Proud Edward's Army - It Doesn't Scare Me

THE battle lines for Saturday tea-time were more-firmly drawn this morning, when Eddie Jones announced his England match-day squad for the Calcutta Cup game. This, in 1-23 order, is:

Eddie Jones

1. Mako Vunipola (Saracens), 2. Dylan Hartley (Captain), (Northampton Saints), 3. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers); 4. Joe Launchbury (Wasps), 5. Maro Itoje (Saracens); . Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), 7. Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), 8. Nathan Hughes (Wasps); 9. Danny Care (Harlequins), 10. George Ford; 11. Jonny May (both Leicester Tigers), 12. Owen Farrell (Saracens), 13. Jonathan Joseph, 14. Anthony Watson (both Bath); 15. Mike Brown (Harlequins).

Replacements: 16. Jamie George (Saracens), 17. Joe Marler (Harlequins), 18 Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs), 19. George Kruis (Saracens), 20. Sam Underhill (Bath); 21. Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), 22. Ben Te'o (Worcester Warriors), 23. Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs).

That is pretty-much the England squad he was expected to name; no denying, it's a good outfit, but, it is a beatable one – because, man for man they are not, to my mind, as good as the Scotland squad. Sure, they are hyped to high Heaven by the English media, but, we have players every bit as good, and in a few cases, better than, the guy they are facing. If we can just believe, and cut down our error count, there is no reason why we should not win.

This England team also contains one or two penalty generators, who, if they get on the wrong side of the excellent Mr Owens, could cost their side dear. We are also overdue a win against the Auld Enemy, hopefully this is the year we get it.

WHEN I saw Peter Murchie getting involved in Ayr's pre-match warm-up prior to their Millbrae meeting with Hawick on Saturday, I immediately knew he would, sooner rather than later, be announced as the new Head Coach, in succession to Calum Forrester, who has just got a new and demanding day job with KPMG the major accountancy firm.

Incoming Ayr Coach Peter Murchie

I certainly wish Peter well, he is taking-on a big job, but, Ayr has a good playing organisation under Director of Rugby Jim Lymburn, and, in Glenn Tippett and Murchie's old Warriors team mate Pat McArthur, the forwards will continue to be well-organised, leaving Murchie to concentrate on getting the most out of a talented and still – Frazier Climo part, youthful back division.

There are rumours that Grant Anderson may follow big Scott Sutherland in deciding he has made the trip from Greenock often enough and call it a day, but, while Scott Lyle has been outstanding whether on the wing, at centre or at stand off this season, his best position is full back, so, the Anderson going eventually is covered.

Murchie's appointment is a continuation of former professionals stepping down to coach in the Premiership. Forrester and now Murchie at Ayr, Ben Cairns at Currie and Fin Gillies at Hawks are just a few examples of a professional football practice, of newly-retired players getting an immediate coaching opportunity at a high level, without doing an apprenticeship lower down.

This hasn't always worked in football, and there have been one or two appointments in rugby which didn't work – Nikki Walker at Hawick for instance. There is something to be said for learning on the job at a lower level – as Kenny Murray did at CQP, before moving to Ayr, or Stevie Lawrie has done, as Phil Smith's Number Two at Heriot's, prior to moving to Watsonians – who were burned slightly when the Marcus di Rollo – Simon Taylor pairing didn't really work as everyone hoped it might.

With Super Six, we may well see more occasions of players moving directly from playing to coaching, without seemingly moving away from the top level, to perhaps find-out what real life is all about.

Not every great player makes a good, far less a great coach. That has long been accepted knowledge in football, we may find Scottish Rugby takes a wee while to discover the truth of this, as the fashion for change from the top down, rather than the grass roots up, increasingly takes hold at Murrayfield.

On a linked issue, which needs talking about.

One of the seldom discussed issues around Super Six and Agenda 3 is, the SRU apparently wants to see fewer, but stronger clubs. Now, this, to me is sheer stupidity. More, stronger clubs is the way forward.

Scottish Rugby is a pyramid. At the top we have the national side; below that the two full-time PRO14 teams and below that – the age group sides and the Academy. That is the full time professional set-up.

Below that, we have the club game. At the lowest level in the clubs we have the mini-rugby sides, feeding through to the midi-rugby teams, which is where the first break occurs, with the best young players being hived-off onto the Performance Pathway, which leads eventually to the Academy an the age group sides for the best – who then go on to the two pro sides an the Scotland team.

Those who get onto the Performance Pathway, then fall by the way side will hopefully go back to their clubs and carry-on playing, up to Premiership status. One or two will perhaps be late developers, and will find their way back to the pro sides.

But, this will only apply to a very few players, and it seems to me, all the palaver about Super Six, all the upheaval to long-established clubs and set-ups, to get what will, at most, be a handful of players into the pro set-up, well, it's a sledgehammer to crack a nut, and much ado about little or nothing.

The SRU is over-interested in the very narrow top of the pyramid. They are largely ignoring the bottom and the base layers. If they continue to do this, the whole edifice is in danger of being undermined. Let's hope we can stop this, before it is too-late.

SRU Councillors take note – it's your constituencies which are in danger.

Let's Hope This Squad Can Send Them Homeward Tae Think Again

MY favourite sporting epigram remains: “It matters not who won or lost – so long as you beat England.”

And Gregor Townsend has just named the squad he hopes to do just that – beat England, in the Calcutta Cup match on Saturday. The squad, in 1-23 order is:

 Toony's team to face England named

1. Gordon Reid (London Irish), 2. Stuart McInally, 3. Simon Berghan; 4. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), 5. Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors); 6. John Barclay (Captain) (Scarlets), 7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh), 8. Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors); 9. Greig Laidlaw (Clermont Auvergne), 10. Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors); 11. Sean Matland (Saracens), 12. Peter Horne, 13. Huw Jones, 14. Tommy Seymour; 15. Stuart Hogg (all Glasgow Warriors);.

Replacements: 16. Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons), 17. Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors), 18. Wilem Nel (Edinburgh), 19. Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors), 20. Dave Denton (Worcester Warriors); 21. Ali Price, 22. Nick Grigg (both Glasgow Warriors), 23. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh).

That's pretty-much the expected squad. It's maybe, given England's wealth of line-out options, a wee-bit tough on Ben Toolis, undoubtedly our best man at the touchlines, but, Tim Swinson's greater grunt and devil around the park will be handy.

 Nick Grigg - deservedly promoted to the bench

Unashamed Mark Bennett fan though I am, and undoubtedly biased towards Marko, I cannot argue with Nick Grigg's promotion to the bench. The wee man is in fantastic form just now and if he can bring his PRO14 A game to the international arena, a tiring English defence might be in bother.

Great optimism is, in spite of so many cold reality showers, my default position when it comes to the Calcutta Cup – we are overdue a win against Them, this year, why not?

THE Scotland Club XV to face Ireland, at Duberry Park, Athlone, on Friday night, was named on Tuesday, by Head Coach Rob Chrystie of Melrose – it is a squad I like The team, in 1-23 order reads:

1. Shawn Muir (Hawick), 2. Russell Anderson (Melrose), 3. Steven Longwell (Ayr); 4. Iain Moody (Melrose), 5. Rob McAlpine; 6. Blair Macpherson (both Ayr), 7. Jack Turley (Heriot's), 8. Pete McCallum (Ayr); 9. Charlie Shiel (Currie Chieftains), 10. Craig Jackson (Melrose); 11. Craig Gossman (Ayr), 12. Robbie Nelson (Currie Chieftains), 13. Ross Curle (Stirling County), 14. Jordan Edmunds (Boroughmuir); 15. Fraser Thomson (Captain) (Melrose).

Replacements: 16. Michael Liness (Heriot's), 17. Nick Beavon (Melrose), 18. Struan Cessford (Heriot's), 19. Ruaridh Leishman (Stirling County), 20. Rory Drummond (Watsonians); 21 Murdo McAndrew (Melrose), 22. Scott Lyle (Ayr), 23. George Taylor (Melrose).

 Rob Chrystie - has named a very good squad

My squad would not have differed greatly from the one wee Rob has chosen and I feel this is a squad capable of winning in Ireland. My only quibble is with the whole Club XV concept – I firmly believe there ought to be more games at this level, and they should be tied-into the Six Nations programme.

Sending a squad all the way to Athlone, while the main focus this weekend is on games against England, this is a nonsense.

But, for this to happen, Murrayfield would need to recognise the very real contribution the club game makes to Scottish Rugby, and that is not going to happen any time soon. Nothing appears to matter below the level of the PRO14, as far as Murrayfield is concerned – well, until they need our cash that is.

Before I leave this subject, time to get back on a particular hobby horse of mine – No mention of the Club XV in either of the two Scottish-published newspapers which we look to for serious rugby coverage. Poor show – again – chaps.

Never mind, if it gets Scotland's rugby constituency rushing to read about this in the leading Scottish rugby blogs, why should we complain. And, might I at this point thank everyone who has bothered to find Aristotle Armstrong – Scottish Rugby Philosopher and read his ravings. This blog has just been named as the number three rugby blog in Scotland – behind Scottish Rugby Blog and the Offside Line.

I am honestly chuffed to be in such august company. Also, can I give a plug to another smashing Scottish rugby blog – Weegie R Ugby, disgracefully marked down at number eight. I like this one, and its concentration on West Regional rugby.

D'ARCY Graham was on water boy duties for Hawick at Ayr on Saturday. This week, he is with the full Scotland squad preparing for the Calcutta Cup match on Saturday.

D'Arcy Graham - should be doing this, not acting as water boy

OK, he will not play on Saturday, he is with the national squad for the experience, however, D'Arcy is “The Next Big Thing” in Scottish rugby. He will be capped, sooner rather than later regardless of the talent we have on the flanks. He is in the tradition of Ken Scotland, Andy Irvine, Jim Renwick, John Rutherford, Gregor Townsend, Chris Paterson and Stuart Hogg – we know he is good, we know he will play for Scotland, the question is when.

Here we are, eight weeks into 2018, and, in those eight weeks, D'Arcy has featured just thrice for his club, Edinburgh. He has made two starts, and one appearance off the bench.

As far as I know, he has not been injured, so, it seems incredible to me that a youngster, with that amount of talent and promise is not seeing more action. Hawick would have dearly loved to have had him playing at Millbrae on Saturday. The Ayr support would have relished seeing him in action, but, Murrayfield made the decision he could not play.

If this absurdity called Super Six comes to pass, you can guarantee, you will see a lot more occasions when exciting young talents are left cooling their heels on the touchlines – because Murrayfield has decided they cannot play – they need a rest.

I appreciate getting the balance right between encouraging youthful promise and curbing their enthusiasm is a difficult act to pull off, but, we in Scotland have not got it right yet, and I don't see this changing under Super Six.

We want to see the D'Arcy Grahams of Scottish rugby dashing down the wing carrying the ball, rather than a crate of water bottles.

Aristotle Names The Guilty People Who Are Failing Scottish Rugby

WORKING on the assumption I am one of SRU President Rob Flockhart's “Six Troublemakers”, and further assuming Bill Lothian of the Edinburgh Evening News is another – that just leaves five further reprobates to identify. Ah well, I can wait.

SRU President Rob Flockhart has been criticised for not giving a lead to the clubs

However, it is easier to identify the people we are after – the people NOT doing their jobs, who have brought us to this pass. Step forward:

• Rob Flockhart, president
• Dee Bradbury. vice president
• Peter Laverie, Premier Division representative
• Colin Rigby, National Division 1 representative
• Graeme Scott, National Division 2 representative
• Andrew Little, National Division 3 representative
• Jim Littlefair, Edinburgh Regional League representative
• William Gardner, Glasgow North Regional League representative
• Adam Gray, Glasgow South Regional Leagues representative
• Alan Brown, Borders Regional League representative
• Graham Kerr, Caledonia Midlands Regional League representative
• Mike Monro, Caledonia North Regional representative
• Dr. John Halliday, Schools representative
• Kenneth Knott, Referees' representative
• Rosy Hume, Scottish Women's Forum representative

John Jeffrey, IRB / 6NC representative
• Ian Rankin, PRO14 representative

Council secretary: Douglas Struth

Together these 18 people are the SRU Council members. Certainly Messrs Jeffrey and Rankin are co-opted onto membership, but, the 15 from President Rob down to Rosy Hume for the Women are mandated by the CLUBS to represent the clubs' interests, and I honestly do not think they are doing their jobs – a view which I do not singularly hold.

I cannot stress often enough – the clubs OWN the Scottish Rugby Union. By its very definition, the SRU is a Union of like-minded independent organisations, pulled together by the game of Rugby Union Football.

Sure, the Scotland national team and the age group sides, not forgetting the two full-time professional sides in the PRO14, they are the glamour end of the game – that's where the SRU gets its public profile, these are the teams which generate most of the media interest in the game. However, Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell, Gregor Townsend, Richard Cockerill and Dave Rennie, or any of the other big names – they would not be where they are without the small army of ordinary clubmen and women who are the broad body of the kirk in Scottish rugby.

We, whether we be a Court of Session judge who played for Edinburgh Academy half a century ago, or a street sweeper who never got past the second XV of a club playing in the bottom Regional league – we all helped put these guys there.

Scottish Rugby is as much about the guy who helped the primary school-aged Hogg or Russell on the bottom rung of the ladder to living their dream for Scotland, by coaching mini-rugby, about the mother who went along to make the post-game sandwiches for her son or daughter, made friends and remained at the club, doing that job because she enjoyed it, as it is about Finn Russell being able to sign a life-changing £700,000 per season contract to play in Paris.

 Finn Russell - stands on the shoulders of the giants who keep the clubs going

The little people, every Tam Shuggie and Senga who does his or her bit for their club, they want to see Scotland winning, but, they want to see their club doing well too.

My club, Cumnock, is currently playing in West Division Two. I know, at the moment we do not have the infrastructure to support it, but, I have a dream of one day, seeing us perhaps playing in the Premiership. When I played at school, I scored my first try against Marr. I enjoyed many games against the Troon club; I was smashed by Gordon Brown and by Bill Cuthbertson, and I in turn smashed one or two Marr men.

Broon and Gulliver had to leave Marr to win international honours. Today, Scott Bickerstaff has stayed with the club and is in the Club International XV. We at Cumnock had to let Mark Bennett go to Ayr, then onto Glasgow and Scotland.

I dream that, maybe, I will be around long enough to see Cumnock follow Marr up through the ranks. Except, unless we can demonstrate the insanity of the Super Six plans – Marr will be the last climb to ascend to the highest levels.

I want to see the next Mark Bennett able to stay with Cumnock as the club rises through the leagues, except Super Six will kill such ambitions.

When the SRU, 45-years ago, instituted the rugby world's first official leagues clubs such as Hawick, Heriot's, Gala, Melrose, Watsonians, West of Scotland and so forth were there because – well, they had always been there. But, since then, former junior or lesser clubs – Ayr, Currie, Boroughmuir, Stirling County and now Marr have clawed their way up to join them.

Super Six now threatens to pull-up the ladder behind the current top clubs, cutting them off from the rest – except, several long-established clubs will be sacrificed along the way, because they are unable or unwilling to purchase a franchise from the Union.

Let's just look at the stupidity of this franchise scheme for a minute.

Under the Super Six proposals, clubs which already, as full member clubs of the SRU are part-owners of the SRU, are now being required to purchase, from the SRU (which remember they part-own) the right to compete at the highest level of the club game in Scotland; (a right they already hold by virtue of past performances on the park).

In other words – the Union's Board are trying to sell back to these clubs, something these clubs already own. It makes no sense.

The clubs also delegate to the SRU Council, the right to guard and uphold the rights of these same clubs. I would suggest, in allowing the Board, or the paid officials of the Union, to come up with this ludicrous plan, then the Council, singularly and collectively, are guilty of dereliction of duty and ought to resign en masse, since they seem incapable of doing their jobs.

Ladies and Gentlemen, you have failed your own clubs; you have failed the associate clubs which you are supposed to also represent; you have failed Scottish Rugby.

Either – shape-up, or ship out.

Buying Newcastle - What Next From The Murrayfield Brains Trust?

WHEN is someone going to exert the authority of the clubs – you know, all those wee independent entities which, together, are supposed to BE the Scottish Rugby Union – and yank back the leash on the collective individualism of Murrayfield?

Rob Flockhart - thinks there are just six trouble-makers around Super Six

Because, it seems to me El Duce Dodson and the Murrayfield “suits”, the guys who are supposed to administer Scottish Rugby on a daily basis, for the benefit of the clubs who own the Union, and for the good of the game – are out of control.

Yesterday, Owen Slot in the Sunday Times had a piece about the SRU taking a stake in Newcastle Falcons; this comes not that long after there was a media story that Murrayfield was about to purchase Worcester Warriors. What next – will we be buying the Highlanders, who certainly are a more-Scottish-sounding club than the other two?

From where I am sitting, in the hairy-ersed end of Ayrshire, if the SRU has that much money to chuck around, then they should be getting that long-fabled third PRO14 team up and running, or maybe chucking more of their (our?) mullah at, if not Super Six, then the Premiership clubs and the club game in general.

To be fair, buying, or buying into Falcons, given their proximity to the Borders clubs, makes a lot more sense than buying into Worcester, but, to me, it remains a wrong move.

Time somebody asked Dodson and Co straight-up: “What the fuck are you guys playing at?”

Not that we can expect our board members and council members to stand-up for their constituencies. They appear to be far-too-busy getting their own snouts into the trough to remember where they came from. Time for a bonfire of the vanities methinks.

I was hearing this week, our esteemed President is not happy at the little bit of bother and dissent the likes of Aristotle Armstrong and one or two others seem to be spreading abroad. As I understand it, Mr President Lockhart believes there are just some six of us causing all the bother – everyone else is on-board with Super Six, Agenda 3 and so forth.

Aye Right! Maybe on Planet President, but, here in Scottish Rugby, I think you might find there are only about six people – Dodson, Lockhart, the Lesser-Spotted Johnson, Dom McKay, Robert Howat and Peter Laverie who think Super Six etc is a good idea. Everyone else's opinions vary from mild scepticism to the firm belief, this plan is Grade One Shite.

Just like the Maybot and her Brexiteers down in that there Lunnon, the SRU hierarchy are in full-ahead mode; there is no alternative to their vision. I suppose then we will have to await the inevitable shite implosion before we can sort things out – by which time, Mr Dodson will probably have moved-on to cause chaos in some other sport.

As I have said before, I do not have a problem with the SRU running the High Performance arm of Scottish Rugby. To me, it makes sense to have them controlling the national sides, the Academy and the PRO14 teams. But, while the Union has a duty to support the club game, cutting the Premiership from the current ten independent clubs, to just six, and bringing these clubs, even partially under the control of the Union is a step too far.

It is all about Murrayfield control, it will not make the game any better than the current set-up. It makes no sense. Drop it and save everyone a lot of hassle.

SCOTTISH Rugby lost a Titan last week, with the passing of former Scotland and British Lions scrum-half Angus “Gus” Black, at the great age of 92.

The late Angus W "Gus" Black

Gus was a Fifer, born and raised in Dunfermline. His father was a career soldier, who reached the rank of Brigadier in the Royal Artillery, and was garrison commander at Windson Castle during World War II, having been a Scottish trialist in his youth.

Gus attended Dollar Academy, then went up to Edinburgh University to study Medicine. As Cadet AW Black, he won the first of seven war-time Scotland caps when Scotland beat England 18-11 at Leicester in early 1945. His war-time international experience included being in the Scotland team which beat the New Zealand Army team (the All Blacks in all but name) in 1946 – still the only Scotland XV to beat a New Zealand one.

With the return of regular rugby in 197, he went on to win six full caps, and, in 1950, after a sterling display in the Calcutta Cup match – he was twice a winner in the game against the English – he was named in the Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia that year.

The Tour took him away from wife Meg and young son Jock for five months, during which time he played in the first two Tests in New Zealand, before, as he admitted, home-sickness and boredom got to him and his performances faded.

He returned home, captained the Rest in the 1951 Trial, but, never again played for Scotland. He was a former cap, aged just 25. Gus joined the RAF, played on for Notts, Lincs and Derbyshire, Leicester, Bristol, the RAF, Combined Services and he was also a Barbarian, but, at his height, he never again played for Scotland.

His eldest son Jock puts this down to his Dad being, even for a scrum-half: “A gobby wee so-and-so”, who was not afraid to tell the SRU committee where to go.

Gus retired as a Group Captain, Consultant in Psychiatry to the RAF, back to Lundin Links, where he died on St Valentine's Day. When he died, he was the oldest Lion, and a genuine great of Scottish Rugby.

FINALLY, I hear dear old “Kaiser” Bill McMurtrie took ill during the Glasgow game on Friday night and is in hospital.

Kaiser Bill McMurtrie - get well soon Bill

Bill just might be the best President the SRU never had, certainly I can think of few people who have given more to Scottish Rugby over such a lengthy period of time.

Get well soon Bill, we are all rooting for you.

Dodson Facing A Grilling At Ayr

I SPENT some of my time at Millbrae on Saturday trying to gauge reaction to the news Mark Dodson is having his sat-nav re-programmed, so he can find his way to Millbrae on Wednesday, 28 February, to address an Ayr Rugby Club meeting on Super Six.

Mark Dodson - we are told he knows where Millbrae is, and can find his way there

The Ayr club missed no opportunity during an excellent match against Hawick, to remind their members of the meeting, its purpose and to encourage them to come along, have their say and put questions to the SRU's CEO.

Mind you, I have my concerns. The meeting is ten days away. Ayr don't have a game on Saturday – the Calcutta Cup taking precedence. It might be a dreich, wet night, the telly might be good – nobody, least of all the Ayr committee, can know how many people will turn up.

Dodson, we can be sure, will deliver a slick, well-prepared and thorough case for Super Six, it's his job to be good rather than merely competent at such set-pieces. I happen to believe, Super Six, while a good idea in principle, is built on sand, and, the question is – can anyone from the audience come-up with a Molotov cocktail which, when thrown at the Super Six tank, halt it in its tracks.

One particularly vociferous Millbrae critic of the plan, when asked what he would be asking Dodson, began a tirade about the referees in the PRO14 – a subject which has nothing to do with Super Six. Much will depend on who chairs the meeting then, to declare such questions out of order and ensure the points raised are relevant.

Find the flaws in the plan, expose them, and expose the SRU's lack of thought, that has to be the methodology of those who seek to derail Super Six. I hope they succeed.

Dodson and Co do not need to provide alternatives. Their stance has to be: “There are no alternatives – this is the only plan that can work.”

Persuading minds already made-up – you guys are wrong, will be the very difficult bit.

OF COURSE, the driving force behind Super Six is the SRU Performance Department's insistence: “The BT Premiership is not fit for purpose.” Therefore, all those years of history have to be torn-up.

I have been saying, since this whole Super Six nonsense first came-up, a more pertinent statement might be: “The SRU's Performance Department is not fit for purpose.” I base this on the following table:

played 6 - won 1 – drawn 0 – lost 5 – pts for 81 – pts against 209 – match pts won 5.

That sad line is Scotland's current position across all three versions – the main tournament, the women's tournament and the Under-20s tournament in the Nat West Six Nations. Not exactly inspiring is it.

We haven't much on-show in the shop window of the game. Sure, one or two specialist departments are doing well – Glasgow and Edinburgh for instance. But elsewhere, in the overall Six Nations, or in the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Series, where we currently lie 12^th, we are not doing as-well. So, for a professional body whose own teams are not exactly setting the heather on fire to be criticising the volunteer efforts of clubs across Scotland as: “Not fit for purpose”, is a bit rich.

Let's take a look at the Premiership, as it stands.

Melrose lead the table, with 69 points from 16 of their scheduled 18 games. They are guaranteed a home semi-final in the end-of-season play-offs between the top four sides.

BUT, Melrose don't have a clue as to who the other three clubs will be, and in what order they will finish. As things stand, Currie Chieftains lie second, with 59 points from 17 games; Watsonians are third, with 57 from 17, the same position as fourth-placed Ayr, with Watsonians having a 116 points advantage over Ayr in points difference, and having won their only meeting, so far, at Millbrae, earlier this season.

Heriot's are fifth, on 47 points from 16 games, and seemingly out of things – except.

The vagaries of the fixtures computer programme has thrown up a final round of games which will see Currie travel to Goldenacre for their final game – win this, they are second and have a home semi-final, and Heriot's fail to reach the play-offs.

Across Edinburgh, Watsonians will entertain Ayr. Whichever side wins this one, they will, depending on what transpires at Goldenacre, either finish second or third – except, IF Heriot's beat Currie, then win their game-in-hand against Boroughmuir, they could slip into fourth place at the expense of the losers at Myreside on 3 March.

So, a losing bonus point is the very minimum Watsonians and Ayr need from their match, to close on the door on the possibility of that late Heriot's charge.

Tough at the top - and bottom

At the bottom, Marr seemed dead and buried – until they shocked Currie with their bonus-point win at Malleny Park on Saturday. That shock result lifted Marr back into contention. They still prop-up the table, with 24 points from their 17 games, BUT, with a home game against Stirling County to finish, they could still escape automatic relegation.

IF Marr can post a bonus-point win over County, they will move onto 29 points, leaving Boroughmuir to take at least two losing bonus points from their meetings with Heriot's and at Glasgow Hawks, to avoid the drop.

And Hawick are not yet safe. Their last game is a Mansfield Park clash with Melrose. If they lose that, Marr might well, if they win well at home to County, overhaul them on points difference, since Hawick only have a seven points advantage as things stand.

There are just seven games left of the regular season, and in every game, one side, or both, has something to play for. No side can relax and smell the coffee.

Is this the sign of a league which is: “Not fit for purpose” Mr Dodson?

A Virus Couldn't Kill Me - Neither Will Super Six

APOLOGIES for the recent silence. My dear eldest grandson picked-up a particularly nasty 'flu-like virus, which he proceeded to pass-on to Papa. As a result, I have now returned from a week and more, spent mainly in Slumberland, drained, half a stone lighter, but, crucially, little or no wiser on what is happening over Super Six.

 Mark Dodson - has bullied the clubs into staying on board

My thanks go to those who have endeavoured to keep me in the loop, as we approach this crucial stage in Super Six. The bids have to be with Murrayfield by 31 March, and, I am reliably informed – as of now, nine of the ten BT Premiership clubs are among1 would-be bidders for the fabled six franchises. Marr being the only club to have said: “No thanks.”

I find this amazing, and that such a scenario exists, to me, demonstrates the absolute fear abroad in club rugby. Dodson has made it clear – Super Six Will Happen – he is absolutely determined and unshiftable on this, and he believes he has the power to make it so, regardless of what the clubs think.

So, basically, the clubs HAVE to be preparing for this, in spite of clear and obvious deficiencies in the Murrayfield plans as currently known. More than one club High Heid Yin has said to me: “The figures do not add-up,”, but still, rather than telling Dodson to: “Awa an' bile yer heid ha haddie,” or coming-up with some similar Caledonian dismissal quip, they are still in there.

Dodson is bullying the major clubs, and bullies do not listen – they have to be slapped down. Who is going to slap him?

Ayr, like Melrose before them, have called a club meeting to discuss Super Six – it will be at Millbrae, on Wednesday, 28 February, and Mr Dodson is, even as I write, digging out road maps and trying to locate Millbrae, since he has promised to turn-up.

Hopefully, one or two of the Millbrae main stand Silverbacks, who have been saying for some time, they would like the chance to question him on this ham-fisted proposal, will take the opportunity to do so.

Wonder if I will be allowed in? Any ideas Billy McHarg?

WITHOUT that Fancy Dan international stuff getting in the way this weekend, we can concentrate on the staple diet of club rugby, and some good stuff on offer.

The Friday Night Fare was excellent. Glasgow produced some cracking rugby in beating the Toyota Chiefs to guarantee their place in the end-of-season Play-Offs. One or two of the Glasgow tries were absolute top drawer and, what a fantastic performance the three wee-est men on the park, Niko Matawalu, Nick Grigg and George Horne produced. It fair warmed-up a caul nicht.

Nick Grigg - a stand-out in a great night for the wee men

But, you have to give immense credit to Edinburgh for that massive win in Belfast. Victories are always hare-earned at the Kingspan, and this one was no different. Even when Ulster took that late lead, I fancied Edinburgh would hit back, and, great for wee Dunky Weir that he should score the match-winning dropped goal. Write the wee man off at your peril world.

I worried when Richard Cockerill was named as Edinburgh Head Coach, I didn't see his style fitting-in in Scotland, but, I was wrong. He has been a breath of fresh air to the capital side and I hope he hangs around for a bit yet.

And, before I finally put Friday night to bed, this Saturday morning, can I just say, what a terrific display of refereeing George Clancy put on at Scotstoun. Like everyone else in Scotland, I have been hard on our George in the past, but, this season, I feel he has become a much-better official, and he was excellent last night.

George Cancy - excellent on Friday night

In the BT Premiership today, although there are no absolute stand-out fixtures, every one counts for something or other, and, this close to the end of the campaign, this has to be a good thing.

As I have said before, the Murrayfield Mafia can insist all they want, that the Premiership is not fit for purpose – maybe not for the purpose they want for it, but, for what the clubs involved want – it works and there are some cracking games today.

I will be at Millbrae, where the Alloway faithful are bidding farewell to Head Coach Calum Forrester and veteran forwards George Hunter and Scott Sutherland in what will be, for each, their final home game. It just happens to be against Hawick, who beat Ayr at Mansfield last week, and, Ayr badly need full points in the increasingly tight play-off battle. So, this ought to be good.

But, there are equally huge games right across Scotland.

Can I perhaps direct neutrals to a couple of leagues where the battle has raged all season and has no sign of slackening off. West Regional Divisions One and Two, arguably the two tightest divisions in Scotland.

Just about the club game of the day will be at Broomfield, where Cumnock, second in West Division Two, entertain league leaders Paisley – this one will be an absolute cracker.