. And, what has happened to Ben Toolis? after the way he ended the season, his omission strikes me as very odd indeed.

The game now will be in picking the guys who will be the likeliest to be cut from the eventual WC squad. I would say, one big name who really has to give himself a shake is Ryan Grant, who, for me, has been coasting on his reputation for the past season and a half.

It was obvious, when facing a Munster side which takes such pride in their pack's performance, Toony sent-out Gordy Reid as starting loose-head, which is surely a message to Grant that he has lost ground.

Of course, BVC has indicated that the list as issued is not set in stone. But, the campaign is now under-way.



LIKE many, I am amazed at the announcement that Shade Munro has been appointed as Head Coach to the Scotland Women's squad. For all the justly-deserved praise Toony has garnered at Scotstoun, I feel big Shade has played a major part in Glasgow's development.

I had hoped he would have been shifted to a post on the Scotland coaching team, but, while some will see his new role as "demotion", I hope Shade sees it as an opportunity.

Scottish women's rugby has long been a joke and, if Shade can turn things around, it will earn him major kudos, but, I don't envy him his job. Good luck big man - you'll need it.

A Couple Of Crackers Coming Up, And, It's Nowhere Near Christmas

MUNSTER it is then, who stand between Glasgow Warriors and Pro12 glory. That fact alone will make it even harder for Toony's Troops to emerge from the Kingspan Stadium with the trophy. In all honesty, I would rather they had been facing Ospreys.

 

Munster, led as so-often by big Paul O'Connell, will no doubt cheat with their usual outrageousness and panache. The game may well be O'Connell's final game for his province, for whom he is every bit as important as opposite number big Al Kellock is for Warriors. A lot will rest on which of these two great warriors gets the better response from his cohorts.

 

Glasgow can do it, but, they will need to be fully-focused and up for their biggest challenge of the year.

 

 

 

AT Kingspan, a lot will depend on the referee, and one hopes, whichever official gets the nod, and, please, let it be Nigel Owens, has a better game than the officials have had this weekend.

 

Even the blessed Nigel came in for some criticism after handling the Munster v Ospreys semi-final, but, perhaps, this was yet another case of the Welsh feeling: "We weren't beaten, the other side merely scored more points than us".

 

Truly, the Welsh really are the Celtic supporters of rugby - always cheated, never defeated.

 

Any way, not having seen any of the footage yet, I cannot comment as to whether or not wee Nigel descended from his normal excellence, but, George Clancy and his assistants, who had maybe better stay out of "Up North" for a few months, are not the only officials in the dog house this weekend.

 

Roman Poite also came in for some stick after this afternoon's wonderful Gloucester v Connacht match at Kingsholm. TV evidence showed one or two of his calls were wrong, with Connacht entitled to feel very hard done by, after losing this cracking game in extra time.

 

Mr Poite got a couple of huge calls wrong, to the detriment of the Irishmen, and, his performance struck me as yet more evidence that, in rugby, there is a pecking order.

 

Connacht, as so-often happens with Scottish teams, seemed to be cast as the "diddy" team in the game - they would have had to kill someone to get a knock-out decision in boxing, as I have often seen said. Gloucester got all the breaks going.

 

There were some fabulous tries, however, none better than Johnny May's late, late, match-clinching effort for the Cherry and Whites. A French-style length of the park effort, it was wonderful stuff, if a bit cruel on Connacht.

 

Soon to be Glasgow forward coach Dan McFarland has certainly got the Connacht eight firing, if he gets the same response at Scotstoun, Glasgow have won a watch.

 

 

 

MIND you, the big game in Belfast will not be the only showcase match next weekend - with Bath and Saracens going head-to-head in the Aviva Premiership Final, at Twickenham.

 

I caught both semi-finals on an afternoon spent watching BT Sport on TV. Both games were crackers, particularly the second one, at the Rec, where Bath put more than 40 points on a Leicester team which all but dominated the game.

 

Bath were in the Leicester 22 just eight times in the match, scoring seven tries and being a bad bounce away from an eighth. The Bath back line, conducted by George Ford, are an awesome unit, but, let's not forget, Glasgow were terribly unlucky to lose to them in Europe, and certainly out-played the Bath backs.

 

I suppose, we Scots ought to be supporting Sarries, the team a lot of people in England love to hate. Duncan Taylor, who had a terrific game in the semi-final, Kelly Brown and big Jim Hamilton will be in Sarries' match-day squad, while Bath have no tartan tinge to their kit.

 

I will be in London at the weekend, and, if "Management" can be bought-off, or bribed, I just might make it to the big game at Twickenham.

 

 

Glasgow Have Learned to "Win Ugly" And Not Before Time

I HAVE been following sport for some 60-years, and in all that time I cannot recall too-many examples of a Scottish team "winning ugly" in a vital game. Last night, at Scotstoun, Glasgow won ugly to see-off Ulster and reach their second successive Pro12 Grand Final.

 

When I looked at the sides pre-match, I was worried. There is no question, Glasgow is a far-better side with Alex Dunbar and Mark Bennett as a centre pairing; and, although he has done little this season, and has played his final game for the club in any case, I would always have Sean Maitland in my match-day squad.

 

I questioned if Glasgow had the cutting edge to breach which would always be a very tight Ulster defence. I had other concerns - Ryan Grant has not been the same prop since the disappointment of his shameful banishment to the margins on his Lions Tour and since the engagement protocol was changed. I also thought Jon Welsh's greater mobility and Rob Harley's sheer Weegie bloody-mindedness would be missed up front.

 

But, these concerns were answered with a wonderful late fight-back. Maybe Glasgow didn't deserve to win, but, when you review all the issues - maybe they did.

 

I have every sympathy for the team of Irish officials who were on-duty last night. I have long been a fierce critic of George Clancy, although, he began to win me over with some good displays this season.

 

He wasn't at his best last night, but, I would still rate him joint best of a bad bunch. Lacey was, it seemed to me, blatantly pro-Ulster, while the TMO was poor. Although to be fair to him, it was he who flagged-up the Matawalu high-tackle.

 

These criticisms of the officials made, the real criticism should fall on the Pro12 managers who approved the officiating team on-duty. Clancy & Co were placed in a no-win situation. Had Ulster won on the back of a contentious decision they would have been accused of pro-Ulster bias. Had they lost in similar circumstances, the call in Ireland would have been that they had bent-over towards Glasgow so as not to be accused of bias.

 

I accept the standard of referees on what the English term: "the Celtic fringes" is poor, take-out Nigel Owens and Ireland, Wales and Scotland don't have too-many competent officials in the front rank - indeed, we Scots don't have a single elite-level referee.

 

Owens should have had the whistle at Scotstoun last night, I could even have lived with him, two Scottish touch judges and an Irish TMO, but, the all-Irish team was a poor call. Failing that, a completely neutral team could have been borrowed from the RFU - Hell, I could even have tolerated Wayne Barnes!!

 

I am also coming to the conclusion, some of the current crop of Irish players all went to Hogwarts, and wear their cloak of invisibility at the breakdown. Many of the things which Ulster did without sanction last night were, well simply unbelievable.

 

But, that's all history. Now Glasgow have to re-group, re-focus and get ready for a huge game at the Kingspan on Saturday, regardless of opposition.

 

I think they can win. It would be a shame if, after finishing the regular season on top of the pile, then putting a less-than-stunning semi-final performance behind them, they were to fall at the last.

 

Come on you Weegie Warriors.

 

 

 

I NOTE that Glen Jackson has been stood down fro refereeing duties in New Zealand this week, following an error-strewn game, which included one absolute match-turning howler, last week in the Super 15.

 

About six months too-late in kicking him over the touchline for many Scots.

Glasgow Can Do, But, Beating Ulster Will Be Harder This Week Than Last

I spent some time in a previous life associating with "Paddies", the "travelling men" who made a night crossing from the Emerald Isle to Holyhead, then got into the network of itinerant workers who built the UK's motorways, dams, power stations and so forth.

 

The craic was good, in Crickelwood and elsewhere and those non-Paddies, such as myself, who worked alongside them, quickly realised - Paddy is an awful lot sharper than the 1970s Comedians made them out to be on TV.

 

With this learned knowledge in mind, I don't think the Ulstermen were too bothered about losing to Glasgow at Scotstoun yesterday. They will be back there again this coming Saturday, and this time, it will be serious.

 

I also don't put too-much emphasis on this: "No away side has ever won a Pro12 semi-final". Well, up until this month, the SNP had never held more than 11 Westminster seats.

 

I would be a lot more confident in Glasgow's ability to beat Ulster and go to Belfast for the Pro12 final, if they had Messrs Bennett, Dunbar and Maitland available. Their semi-final with Ulster will perhaps be their hardest game of the season, sure, they can win it, but, they will not score four tries this week.

 

This will be one titanic battle, make no mistake about that, a "home" final is a huge incentive for Ulster, regardless of the difficulty of winning an "away" semi-final

 

I am sure, however, whichever side wins at Scotstoun, will go on to be crowned Pro12 Champions. Glasgow can do it.

 

 

 

I enjoyed the Edinburgh v Leinster game on BBC Alba. I never really expected a stretched Edinburgh squad to win it, but, the game was entertaining.

 

Alan Solomons has worked wonders at Murrayfield. I can only hope the SRU blazers will put down the G&Ts long enough to tackle the two main drawbacks to the capital club:

 

1. They simply MUST come-up with a home ground other than Murrayfield.

 

2. Alan Solomons has to be allowed to strengthen his squad. There are still too-many positions in which, if the main man gets injured, the back-up simply is not good enough.

 

Sort-out these failings and we could soon have two teams qualifying for the top-flight in Europe.

 

 

 

WHAT a response that was from the Scotland Sevens squad. Within days of learning they would be continuing to play in the IRB series, they went out and beat the English at Twickenham. jings, crivvens, help ma Boab!!

 

A timely reminder to all the Hooray Henries down there - England may have secured Team GB's place at the Rio Olympic Games' sevens, but, the squad which goes there need not necessarily be an all-England selection.

 

Just a thought here; hard though it would be on the sevens specialists who actually sealed Team GB's place; might not we find the medal-hunting junkies of the BOA tactfully suggesting to the game of Rugby Union that, rather than going with the specialists - they select and field a team of "British Lions" to take on the big guns.

 

OK, there will be no Irishmen involved, but, could a team drawn from the best English, Scottish and Welsh 15-a-side players do any better in the short game than a mainly English squad of sevens specialists? Discuss.

 

 

Nice One Morry - About Time Somebody Said It

IAIN Morrison - inheritor of the mantle of Norman Mair and Chris Rea, if not given their title of "Rugby Correspondent" - is the only staff rugby writer in Scotland today, covering the oval-ball game for both Scotland on Sunday and The Scotsman. That, plus his international caps for Scotland, makes him the main man up here.

 

Unfortunately, Iain might well be nicknamed "Marmite", you either love him or hate him, there doesn't appear to be a half-way house. I like the guy, even more-so since he has climbed down off the fence this week, and suggested the Murrayfield Mandarins might do worse than invest in a one-way ticket home for the SRU's esteemed "Director of Rugby", Scott Johnson.

 

Now, if "Morry" is Marmite - Johnson is "Vegemite", Marmite's even-more-divisive Australian cousin. Well, he's maybe divisive Down Under, over here, I have yet to meet anyone who rates him or thinks he is doing a good job - except SRU CEO Mr Dodson, and, there the Mandy Rice-Davis quote applies.

 

If it comes down to an either-or, between SJ and the Scotland Sevens squad, well, it is a no-brainer: "Cheerio Scott, enjoy your trip home", has to be the SRU's decision. Anything other outcome and Big Dim Jim Murphy will not be the only prominent "Dead Man Walking" around Scotland.

 

Those of us - count me in - who prefer our rugby red in tooth and claw and featuring 15-a-side teams playing two x 40 minute halves per game, to the shorter seven-a-side variant are maybe like those stick-in-the-muds who don't quite get twenty-20 cricket. But, the fact is, Sevens is now an Olympic sport which 15s is unlikely to ever be; Sevens is the future and the vehicle which will drive the game forward.

 

It makes no sense for Scotland - the nation which invented Sevens - to withdraw or cut back, just as sporting giant nations such as Russia and the United States are starting to show an interest.

 

While I am on the subject; can I again suggest, the "blazers" at BT Murrayfield get onto their opposite numbers in Cardiff, and form a united front to prevent the Team GB Sevens squad at the 2016 Rio Olympics from being an "England" squad in GB track-suits?

 

An all-island UK or GB Rugby Union MUST be formed to manage the Olympic Sevens programme.

 

 

 

TIMING one's retirement in sport is always a problem. Too-soon, there might be accusations of: "He or she could have done more".

 

Too-late and the athlete becomes a "Has Been", finishing adrift of inferior talent.

 

But, I think Euan Murray has got it just about right in timing his retiral from international rugby. Wonderful prop though he was in his pomp, I reckon Murray is now on the downward slope. He could have hung-on until after the World Cup, but, had he stayed-on, he would probably not have been a starter - Jon Welsh or WP Nel will probably get the number three shirt.

 

He still, however, has something to offer Glasgow, not least as a mentor to young Zander Fagerson; and I hope he gets a one-year deal to pass-on all he knows to Zander and D'Arcy Rae, the two young props, not forgetting the more-advanced Alex Allen, on the other side of the scrum, at Scotstoun.

 

 

 

THIS is a huge weekend for the Pro12, particularly where Glasgow are operating at the sharp end. I would love to be confident about the Warriors' chances against Ulster in their final game, but, I fear, their lack of front-line talent in the three-quarter line will seriously dent Glasgow's chance of clinching a home game in the semi-final, hopefully en-route to a second straight final.

 

I have long fancied Ulster to make it to the final, which will, of course, be played on their home turf at Ravenhill, or Kingspan Stadium, to nod to their sponsors. If Ulster are one of the two sides in the final, we might as well give them the trophy - they don't often lose at Ravenhill.

LOOKING ahead to next season, I see the participation of the two Italian clubs in the Pro12 is again in doubt. This Italian brinksmanship is becoming a hardy annual. Can I again suggest, the SRU and the IRFU should call in the management of London Irish and London Scottish and make the Exile clubs an offer they cannot refuse - to leave the English system and join the Pro12.

Guinness would surely love to have two London franchises operating. The RFU would of-course be highly miffed, if the "Micks" and the "Sweaties" gave them the two-fingered salute they have been giving the Celtic sides for years.

I would also like to see London Welsh involved in the Pro12 as well, but, given the constant state of insurrection and clan warfare in the Valleys, that might not be so-easy to pull together.

 

After Swansea - This Is A Huge Week For Glasgow

HAVING spent the past wee while in General Election mode, I have somewhat neglected rugby - not that a lot was going on in Scotland in any case; however, all that changed last night with the return of the Pro12.

I did fear for Glasgow in Ospreyland last night. For a start, they would have Welsh touch judges and a Welsh TMO, then, I noticed, George Clancy was the referee.....

Now, I have long been unsure about our George, he has been in the middle and contributed to, one or two Scottish disasters, but, I have to say, apart from his (minor) role in the disaster that was the officiating of the Welsh international, I think George has had a good season and has grown as a referee.

He did very well last night - no complaints from me, although, once or twice the Welsh touch judges showed their usual home bias. All told, however, Glasgow didn't play well and Ospreys made home advantage count.

There is little or nothing between these two sides, so, it was always going to be small things which made the difference. On the night, Ospreys were the better team - take it on the chin and move on.

That said, the loss of Alex Dunbar, Mark Bennett, Sean Lamont  and Sean Maitland is now beginning to hurt Glasgow, at the worst-possible time.

Given that Edinburgh are still inconsistent, I was not surprised that a Dragons' team, intent on making amends to their fans for their Challenge Cup capitulation, put them to the sword at Rodney Parade.

Glasgow v Ulster this week is now a HUGE game.

THE next few weeks are going to be crucial for Scottish Rugby. The two professional sides are making changes on and off the field for next season, we do not know if these will be for good or bad. We really need to see the longed-for changes to the way we run the game up here, and we need to see signs of progress before the World Cup.

Even the Scottish Rugby press is in a state of flux at the moment. Neither The Herald nor The Scotsman currently has an in-house 'Rugby Correspondent' on the staff. There are a few freelances out there, doing well, but, the big gigs are going to a tiny handful - there are guys out there, who know the sport and could make rugby coverage better, but, they are not getting much exposure from the papers.

For instance: "Lewis Stuart" covered the Ospreys v Glasgow game for both The Herald and The Scotsman - fair enough. However, "Hamish Stuart" was at Rodney Parade for The Scotsman, while "Stuart McAllister" was in Ospreyland for The Herald.

Trouble is, Lewis Stuart is also Hamish Stuart and Stuart McAllister. Now, Lewis is a big boy, but, I don't see him being in Newport and also in Swansea at the same time.

Good luck to Lewis for getting the work, however, there are alternatives out there. We need more opinions and views on the state of Scottish rugby.