Crunching Numbers Gives You Insight

WHEN IT comes to living high on the hog and spending other people's money badly – nobody does it better than politicians. Just think of the billions the Conservative Party led UK Government managed to pish up against the wall during the Covid emergency; or the other billions they have wasted on aircraft that didn't fly, ships that spend more time in dry dock than on the high seas and other defence procurement catastrophes. Then there is their repeated failure to address the very-real issues of the NHS and every day life.

So, when a UK Parliamentary Select Committee, The Digital, Cultural, Media and Sport (DCMS) Select Committee says that the finances of elite-level English club rugby in the Gallagher Premiership are: “clearly unsustainable,” you might have expected the Rugby Football Union (RFU) to have immediately acted.

Of course they did, the RFU and Premiership Rugby Ltd (PRL) issued a statement saying: “We are working hard to create a sustainable league.”

Aye Right! We might see some cosmetic changes, but, these will amount to little more than shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic, waiting for the next iceberg to come along and pick off the next club to follow Wasps and Worcester Warriors to the sea bed.

Leopards don't change their spots and I am absolutely certain the English clubs will simply carry-on spending and hope, when the cumulative losses once again become unsustainable, some other idiots will come in to make the same mistakes again. There is something about owning a major sports franchise which causes otherwise hard-headed, successful and rich businessmen lose their marbles, make crazy choices and lose money.

What, I hear you ask, has the clusterfuck that is English elite-level club rugby got to do with Scotland? Well, since professional Scottish Rugby is now discovering something which professional Scottish Football has known for the best part of 150 years – The noblest prospect which a Scotchman ever sees is the high road to England.”

Yesterday, Gregor Townsend announced his 40-strong squad for the Guinness Six Nations. The break down of the squad was as follows:

• 15 players – 37.5% - play for clubs outwith Scotland

• 15 players – 37.5% - play for Glasgow Warriors

• 10 players – 25% - play for Edinburgh.

• Therefore – 62.5% of the squad are employed by the SRU's two wholly-owned subsidiary clubs, the other 37.5% are employed elsewhere.

• 19 players (13 forwards/6 backs) were developed by Scottish clubs

• 21 players (10 forwards/11 backs) were developed outwith Scotland.

• Therefore – 19 players - 47.5% of the squad came through the SRU's club system, the other 21 players - 52.5% were developed elsewhere.

• Of these 21 players (11 – 6 forwards/5 backs) came through the Scottish Qualified recruitment system in England and Wales, the other 10 (4 forwards/6 backs) were recruited from overseas.

• Of the overall 40-man squad, 3 players – 7.5% - are complete non-Scots

• 18 players – 45% are from the Caledonian Diaspora

• 19 players – 47.5% are home-grown through Scottish domestic club rugby.

The above break-down demonstrates, there is something seriously wrong with the SRU's Player Pathway in Scotland – that fewer than half the players in the international squad have come through it. This needs fixing.

As far as the 37.5% of the squad playing for clubs outwith Scotland; this is something we will probably have to live with, at least until financial reality strikes the guys running the major English clubs. Even then, I believe it will take a long time for this reality to happen.

I do feel, however, we should be pro-actively selecting guys who play with Edinburgh and Glasgow. However, to get back to financial reality – for as long as the English and to a lesser extent the French clubs – are able and willing to pay more than the SRU, we will lose players to them. Maybe time to look at something like the Welsh system and tell the guys playing for clubs other than the Scottish ones – after you have won a certain number of caps, you can go and still be picked for Scotland, otherwise, forget it.

Another thing I feel we need is to see a return to A or B teams playing regularly, so the maximum number of our professional players can be exposed to international rugby. Bringing back A/B games would also allow us to give greater experience to younger players, between the Under-20 squad and the full team.

THE BTL (below the line) comments on any Offside Line story is now the true supporters' forum in Scottish Rugby. Interestingly perhaps, the most-commented-on story on TOL at the moment is about Toony selecting Ruaridh McConnachie for his 6N squad.

Let's face it, with that name – the boy has to be Scottish. He came through the London Scottish Academy, so, rather than asking why it took us until he was 31 and already capped by England to get him into a Scotland squad, we ought perhaps to be asking how we missed him when he was at Scottish, or when he got into the England Sevens squad?

That's the thing with giving a single coach virtual absolute power of selection. If the incumbent coach doesn't fancy the player – he doesn't get picked. For instance, Toony has now, belatedly, called-up McConnachie, but he has left out one or two other players, who other selectors might have chosen.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT of the foundation of a “scrum school” in Scottish rugby is to be welcomed. Friends of this blog who are involved in the grass roots club game have been saying for years, it's the shortage of props, and the unwillingness of non-specialists to go into the front row which causes a lot of the match call-offs we wee. So, if this initiative helps, it has to be a good thing.

Good luck to the 50 or so coaches who have already been trained-up and will get the scrum school going. I wish them well. I cannot help, however, thinking how great it could be if some still active golden oldie props, or recently-retired front rowers, guys such as Gordy Reid or Chunk Jacobsen could be enticed to become the faces of this initiative.

Typical Toony - With A Couple of Left-Field PIcks

WELL – WE KEN NOO. Gregor Townsend has named his extended Scotland squad for the 2023 Guinness Six Nations. And, being Toony, he's pulled one or two rabbits from the hat.

Nobody surely saw Ruaridh McConnachie being picked. The former London Scottish youngster, now with Bath, is the second player – after former Australian cap Jack Dempsey - Scotland has called-up under the new World Rugby rule which allows a player to switch nationalities if he hasn't played internationally for over three years.

A member of the silver medal-winning Great Britain Sevens squad from Rio, Ruaridh gives us pace and power on the wing. Mind you, I would like to have seen another of that Rio squad, Mark Bennett, included.

Young Cameron Henderson's current good form for Leicester has earned him a call-up in the second row. Mind you, I feel his inclusion is tough on the young Edinburgh locks, Jamie Hodgson and Marshall Sykes, who both miss out.

Another I would have selected is Bath tight-head D'Arcy Rae. I reckon the Troon man is a better technical prop than either Simon Berghan or Javan Sebastian, both of whom are in the squad.

Good to see Stafford McDowall's good season with Glasgow Warriors winning him a place, while I also welcome the speedy inclusion of Ben Healy, prior to his move to Edinburgh.

The full squad is:

Of course, the elephant in the room at the squad launch was, Townsend's future, between rumours of him applying for the post of Attack Coach with France, and also of him being Number One target for Leicester Tigers, as the long-term replacement for new England coach Steve Borthwick.

I think we can take it as read that, either after the Six Nations, or, more-probably after the World Cup, Townsend will stand down as Scotland Coach, which leaves us with months in which to speculate as to his replacement.

That's the sort of thing which has the Glasgow=based football writers wetting themselves in anticipation. We rugby writers, being a smarter, more-rounded bunch, we will not get carried away.

I am quite happy to leave it to the big brains inside BT Murrayfield, because, being Scotland coach is a poisoned chalice. Not perhaps as toxic as being English or Welsh Coach, but still such an impossible mission, even Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt might well say: “No thanks,” when offered the gig.

 

Eurovision Was Entertaining, Even Without Singing

JINGS, CRIVVENS, HELP MA BOAB, but, our southern neighbours haven't half got themselves into a pickle thanks to the latest indiscretion by rugby's equivalent of Venus de Milo – Owen Farrell, a big tit and no arms.

I dare say the order came down from the executive floor at Twickenham, once VdM was cited for his foul in the Gloucester game: “Punish him, but, have him available for the Six Nations.” The trouble then was, the Disciplinary Committee would have to make themselves – and by default the wider Rugby Football Union - look really silly to pull this off.

VdM might, or might not, be a serial offender. However, it's the second time he's been up before the beaks for a no arms tackle. The last time, they tied themselves in knots to give him a six-weeks ban. So, by the normal standards, to be up on the same charge, two seasons later, he ought to get at least the same length of ban.

That, however, would keep him out of the start of the Six Nations, hence the problem for the RFU Disciplinary Committee. With Marcus Smith and George Ford both coming back from injury, the Saracen is the only number ten with international experience available to them – so they had to find a way of getting him available.

A pity they never looked to football – where players who are banned from club games can still, if needed, be picked for internationals – there was their get-out' except, thinking on their feet is not something our southern neighbours are very good at.

Still, better we beat an England team which includes VdM, it gives them one less excuse to come up with afterwards.

Then after a brilliant piece of decision-making from the RFU got VdM into the England Six Nations' squad, their troubles multiplied with Henry Slade's red card in the Saracens v Lyon game. They appear to be hoping the card will be rescinded, otherwise, he will be out of the initial 6N squad.

EUROPEAN WEEKEND got off to a great start with that brilliant Clermont Auvergne v Leicester match. OK, we have to try to ignore the: “The Gallagher Premiership is wonderful” overkill from the guys at BT Sport, but, on the night the mid-table English side beat the down-table French one – whatever that proves.

From a Scottish perspective, it was great to see Matt Scott grab a couple of tries, to emphasise the midfield depth we currently enjoy, while the young and unsung Cameron Henderson put-in a solid shift in the Tigers; boiler-room.

Saturday's highlight for me was that Gloucester v Leinster match, or rather the reaction of English Rugby in general to the Dubs' massive win. When Gloucester sent out a sacrificial squad of virtual reserves for the first game, in Dublin, it gave the English cheer-leaders a ready-made excuse of: “what do you expect from a weakened team?”

However, on Saturday, while both sides were below optimum strength, it was perhaps true that Leinster were still missing more of their big guns than Gloucester. They still won by the length of the M4 and one or two of the Leinster lesser lights, such as young centre James Osborne, really stood up to be counted.

It is perhaps dawning on some Sassenachs, that, for all the money their clubs seem to have, the English system of making the clubs the main men isn't really working. They can shout all they like about how good the Gallagher Premiership is, but, in truth, it is no better than the other two main leagues – the Top 14 and the URC.

It is a tad disappointing, however, that the only way we fans back home could catch the Glasgow Warriors' game was by taking-out a one-game pass to EPCR TV. Mind you, at £5 I suppose that is value for money – if the system works, which, in my case it didn't.

So, I had to make do with the BBC Sport Scotland text link, which told of a terrific Glasgow win. The fact that Coach Franco Smith felt Glasgow could have played better says much about where Warriors are currently. This could yet be a big season for the club.

I ENJOYED Edinburgh's win at Castres on Sunday afternoon. It wasn't pretty at time, but, it was an entertaining game and a cracking win for Edinburgh. I do feel, however, if Edinburgh are to make genuine progress, the SRU will need to recruit a top-class number ten for the club, to help young Charlie Savala develop.

Still, that's both of our clubs into the knock-out phase of the top European competitions, which has to be good for Scottish rugby.

MY FINAL match of a long weekend of rugby watching on TV was the Racing 92 v Harlequins match in Paris.

At times, it felt as if Racing were trying to lose, so many unforced errors did they commit. The Gallus One produced some sublime moments, before finishing early after a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on. His place kicking was spot-on, however.

For me, however, the game was spoilt by the ridiculously one-sided commentary from Austin Healy Sprite. He is now so bad covering games involving English clubs, he makes John Inverdale sound like the epitome of neutrality.

That Racing should play so badly and win, was a definite case of Get it right up ye ya wee fanny.

The English clubs suffer in Europe, from the fact – Wayne Barnes apart, their referees are shite and England appears to play to totally different laws interpretation from every other nation.

And, speaking of refereeing interpretations – I noticed Mike Adamson – a former scrum-half, wasn't paying a lot of attention to the new directive about scrum-halves using ruck ball within five seconds.

 

International Rugby - The Money Pit

IT IS a fact of rugby life, that the only area of the game which makes money is the international level. However, since that elite tier of the game has to be under-pinned by the greater numbers involved in the club game – some form of compromise is required in the financing of the overall game. Where the game is the big thing, all is probably well – players will always wish to simply play; the problems start when the money element comes in.

I chanced upon an example of this just this week, when I read a piece on the travel problems which the South African teams in the BKT United Rugby Championship are having. Obviously, flying a full match-day squad of South African players, plus the coaches and back-up staff up from their homeland to Europe is always going to be an expensive business. So, to help out, the South African Rugby Union signed a sponsorship deal with Qatar, which means, the four South African teams, when coming north – have to fly via Qatar.

This, however, means, they are subjected to a 40-hour flight time, with changes of aircraft in Doha and again once they arrive in Europe. To make things worse, they – even the big guys like Eben Etzebeth and The Bomb Squad” are being asked to fly “cattle class” in “Economy.”

The European-based teams don't have the same problems. For instance, the piece I read mentioned how, when Glasgow Warriors fly to Johannesburg next month, to complete their rescheduled match with The Lions, they will fly Business Class – Glasgow to Heathrow, then (still business class) Heathrow to Jo'burg; repeating this route on the way back. Twelve hours one-way, easy.

I wonder, which URC team will be the first to take a leaf from the North American professional sports world and get their own exclusive jet for the long-haul trips.

THE 2023 FOSROC Super6 Sprint Series isn't due to kick-off for another three months, but, this week we have seen some movement with new coaching appointments announced.

These have seen Alan Tait named as Head Coach at Southern Knights, assisted by Scott Wright, who moves back to the Greenyards from Selkirk. Then, Steve Scott was named as replacement for Fergus Pringle at S6 Champions Watsonians.

With Ben Cairns having moved from Stirling to Heriot's in November, the one big job still vacant is to name Ben's replacement at Bridgehaugh. I would expect that appointment to be announced later this month.

SELDOM has my flabber been less ghasted – Venus do Milo – or Owen Farrell as he styles himself, has been handed a four-week ban, reduced to three if he attends something called “Tackle School.” This means he will be available for England's 6 Nations campaign.

He's a serial offender when it comes to head-high, no-arms tackles. The last time he was up before the beaks, be copped a six week ban. So, this time round he gets four/three.

Mind you, are we Scots surprised. Think back to the good old amateur days, when the current Chairman of the SRU – back then a big daft boay frae Kelsy, along with a senior England player, decided to take the venerable Calcutta Cup and show it around the pubs of Rose Street, following the annual encounter between sports oldest international rivals.

When the trophy was returned to the Balmoral Hotel, The Calcutta Cup had become “The Calcutta Plate.” John Jeffrey (Scotland) copped a six-month ban for his indiscretion, the then PC Dean Richards (England) got off with a slight smack on the wrist. The RFU can be relied on to protect their favourites. What's that old saying again - “Britannia waives the rules.”

IT WAS so sad to read this week, hard on the heels of the loss of Ken Scotland, of the passing of David Duckham. Duckham, who passed away, aged 76, was one Englishman who was admired and even loved across the Celtic fringes of the sport, and on into the wider world.

He first broke through as one half of an outstanding England centre partnership with Yorkshireman John Spencer. However, it was when he switched onto the wing that he really came into his own.

Although he ultimately lost his place in the Test side to the more-direct Welshman John Bevan, Duckham was one of the stars of that glorious Lions' backline of 1971, alongside Gerald Davies, John Dawes and Michael Gibson..

Gareth Edwards' 'Try of the Century' might have been the highlight of The Barbarians' victory over the 1972/3 All Blacks, but, for many, Duckham was the star of that wonderful match, in which he scored a brilliant solo try.

I remember too, with affection, the great Gordon Brown tackle, which stopped Duckham in his tracks, during the 1971 Centenary International at Murrayfield. Big Broon injured himself stopping a certain try, and that injury allowed another great Ayrshireman – the original Gordon Strachan – to win his first cap.

THE REPAIR SHOP on BBC is one of my secret pleasures. The craftsmanship and passion which the team puts into their work is exceptional.

This was true in Wednesday's edition, when the team did a fantastic job in restoring one of the great trophies of Welsh Rugby – The Welsh Schools Rugby Union's Dewar Shield.

 

This almost 120-year-old mega-sized shield, pictured above before restoration, was in a really bad way, however,the team got it back to pristine condition, ready to be played for for another 100 years or more.

 

There's Media Hype - And There's The Pish Around English Rugby

IT MUST BE terrible to be English; to be so insecure you need to constantly remind yourself, and anyone else daft enough to listen, that being English is to win first prize in the lottery of life. To which the Scottish answer is: “Aye Right!!”

Take their Rugby Union pride and joy – the Gallagher Premiership. Switch on any rugby programme on BT Sport and you find talking heads such as the English-Italian, the ballroom dancer, The Spridget and even the two House Paddies telling you, at every opportunity: “This is the best, most-entertaining league in rugby.”

Then you switch-on Viaplay to watch a Top 14 game or a game in the BKT United Rugby Championship and once again, your reaction to the Sassenach hype has to be: “Aye Right!!”

I was underwhelmed by Edinburgh's performance in beating Zebre yesterday, but, had to admit, if the quality of the rugby was less than top shelf, the entertainment value was terrific.

Then came Sunday afternoon, and Glasgow Warriors hosting the URC Champions, The Stormers. What a game this was, hugely-entertaining, two sides determined to run the ball at every opportunity. Fantastic attacking skills from both sides, offset and often nullified by immense defence, from both sides.

It was a marvellous game, decided right at the death by a wonderfully-executed Glasgow try – the Gallagher Premiership struggles to match that level of performance or entertainment any week.

Bobby Skinstad and Ryan Wilson were terrific colour commentators, while a word of praise to referee Andy Brace and his two assistants – Ross Mabon and Jonny Perryman, who controlled the game well. Brace even penalised The Stormers' scrum-half for taking more than the requisite five seconds to play ruck ball – an early indication of how World Rugby's efforts to speed-up the game will work.

Mind you, I hope the two assistants will not mind me mentioning how, a couple of times they penalised the home side – something you rarely see in certain other URC nations I could mention.

And, how good to see Glasgow's SAS centre pairing - Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu, or Shuggie and Sioone as the fans have taken to calling them, combining so well. Hopefully their performance will persuade Gregor Townsend to reconsider his bromance with Chris Harris.

A cracking win for Glasgow, who are now up to fifth in the table. A great boost for the upcoming European games. Speaking as a Glasgow supporter, the thought has to be: “Keep the Heid, Keep the Heid.” we should be hopeful.

WHITE-HAIRED, wrinkled, bent double at times, my current state of decrepitude can be easily explained – I have four daughters, 'The Coven' as they were named by one of the ladies who has tried to keep me young and alive since my dear wife passed-on in 2005. The youngest daughter lives here, when not juggling the demands of the four-star hotel she runs, her four pampered Irish Setter show dogs and her stable of horses – not to mention her Son, The Polis.

Last week, I received a visitation from 'Big Red; - First Daughter and the most over-qualified nurse in the NHS, accompanied by 'The Librarian' – Second Daughter and self-appointed organisational genius; their task, to start clearing out 'The Papa Cave' where I spend my days compiling these shafts of left-field thinking on matters rugby.

In the course of part one of the clear-out, we chanced upon my record of Ayr Rugby Club First XV games, from the time, back in the 1970s, when I was starting-out on my ascent of the slippery ladder of sports-writing fame. My record of season 1972-73, 50 years ago, I think makes interesting reading.

That season, the last season of the old Unofficial Championship, saw the Ayr 1^st XV play 36 games, winning 22, losing 14, scoring 803 points and conceding 411. They played 20 games in the Unofficial Championship, 7 friendlies against other Scottish clubs, 3 friendlies against English or Irish clubs; 3 friendlies against other Ayrshrie clubs, 2 Ayrshire Cup ties and 1 tie in the Glasgow Knock-Out Cup.

Nobody played in all 36 games, but four players: Captain Jim Wilson, Vice-Captain Andrew Pickles, lock forward Les McCall and tight-head prop John Burston all played 33 games. Can you imagine a modern tight-head prop playing every minute of 33 games, as the legend that is Burston did back then. This was something of a lighter season for Burston, the previous season, he had played every minute of 40 of the club's 41 fixtures.

Skipper Wilson topped the scoring charts with 297 points while centre David Cosh was top try scorer, crossing the goal line 25 times.

I am writing this on 9 January, 2023. This season, Ayr's first XV has played a mere 14 games up until yesterday. At the same point 50 years ago, the team had played 22 games – but, back then, Rugby Union was very much a player's game. In addition, Cosh, Jock Craig, centre Neil McArthur and Gavin McQuater had played for Glasgow XVs, while Craig had also faced the touring All Blacks for a Combined Glasgow and Edinburgh XV and would later in the season do bench duty for Scotland B. He also was selected for a Scotland Trial that season, but had to withdraw through illness.

'Auld Auchlin' as we now call him, also played a couple of other representative games, while 12 Ayr players also turned out for the Ayrshire XV and for Ayrshire and Renfrewshire and winger Stewart Hay became the first Ayr player for 20 years to represent The Co-optimists.

That season was perhaps the final one in which the players held the power. The following season, with the onset of official leagues, instead of rugby being a fun sport, where the guys who actually played were the most-important beings, it started to evolve into the results-driven business it is today. The really huge change, the game going open, was still almost a quarter of a century away, but, 1973-74 was when things really started to change.

The thing is, some of the incidents from individual games that season are still fresh in my mind. The floodlit game against Civil Service Ireland at Millbrae; that was a memorable night – I got home at 7am. Another midweek floodlit match, against Jordanhill College, was unforgettable for the match-long fight, and I do mean fight, between the respective front rows. Then there was the trip to Carlisle and the two Saturday morning pre-international games, against Selkirk at Philiphaugh and Melrose at The Greenyards. Young men learned a lot in such games.

Sadly, a few of the players whose achievements I chronicled that season are no longer with us. They are missed, but, finding that record book brought back so-many happy memories of the days when Rugby Union was a much simpler game – and much-more fun.

FINALLY – it definitely comes into the leopards don't change their spors category, to learn that Ryan Wilson – wehile helping-out with coaching at Glasgow Accies - had been sent to the stand following some advice to the match referee, which the official found unwanted.

There are those at New Anniesland who still long for the days when an Accies official, unhappy with some aspect of officiating only had to have a word with one of the many Bufties of the time – a quiet word was said in the correct ear at Murrayfield and that referee was sentenced to a career of covering the likes of Carrick, Cumnock, Cumbernauld and the other “hooligan element” working class clubs in the West, thereby allowing the right West End chaps from the former Pupils clubs to carry-on as always.

 

We Have Lost Another Iconic Figure

AFTER SATURDAY, 2023 can only get better. The death of the great Ken Scotland has left me, and I presume all the other Baby Boomers, who got into rugby in the late 1950s devastated. Kenneth James Forbes Scotland was my first rugby hero. Scotland has had great full backs before Ken, and great ones – Andy Irvine, Gavin Hastings, Stuart Hogg, since. But, for me, none of them comes close to Ken – he redefined the position.

 

picture courtesy of Craig Watson/Offside Line

But, he was more than just a number 15. He could play anywhere across the back-line, he even, back in the days when Lions had to be ready to fill-in almost anywhere, played scrum-half for them during the 1959 Tour of Australia and New Zealand. He was also, again something which is perhaps impossible to imagine today, a double internationalist – also representing Scotland at cricket. Needless to say, he was also a fine golfer, indeed, he could play pretty much every sport well. For instance, while at school, he captained the Rugby XV, the Cricket XI and the Tennis team.

Today, he would go seamlessly from George Heriot's School into the Edinburgh ranks and spend his entire career playing rugby. Back when he left school, he had to do his two years' National Service, before going up to Cambridge, where his form deserted him to the extent he was playing in the third XV, before recovering to win his Blue.

The demands of work meant he could only commit to that single Lions Tour, on which he went as expected back-up full-back, before emerging as one of the genuine stars of the Tour. He had a somewhat nomadic working career, during which he turned out for various clubs, indeed, he “had more clubs than Jack Nicklaus,” having played for 34 different teams, from small club sides right up to the Barbariand, Scotland and The Lions during his long career.

I first encountered Ken in a professional capacity, when, while working as the National Trust for Scotland's representative at Brodick Castle, he was persuaded to coach the then recently-formed and struggling Arran club. He made an immediate impact, the locals loved him – and Ken enjoyed life on the island.

Back when I was the go-to man for Scottish sporting obituaries, I wanted to do an anniversary retrospective for The Scotsman on Ken's legendary first cap – when, on 5 January, 1957, he dropped a goal then kicked a penalty to secure the Scots a 6-0 win over France at Colombes.

Overtures were made via Heriot's; back came the response: “No thanks – you're only seeking information for my obituary,” was how Ken took the approach. But, on being assured I was in no hurry to write him off, he agreed to speak with me. I got a smashing interview and a well-received piece in The Hootsmon followed. It was a career highlight. I gather Ken liked the piece, which is always pleasing to a writer.

His autobiography, written as a memoir for his sons, was a joyous and very-easy read, but, since he was such an easy player to watch, that is hardly surprising.

Scottish Rugby has lost an absolute legend, with Ken's passing – that he was one of the founding inductees into the Scottish Rugby Hall of Fame was entirely justified. He is also in the multi-sports Scottish Sports Hall of Fame. Those of us who were fortunate enough to see him lighting-up Murrayfield and the other grounds he graced are left with fond memories of an all-time great. RIP Ken, and my sincere condolences to the Scotland family and the wider Goldenacre one.

EDINBURGH'S last gasp win over Zebre, at the DAM Health Stadium on Saturday was the David Dods of ugly wins. It was a very-hard watch, but, to be fair to the home team – they kept going and got their five-point reward when youthful hooker Paddy Harrison plunged over for the crucial score just as the clock went dead.

It perhaps summed-up Edinburgh's day that Blair Kinghorn had to drop-kick the crucial conversion, after the ball was twice blown off the tee.

There was a crowd shot, just before half-time, of a whole phalanx of Scottish internationalists from Edinburgh, sitting in the crowd – either injured or on rotational rest protocol. Seeing the likes of Grant Gilchrist, Jamie Ritchie, “Mish” Watson and WP Nel sitting there, well wrapped-up against the conditions perhaps emphasised Edinburgh's problem.

Franco Smith at Glasgow is a much-more-experienced coach than Mike Blair. He certainly appears to have squad rotation down to a fine art, and while Blair still struggles to get the balance between his stars and his journeymen right, at the other end of the M8, Smith looks to do it better.

I appreciate it is asking a lot of him to have him playing at 10 in one game, at 15 the next, then, as on Saturday, out on the wing, but, I feel Blair Kinghorn's versatility is perhaps holding him back.

Duhan van der Merwe, whose slot big Blair was filling on Saturday is a very-big specimen, who goes looking for someone to run over. He's a wee bit like the late Jonah Lomu there. Kinghorn might be as tall as the South African-born winger, but, he's a lot lighter. So, when, as he repeatedly did on Saturday, he cuts back inside, I find myself shouting at the TV, for him to back his pace.

Modern thinking appears to be – the touchline is the defence's friend, so wingers should try to keep as far away from the line as possible. I still believe, there is no more exciting sight in the game than a fast winger going on an arcing in to out to back in run – simply backing their pace.

The likes of Arthur Smith, Dave Shedden, Steve Munro, Iwan Tukalo or Derek Stark used to make such runs regularly – I would love to see Kinghorn adding such gliding runs to his repertoire when he plays in the back three.

 

Could Rugby Catch-On In Edinburgh?

TO REHASH an old Bobby Knutt classic, which I first heard at Batley Variety Club over 45 years ago: “Rugby in Edinburgh – you never know, it might catch on.” If the capital is THE rugby city in Scotland, well it got its erse handed it on a plate by the allegedly fitba-loving Weegies in Friday night's BKT URC 1872 Cup clash at Bt Murrayfield. The way Franco Smith's side moved seamlessly through the gears in the second half, to push past their hosts and claim the trophy, well, if you've got something to do with the Edinburgh club – you should be worried.

It's not that Edinburgh were bad, more, when push came to shove, they were out-classed by a team who clearly came with a plan and wanted it more. Rugby is essentially a game of one-v-one clashes, and the Warriors won the ones which mattered. I noticed on Facebook, pre-match, one weel-kent Edinburgh supporter saying his best composite XV from the two squads had 13 Edinburgh players to 2 Glasgow.

He's gone missing since. Mind you, I may have to have another look at my pre-game composite XV, which had a 9/6 pro-Glasgow bias.

Glasgow Coach Franco Smith has come in for a lot of praise post-game. Those of us, including this writer, who were under-whelmed when he was named as Danny Wilson's replacement, are now having to eat humble pie – the South African has been an inspired choice, he really has brought the best out of his squad.

There's a togetherness about this Warriors squad which bodes well for the rest of the season. After the match, even guys who didn't make the match-day 23, the likes of wee Dunky Weir, were on the pitch to congratulate the squad and join in the celebrations. These guys appear to like each other and to get on – that's a factor which only the best coaches bring to clubs.

On Friday night, Glasgow's big guns didn't just out-fire Edinburgh's star names, more-importantly, the supposed journeymen in the Glasgow squad all made important contributions – that was a huge bonus on the night.

So, a great win for Warriors, a first piece of silverware banked, but, the challenge now is to back-up Friday's win with another – against the URC Champions, the Sharks, this Sunday. If they can do that, 2023 just might be a vintage year.

I NOTE Edinburgh has recruited Munster's Ben Healy on a two-year deal. Healy is Scottish-qualified, so he will provide further options for Mike Blair at ten, although, we have to presume, with Healy arriving, someone, probably Jaco van der Walt, will be departing.

I have long believed, since our domestic rugby puddle is so small and shallow, we cannot afford to ignore the likes of Healy, from the Great Caledonian Diaspora, and I welcome his arrival. However, I honestly feel, we are now at the stage where, we really do need to get that third full-time professional side up and running; while we also need to have deeper squads at the development stage – more Scotland A games, etc.

HE Might still be on every Scottish rugby man's list of the person we'd most like to meet at the foot of an old-fashioned 1970s ruck, but, against Exeter Chiefs on Hogmanay, Owen Farrell proved the truth of that old chestnut: “Form is transient – class is permanent.”

He won the Man of the Match award by the length of the NC500. Had he done nothing else that no look, reverse pass for the final try would have won it him any way. Farrell, on this form, has to start at ten for England. Let's hope Steve Borthwick has other ideas.

I HAVE only just learned what Joe Marler said to New Zealand flanker Jake Heenan, to spark-off an outbreak of handbags during the refcent Harlequins v Bristol game. Apparently Heenan only set about Marler, after referee Karl Dickson – who clearly heard what Marler said – refused to take action.

I have said for a long time, Dickson is a shite referee who has been significantly over-promoted. I don't think he should be doing elite club games, far less internationals. This incident is further proof, but, he's got the RFU behind him, so, we are seemingly stuck with him.

Weak or incompetent referees are one of the biggest curses in the game – they need to be rooted-out, ruthlessly. This, however, will not be an easy job and, right now, with the shortage of officials, I suppose we are stuck with the incompetents for a while.

On a brighter note, another English referee, Luke Pearce, impressed in his efforts to speed-up the game, when in charge of the Northampton v Harlequins game. We need to see his example become common-place, for the good of the game.

I SEE Sir Clive Woodward has been having another wee go at Eddie Jones. I really wonder about Clive. He delivered the one thing the English craved above all others – a Rugby World Cup win. That put him in a class of his own in the game darn sarf, but, as if to prove, Nae Class is another class, he has all but surrendered the status that success gave him.

A period of silence from Sir Clive would, I suggest, work wonders for his diminishing status among our southern neighbours. It's an old sporting truism – the further you get away from your playing or coaching days, the better you become.

Unless the English system is radically altered, they will not win another World Cup for a long time. So, the less Clive has to say on the matter, the better he becomes.