A Not-So Magic Monday

DISCLAIMER: Aristotle is NOT anti-English, I find our southern neighbours to be generally a fine people, on a one-to-one basis often excellent chaps and great company – but, collectively, and particularly when given a modicum of power: they can be like a bad case of piles – extremely-irritating pains in the erse. And, to many, Scotland is a small, insignificant, far-away country of which they know nothing, and care even less.

THAT SAID: Ah hae ma doots aboot some aspects of how TCD and “Cockers” run matters around Edinburgh Rugby. I involve TCD in this, because, Edinburgh is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the SRU, so, at the end of the day, TCD has the big shout.

One of the core functions – some might argue THE core function of the SRU is the development and growth of Scottish Rugby. As I understand it, the funding of the game, and the driver of its progress is seen to be a successful international team, attracting full houses to BT Murrayfield and driving-up income, to be spent for the betterment of the game.

I can see why some (many) people, volunteers working their butts off to keep their local club going, would want to see more of the profits from full-houses at Murrayfield being spent on grass-roots development.

I can see the case for spending some more of these profits on the new Super-6 tier of the game, which we should not forget will – for all the SRU is making a significant contribution to the core funding- be driven forward largely by the efforts of the six franchise-holders.

But, I cannot, hard though I am trying, to see how hiring an Australian (albeit a Scottish-qualified one), a South African and two Fijians makes sense to the body public in Scottish rugby.

Hamish Watson has resigned for Edinburgh

Sure, we all welcome the news released on this “Magic Monday” that Hamish Watson has committed himself to the capital side until 2021. But, the other four signings trumpeted today. If that's magic: it's of the Paul Daniels variety - I like it- not a lot.

Of course, collecting foreign things is a long-established English habit. They collected so-many foreign nations, the sun never set of the (largely-English) British Empire. An Empire which of course they had to get us Scots to run for them.

Even today, on the driveways of your average English suburb, you are more-likely to find German or Japanese cars than English ones. But, we must not hold their liking for buying-in non-English things. Look how the many Scots who have since about 1603, gone off down that high road south to help improve their gene pool, ensure their national institutions are run more-efficiently, and make their club sporting sides perform better. And that was before we allowed them to squan.. sorry, spend our oil money better than we might.

In return, they sent us their brightest and best, and TCD, to run our national institutions, and remind us, we were too wee, too poor and too stupid to look after ourselves. And a lot of thanks they have got for it.

To return to Edinburgh Rugby. OK, I am assuming here, Ross Ford will be leaving Edinburgh at the end of the season, after a great career. But, even if Ross departs, the club is still left with Stuart McInally, Dave Cherry and Cammy Fenton. Bringing-in a former South African Under-20 cap Mike Willemse, rather than a former, or current Scottish one, does not seem to me, to be promoting Scottish rugby talent, which to me is part of the SRU's developing Scottish Rugby remit.

Mike Willemse - on his way

Willemse is now 26, which, to me is a bit old for a “project” player. Sorry, I don't see the sense in that bit of business.

Nick Haining - Scotland qualified

I am similarly nonplussed by the recruitment of Australian-born Nick Haining from Bristol Bears. OK, he's Scottish-qualified, which is a plus. But, I watch a lot of BT Sports' coverage of the Gallacher Premiership, and I honestly cannot say he has made an impact on my consciousness. FFS, he'll be 29 in September, so he's hardly a long-term recruit, and, in any case, Edinburgh already has a potential two all-international back-row units on their books: Barclay, Watson and Vata and Hamilton, Bradbury and Ritchie, plus Luke Crosbie and Saniti Nayalo – how many more do they need?

Again, I would prefer to see further vacancies in the squad given to young home-grown, Scots, rather than a 29 year old Aussie from the Caledonian diaspora.

Eroni "Sledgehammer" Sau

OK, given how much we have enjoyed having Leone Nakarawa, Niko Matawalu and “Bill” Vata in Scotland, it seems churlish to complain about recruiting another two Fijians, but, while the two players signed, Eroni Sau and Kalione Nasoko both have terrific Sevens pedigrees, Edinburgh play 15-a-side. Sau is 29 and Nasoko, and aside from the possibility, Fiji might want them for their Olympic Games defence in Japan in 2020 – where we hear whispers Mark Bennett might be involved with Team GB, again, what message does signing them send to ambitious young Scots.

Kalione Nasoko

If Edinburgh need more wingers, a point I would dispute, we have some absolute fliers in our own Sevens squad, and some seriously-promising talent coming through the ranks.

Nothing against the new recruits, to whom I say: “Welcome to Scotland boys, you will enjoy it here,” but, these signings, to me, go against the SRU's need to really develop and encourage young Scottish talent.

I hear, by the way, that All Blacks legend Aaron Cruden is on his way to Glasgow at the end of this season. The deal is, allegedly done and dusted, but is being held-back for a wee while. Cruden and Dave Rennie go back a long way, and the belief is that, Rennie will get the best out of Cruden, who is now 30.

Aaron Cruden

He could well do a good mentoring job on Adam Hastings; or, it could be that with Hastings at ten, young Adam could replace Stuart Hogg at full-back. Whatever, Cruden's arrival could significantly assist in moving more Scotstoun season tickets – assuming Warriors need to shift many more.

Yet Another Ayr v Melrose Epic

I WILL leave the Politics and the off-field wrangling until tomorrow. Yesterday's epic Ayr v Melrose Tennent's Premiership Play-Off Semi-Final deserves a bit more than the 200 to 400 words it got from those mainstream media outlets who still deem rugby important enough to be allocated space in the fitba pages – even on weekends when there is precious little fitba being played. So, here goes.

AYR 15 – MELROSE 12

WHO WRITES the scripts for matches between these two: Quentin Tarantino, Steven Spielburg, Martin Scorsese? Whoever it is – get thee to Hollywood, pronto. Yet again, the Ali and Frazier of Scottish Rugby produced a Thrilla in Millbrae to leave the punters roaring for more – which they will get in round two, this Saturday's Scottish Cup Semi-Final, at The Greenyards.

That is still to come, and this Play-Off Semi-Final will take some replicating, far less beating, for drama and action.

The Grand Finale - Ben Bain is heading off to award Ayr their Penalty Try

 picture courtesy of George McMillan, Ayr RFC Facebook 

Truth to tell, with a wee bit more precision, had they not at times succumbed to “white-line fever,” Ayr could well have had this one done and dusted by the interval. But, they kept butchering gilt-edged chances, falling onto steadfast Melrose defence and 3-3 at the break left the home fans worried; they could see the game slipping away from them.

In that first half, a Grant Anderson touch-down was recalled for a forward pass, while three Ayr mauls, all going forward rapidly, ended in a pile-up and Melrose possession when I seemed the try must follow. Such was Ayr's control, it took the visitors 22 minutes to get into the Ayr 22 with ball in hand.

But, for all their dominance in possession and territory, Ayr could not add to Frazier Climo's first minute penalty goal, awarded as Ayr, as they did regularly, splintered the visitors' pack. They paid for this failure to put points on the board in 34 minutes, when Craig Jackson levelled from a penalty.

“The boys were really down in the shed at half-time,” Ayr Coach Peter Murchie admitted. “We had to get them back up and tell them to be a bit more ruthless.”

It was Melrose, however, who got the better start to the second half, as Jackson's two penalties kicked them out to a 9-3 lead. But, the home side came back, carefully working through a series of phases before Climo made a half-break and off-loaded to the supporting Grant Anderson, who crashed over wide-out, to make it a one-point game, at 8-9.

We then had a lengthy hold-up as Grant Anderson received treatment for a neck injury, which saw him stretchered-off. However, he later returned and, although he admitted: “My neck hurts like Hell,” he was able to go home.

Jackson meanwhile kicked the visitors four points ahead with his fourth penalty, before Melrose settled back in deep defence as Ayr threw everything at them down the home stretch.

In 77 minutes, the irrepressible Steven Longwell crashed over, but, as he indicated via a piece of on-field mime, Ben Bain didn't have the benefit of a TV replay, so, unsighted, he could not award the try, which Longwell is adamant he scored.

No TV replay, but, George McMillan's photograph shows: Steven Longwell DID score

On we went, waves of Ayr attacks foundering on stout Melrose defence. Eight minutes came and went, on we played, with the action all in the visitors' 22.

In 85 minutes, Ayr pressed again, but, Ross Curle was hammered into touch at the corner-flag. The Melrose line-out would be the game's final play. Take it, win it, kick the ball out; game over, Melrose in the final.

Then came the twist. In a move similar to the one Scott Sutherland pulled at The Greenyards in 2017, Man of the Match Tommy Spinks soared skywards to steal the 'Rose throw. Robbie Smith gathered the falling ball and drove for the line. In piled the bodies, and, suddenly, to roars of delight from the Ayr fans, Mr Bain was running to the posts to indicate he had awarded a Penalty Try.

Victory was Ayr's, in the most-dramatic of circumstances. The Melrose players, stunned looks on their faces, slumped to the turf. The Ayr men jumped for joy – what a finish.

Well, not every Ayr man was entirely happy. The home hooker is adamant – Smith Did Score – before having the ball illegally torn from his grasp, so as to cause the referee to award the Penalty Try.

Facing the press post-match, Robin Chrystie was clearly struggling to keep hold of his emotions. His side had given so much, and had victory torn from their grasp at the death. You have to agree with his opening words: Melrose did deserve better.

Rob Chrystie, one of the good guys and dignified in defeat

But, wee Rob is not one of Scottish rugby's good guys for nothing, he continued: “OK, we made a couple of crucial mistakes, but, credit Ayr for taking their chances. I'm bitterly disappointed, but so proud of the boys. They left nothing out there.”

And, his side has a chance of retribution in the Scottish Cup on Saturday, on home soil.

As Peter Murchie said: “It was a horrible way for Melrose to lose, but, an amazing way for us to win.

“Melrose defended really well, but, our set piece got us going. It wasn't a perfect performance, but, while we left it very late, we did enough to win. It's do or die again next weekend, in what I am sure will be another great game.”

In the other match, at Goldenacre, Heriot's made full use of home advantage to beat Currie 35-10. The Nails now travel to Millbrae on April for the Grand Final. A fitting climax perhaps, with the Number One seeds facing the Number Two one in a reprise of the 201 Grand Final.

Ayr are just hoping they get what they didn't get back then – a competent referee.

SRU Win The SGM Argument

REGULAR consumers of the words of wisdom in this blog will be aware, I have frequently likened the furore around Super-6 to Brexit. Given the state of play around that, our embattled Prime Minister, Lady Lino (that's Leader In Name Only) could do worse that put-in a call to TCD on Monday morning, and ask for advice on how to get out of a bit of a fankle.

I say this because, my spy in the room tells me the SRU SGM at Murrayfield was a classic demonstration of how, when the going gets tough, the Murrayfield Mandarins demonstrate a ruthlessness which, if our international or professional club packs could replicate at the breakdown would see Scotland winning everything.

The rebels were pretty-much routed, as the Establishment's motion was passed. Well, Currie did get their amendment passed – we now know it will be the Tennent's Premiership, rather than the proposed Championship, for which our top ten club sides: Currie, Edinburgh Academical, Glasgow Hawks, Hawick and six from Aberdeen Grammar, Gala, GHA, Jed-forest, Marr, Musselburgh and Selkirk will be playing next season.

The six “Amateur Club” XVs from the franchise-holders: Ayr, Boroughmuir, Heriot's. Melrose, Stirling County and Watsonians will take their expected places in National League 1 and, barring what will by then be a challenge later than an Owen Farrell assault, that's how it will be in the new season.

The efforts of Falkirk to have the six club sides play in the Reserve Leagues were ruthlessly seen-off by a top table, not prepared to take prisoners, I am told – as all the amendments other than that put-up by Currie were cleared-out.

So, hopefully now, things will settle down and we can get on with the rugby. As I have said, while I was initially a bit sceptical about S6, having had the concept explained to me – something Murrayfield did not do adequately from the start – and not withstanding the absolute pig's breakfast the high heid yins in the expensive suits have at times made of it, I am prepared to give it a go.

There will still be questions and doubts, but, never forget this: the six franchise-buyers are doing the SRU a big favour, in setting-out to finance a level of the game which Murrayfield ought to be handling in-house: however, if it works, S6 will benefit the game as a whole. Let's give it a good shot.

I WAS all set for a wee trip to Scotstoun tonight, for Warriors v Toyota Cheetahs, but a family gathering put the kibosh on that notion. So, I will miss Callum Gibbins' long-awaited return to the Warriors colours – in nice time to hopefully get himself up to speed for next week's wee trip to London to face Saracens.

Callum Gibbins - makes a timely return for Glasgow tonight

Dave Rennie's plans, however, received a couple of late set-backs, with Nick Grigg picking-up an injury and Stuart Hogg not quite recovered from the trauma of going blond. Thus, Rennie, who has distanced himself from antipodean reports linking him, and Scotland defence guru Matt Taylor with jobs with Rugby Australia post-World Cup, was able to name the following squad – as-ever in 1-23 order - for tonight:

Oli Kebble,Fraser Brown, Zander Fagerson, Tim Swinson, Scott Cummings, Rob Harley, Callum Gibbins (Captain), Matt Fagerson; Nick Frisby, Pete Horne; Rory Hughes, Stafford McDowall, Kyle Steyn, Niko Matawalu; Ruaridh Jackson. Subs: Grant Stewart, Jamie Bhatti, Siua Halanukonuka, Bruce Flockhart, Chris Fusaro; Adam Hastings, Paddy Kelly, Robbie Nairn.

That squad looks capable of getting the job done tonight. Let's hope they can keep the Warriors' band waggon rolling.

ELSEWHERE tonight, it's something of a big night for Lloyd Linton. He may be very-much an established SRU official, and he is definitely one of our top referees, but, spend even a few seconds in his company, and you realise, Lloyd comes from: “Norn Iron.”

So, when he takes charge of tonight's Ulster v Southern Kings match at the Kingspan Stadium, it will be something of a home-coming, to which he will surely be looking forward. I wold caution those loyalists who “stand-up for the Ulstermen,” not to be expecting any home-town decisions from Lloyd, however.

Lloyd Linton - has a homecoming in Belfas tonight

Lloyd heads an-all SRU team in Belfast, with Assistant Referees Sam Grove-White and Graeme Ormiston and TMO Andrew McMenemy hot-footing it from duty with Mike Adamson at Connacht last night to back-up Lloyd in Belfast. It's a tough life being a top match official, but, somebody has to do it.

And speaking of top referees, a doff of the Aristotle chapeau to my very-good friends in the SRU's media department. I am often critical of “Buddy” Horler and his elves, but, the piece they put-up on the SRU website this week on our top female official, Hollie Davidson, was an excellent bit of journalism. You should try writing more of these sort of pieces guys, it was good.

REGARDLESS of the game at Scotoun tonight, for many, THE game today will be a Millbrae, where Ayr host Melrose in the first Tennent's Premiership Play-Off semi-final. This is part one of a double-header between club rugby's two perennial heavyweights – they will reprise the meeting next Saturday, at The Greenyards, in the Scottish Cup semi-final.

Ayr v Melrose games are tailor-made for fence-squatters, since almost anything can happen. As one Millbrae “silverback” said to me this week: “I would not be surprised if Melrose won at Millbrae, and Ayr then won at The Greenyards.“ In all honestly, neither would I.

Today's match has been declared a “Homecoming” for the Ayr players who won the club's first league title, ten years ago. They will be feted at the pre-match lunch, then watch the game. Ayr will have Warriors' Australian back Ratu Tagive, usually of Stirling County, in their starting line-up, while Melrose have had George Taylor, Ross McCann and Jason Baggot released.

 Ratu Tagive, pictured here in action for Stirling County against Ayr

will don pink and black against Melrose this afternoon 

The other semi-final is an all-Edinburgh affair, with Heriot's taking-on Currie at Goldenacre.

I can think of three players under particular pressure in this one, Scotland caps Jack Cuthbert, Mark Bennett and Murray McCallum, all of whom are listed in the Heriot's squads – with Cuthbert and Bennett (who was drafted to Boroughmuir) starting and McCallum (drafted to Edinburgh Accies) on the bench.

As we all know, the Nails have got this far without having to field a professional in any game this season, so, if they don't win today, with an augmented squad, questions will be asked.

With home advantage, Heriot's should win, but, you can never write-off Currie, who have their own professionals, with Luke Crosbie and Adam Nicol, plus Warriors' partnership flanker Tom Gordon in their ranks.

Is A Rammy In Roseburn On The Cards?

ALL ROADS lead to Murrayfield tonight, for the Special General Meeting, which will (hopefully) put to bed the thorny issue of where the six franchise-owning clubs' “core” teams play next season.

The suggestion, from Gavin MacColl QC's Governance Committee's” deliberations is that they play in National League 1, and, while there may be some backwoodsmen still prepared to argue their proper place is maybe the National Reserve Leagues, I don't think that argument stands up.

This issue has already been thoroughly debated and all I have to say is:

• Super 6, for all the many inconsistencies in the way the SRU has handled the entire issue – IS HAPPENING.
  
  
• The Super 6 squads are entirely separate from the “core” squads, so you cannot treat these core squads as add-ons to S6.
  
  
• It is by no means certain those opposing placing the core teams lower than NL1 can muster enough bodies, to travel to Murrayfield on a Friday night to vote down the NL1 proposal.

Finally, IF not enough member clubs turn up, and I do know a lot of the Regional Leagues clubs take the view: this argument has nothing to do with us so we are not going – well, the status quo may prevail, and we will see the core teams continuing to play in the Premiership next season.

"You Scots are a contentious people" - "You've just made an enemy for life."

And, if that happens, the shite storm will continue, because that will be another rammy at the AGM, which is very close to the start of the new season. When it comes to Scottish Rugby, the Seymour Skinner Rule applies: “You Scots sure are a contentious people.”

I might add, there will be some pressure on the delegates to not faff-about and come to a speedy conclusion. The SGM starts at 6pm, with Edinburgh v Leinster due to kick-off on the big pitch 95 minutes later, at 7.35pm. So, no waffling and arguing guys: stand-up, speak-up, shut-up, and get it done before the game starts.

WHAT SHOULD be the Scottish National Anthem is a recurring argument, maybe, sometime in the near future, once we have unshackled ourselves from the English, we will get around to deciding, but, meanwhile – can I throw another idea into the mix?

I would like to add Kris Kristofferson's 'Why Me Lord?' to the mix alongside Flower of Scotland, Highland Cathedral, Scotland the Brave, Caledonia, Freedom Come Awe Ye and the usual suspects.

You may well ask why? Well, the thought surfaced in a podcast in the excellent Rugby Referee.net website. They took a look at Saturday's Twickenham incident when Owen Farrell hit Darcy Graham. They didn't discuss whether Farrell's challenge should have been a penalty only (the decision given), or a possible yellow or red card, they merely looked at the circumstances surrounding how the game was restarted, and the wording of the relevant Law, Law 20.

Apparently, referee Ben Williams, in the heat of the moment, made a mistake. Now, I am not going to hang Mr Williams out to dry for this – he had, on the whole a good game. The contentious issue here was penalty/yellow card/red card. In my opinion, it being Farrell, who has “form” on this – it was a red card, but, yours and my opinions don't matter. Mr Williams was the sole judge of fact and he went penalty only.

However, because he offered Greig Laidlaw the choice of place from where to take the penalty, Mr Williams had decided the challenge was late. But, in that case, the place from where Laidlaw took the penalty SHOULD have been on the 15 metre line in from touch, rather than the final spot, seven metres or so in, thereby making the kick shorter, and from an easier angle.

Laidlaw kicks this one, we have a further three point cushion – we win. Hence, Why Me Lord? A question sporting Scots have been asking on a regular basis since 1871.

POOR OLD John Jeffrey has been putting-in the air miles of late. In fact, the rumour is he's now a more familiar face at Edinburgh Airport than at his local cattle auction market. Take his build-up to the Calcutta Cup: Kelso to Dublin for the World Rugby meeting; from there to London for the Calcutta Cup, then, straight off to France for the World Rugby symposium on the laws, a subject on which, wearing his World Rugby tie, he is very-much involved in, as Chairman of World Rugby's influential Rugby Committee.

An official World Rugby still from the Paris meeting - the question is:

was Scottis speaking for Scotland, or for Australia? 

I am still trying to get my head around what transpired in France, but, it looks as if the experimental law, lowering the tackle height to the bottom of the chest will be written into the laws after the World Cup. It was trialled in last year's Under-20 World Cup, and is now set to be trialled again in an as yet unidentified major competition – one of the big leagues.

AND FINALLY, how good it is to see big John Barclay back in action, making his Edinburgh debut against Leinster, at Murrayfield tonight, a 7.35pm.

John Barclay makes his Edinburgh debut tonight

Barclay's Edinburgh debut is the big news, but, we must not forget that another Scotland cap, Matt Scott, is also returning tonight, after a lengthy absence. Adding Barclay and Scott to the roster, and with Mark Bennett also backs, certainly leaves Edinburgh looking stronger for the crucial end of season run-in in the PRO14 and the Heineken Cup.

Tonight's Edinburgh squad, as-ever on here in 1-23 order, is:

Pierre Schoeman, Ross Ford, WP Nel, Fraser McKenzie, Ben Toolis, John Barclay, Hamish Watson, Viliame Mata; Henry Pyrgos (Captain), Jaco van der Walt; Duhan van der Merwe,

Matt Scott, James Johnstone, Darcy Graham; Dougie Fife. Replacements: Cameron Fenton, Allan Dell, Simon Berghan, Callum Hunter-Hill, Magnus Bradbury; Charlie Shiel, Simon Hickey, Chris Dean.

Interestingly, in the press release detailing the team, Edinburgh only list four players: Lewis Carmichael, David Cherry, Luke Hamilton and Blair Kinghorn as injured – which is a good position to be in at this stage of a long and arduous season.

The Current Interesting Times Seem Set To Continue

WITH THE 2019 Guinness 6 Nations safely packed away, club rugby takes centre stage for the next couple of months, as the pecking order in the Heineken Cup and the various leagues are sorted out. Then, the long build-up to the Rugby World Cup will begin, and we will be back on the treadmill again.

Professional sport certainly meets all the requirements of Professor Parkinson's First Law: “Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.” Thus, since rugby went Open, and became, to some, a job, the progress to year-round playing has become unstoppable.

Of more concern to the movers and shakers in the game is the increasing likelihood, some say inevitability of a battle for, if not the soul of the game, certainly the main money-making side, between the traditional guardians – the Unions, and the big professional clubs.

Football has been juggling with this, if not since European club competition kicked-off in the mid-1950s, certainly since the European Cup became the Champions League in the early 1990s. In the process of this FIFA, the round-ball game's world governing body, while becoming a by-word for sleaze, corruption and unsavoury practises has managed, just, to keep control of the game's principal levers of power.

I wonder, can World Rugby be as adept, now it is facing similar challenges. For a start, as I am sure I will be saying for some time to come: CVC Capital Partners are not sniffing around, seeking to give ever-more money to the game of Rugby Union out of the goodness of their capitalist hearts, rather, they are doing this because they can sniff profits.

If they can see an opportunity to make money out of the game, why haven't the game's movers and shakers moved, to shake the great universal money tree and see more of the leaves falling into the game's coffers?

The sad fact, certainly for armchair fans of the game is – we are likely to see an expansion in the amount of broadcast rugby going to pay to view platforms such as Sky, BT, or Premier Sports, and, the day may not be far-off, when the Six Nations vanishes from “Coonsil telly” - BBC and STV to you and me.

The 6 Nations has been a winter schedule staple for the BBC, since the black and white days of Peter West as lead commentator. “Auntie” will not want to lose it, but, having been forced to cede England home games to ITV, and thrown so-much of its dwindling sports budget at Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and the great God Football, they are unlikely to be able to compete against the pay-to-view channels in the next round of coverage payment talks – more-so now the 6 Nations is being run by Benjamin Morel, a man with two decades of experience inside the NBA. He certainly knows how much his game is worth.

6 Nations boss Benjamin Morel

But, Morel has his problems to consider. Reports emerged at the weekend that the two stirrers among the six nations, the English and the French have formed an unholy alliance and are demanding a bigger cut of the TV money, if only to try to keep their voracious major clubs on-board with player release etc.

This could get very messy – the thing is, the Irish, Scottish and Welsh Rugby Unions are well used to dealing with Twickenham's machinations – need I remind readers of Allan Hosie and Bill Beaumont and the Drum and Monkey Summit, all those years ago, the last time England tried to remind everyone that they would waive the rules if they were not allowed to rule the waves.

The big English and French clubs seem to think, having the cash to buy-up most of the best players, they are in a position to make their competitions bigger than international rugby – I am not so-sure we have reached that point, or that we might ever get there.

After all, not many of them are making money, and you can bet, CVC Capital Partners will put CVC before the clubs when it comes to profit-sharing. Sure, some fringe All Blacks and Bokke players have done their sums and reckon a few years on big money in England or France is worth more than maybe half a dozen or a dozen All Blacks caps, when you are always going to be second or third choice for the black shirt, but; I think there will always be more guys willing to put-in the work for an international shirt than just take the money.

A new development has surfaced this week, however. I seems, some inside Twickenham are considering the unthinkable – from an English point of view: teaming-up with the Celtic cousins, rather than lording over them.

Apparently, some thought has been given to the RFU setting-up four regional teams, of centrally-contracted players, these teams to play in an enlarged PRO14.

Now, the notion of English regional sides is nothing new. Way back in the 1970s the RFU set-up Divisional teams, indeed, in the 1979 All Blacks tour of England, Scotland and Italy, the tourists' games in England were against London Division, Midlands Division, Northern Division and South and South-West Division. That Northern Division game, at Otley, which the home team won, has entered English rugby folk-lore; so, there is precedent for Regional or Divisional English teams.

But, the question is, given their well-publicised financial problems, could the RFU afford to finance these teams, and in particular, pay the players what they currently getting from the admittedly sugar-daddy financed clubs?

Also, as the EU is currently finding-out – should you really invite the English to join any “club” which already seems to be working well? They will only want run things their way, English exceptionalism will demand that they have the major say.

To brighter news, it seems, in the wake of another Grand Slam, peace has – for the moment – broken-out in warring Wales. The Ospreys/Scarlets merger is off; the North Walian team in the PRO14 is back on the back burner. But, how long will the after-glow of national success keep the warring factions apart? We certainly live in interesting rugby times.

Bring Back Rucking - You Know I Makes Sense

WARNING – I am going to clamber aboard my favourite hobby horse here, but, after the latest outbreak of English rule waiving art Twickenham on Saturday, and the disgraceful failure of the Italian citing commissioner to take retrospective action on Owen Farrell and Manu Tuilagi after their assaults on Darcy Graham and Sam Johnson – we have no option but to BRING BACK REAL RUCKING.

Owen Farrell

I am utterly convinced, if the likes of Farrell and Tuilagi thought for a second – always assuming Farrell is capable of rational thought – they might end up at the foot of a ruck with a Scotland pack going forward towards them, they would be a bit more circumspect in their tackling.

Back in the day, when “a guid shoein'” was a rite of passage, we never worried about TMOs or citing officers sorting-out the thugs, justice was meted-out in the rucks. Now, I am not saying everything was scrupulously clean back then. Yes, there were a few head-kickers around, but, they either, fairly-quickly, learnt – either the easy way or the hard way – not to do this, or they simply did not get selected.

Sure we had really bad incidents back then, such as the notorious John Ashworth stamp on JPR Williams in a Bridgend v All Blacks match, but, with today's all-seeing cameras and the stricter application of rules on dealing with such behaviour – if it happened today, Ashworth would be on the first flight back to New Zealand – well, maybe not if Ben Skeen was the TMO.

When a defender gets into the “jackaling” position, even if he does it properly – he is extremely vulnerable to injury as attackers arrive at pace to clean him out. Of course, far too often, they arrive illegally, making no effort to remain on their feet, simply flying in to take-out the jackaller. With real rucking, they would have to remain on their feet, because the referees would be required to properly enforce a Law they far too-often ignore today.

If playing the ball with the foot at the ruck became the norm, and was properly policed, players would never be in the vulnerable jackal position. Also, this other ruck obscenity, where players on either side deliberately pin down an opponent, thereby cluttering-up the breakdown, a swift application or two would deter most such miscreants.

That said, there will always, I suppose, be players such as Jim Telfer or David Leslie who, once they get in there where they should not be, can only be moved by judiciously-placed explosive charges – but, as with these two, there are exceptions to every Law.

Another potential benefit of a return to real rucking, would, I feel sure, be greater space in midfield. It was always said that the great Otago packs – Otago being the place where rucking was invented, hit the ruck in such a manner, you could have thrown a table cloth over the entire pack. With proper rucking, sides go in mob-handed, so, the opposition needs numbers to try to counter them.

This immediately takes all those big lumps, holding a defencive line in midfield, out of the picture, there is more space for the backs to run into. Also, as everyone who has ever played in a game with real rucking could tell today's law-makers: real rucking produces faster ball, making for a more-enjoyable game, both to play and watch.

Of course, there would surely be some of the elf n safety brigade objecting to seeing grounded players being walked over. I've been walked over, frequently, you have forgotten the immediate and temporary pain by the end of the game.

Be brutal and unforgiving to the head-kickers, to get rid of them, but, allow rucking, and we would, I am certain, see a better game.n

SOME credit it to William Randolph Hearst, others to George Orwell, let's not argue, however, whoever said (something like): “News is something someone doesn't want publicised, everything else is advertising,” knew what they were talking about.

Well, anyone who has been following this blog for any length of time will know, I have long been dismissive of the efforts of the SRU's Media Department to differentiate between news and advertising, and be any good at either discipline.

So, sadly I must advise you, “Buddy” Horler and his elves have dropped the ball again. Last week, on 14 March to be exact, they posted a news story on the SRU website, one I only found by chance this morning, which to my mind deserves greater exposure – which it would surely have got had they put-out a proper press release.

Any way, it transpires, the SRU is holding a Youth Rugby summit, at The Emirates Arena, across from the “San Giro” in the East End of Glasgow, on Friday, 10 May. The event will run from 9.30am until 3.30pm, and, in the news story on the website, SRU Head of Training Education Neil Graham is quoted as saying: “We are hoping for over 100 people to attend from throughout the country, in what should be an excellent day all round.”

There is a link to the list of speakers, and here again, Buddy and the Elves missed a trick. In the news story, they highlight: Richard Cheetham MBE, a Senior Fellow in Sports Coaching at University of Winchester, and Claire Cruikshank, Head of Performance Sport at Edinburgh University.

 Ben Ryan - always worth hearing

Now both these speakers may well be very good in their field and will, I am sure, give excellent presentations. However, the guy who is speaking, who I would have flagged-up as being worth hearing is former Fiji Sevens Coach Ben Ryan. Now, he is worth hearing.

Also, to be looking for an attendance of over 100 at the day, full details of which are on the website at: https://youth-rugby-summit-2019.eventbrite.co.uk

well, to me that's totally under-selling it. The SRU ought to be making more of this event, and moving heaven and earth to get every rugby-playing school and every club offering youth rugby, to send someone along.