Forward Tho Ah Canna See - Ah Guess And Fear

WE are supposed to be looking confidently, if somewhat carefully ahead to the New Year, at this time. However, being an Ayrshireman, I prefer the outlook of another Ayrshireman, of an earlier century: "Forward, tho ah canna see, ah guess and fear".

Aye, in terms of Scottish Rugby, 2013 was the usual mix of great expectations, undone by the reality of performances, with the odd soupcon of good news to celebrate. I feel we are, as we have been in the 18-years since rugby went "open", more or less marking time while everyone else is marching on.

Certainly, the SRU continues to think about its problems. With the announcement of the plan for the eight-club Premiership and greater emphasis on grass-roots development just a few weeks ago, there is cautious cause for optimisim - except - how many new plans is that we've had since August 1995?

Certainly the first leg of the 1872 Cup matches, at Murrayfield, on Boxing Day, was more a case of: how bad we were, rather than how good. OK, a lot of potential members of our Six Nations squad were not there, preferring to earn their corn outwith Scotland, but, given that the Edinburgh and Glasgow squads are supposed to be the backbone of the national squad - you've got to admit, we've got problems going into the Six Nations.

Present day rugby is all about the breakdown, and we have to face the fact - until Ross Rennie (if he ever does) gets back to the top-form he was showing prior to the start of his injury problems, we are going to struggle in this crucial area. We simply do not have an international class number seven, apart from the hypothetical re-birth of the old Rennie; therefore, this year, in the Six Nations - we are awe doomed.

Alan Solomons at Edinburgh has obviously decided on a limited game plan and on the players he feels are best likely to work to this. Sadly, like Neil Lennon in football, he appears to doubt that there are any young Scots who are ready to come into his squad and operate; putting, instead, his faith in journeymen Saffers.

No, I fear our position as we look ahead to the Six Nations must, once again, be akin to our younger selves, watching the Daleks being unleashed on us - watching through cracks in our fingers, from behind the sofa.

THEN there is the paradox of our club game. I watch a lot of RBS Premiership games and I must admit, I have been royally entertained at most of these. There have even been games in which a final 5-2, 4-1 or 3-0 try count has maybe slewed the game, the reality being it was closer than that, with perhaps the winning side comein out on top through slicker attacking, or just as often, better defence.

The club game is healthy, even if, quite often, the skills level on display is poor. Maybe Murrayfield should be trusting the products of our club game more, although, I have to agree, we should be pushing for higher standards right across the game.

I HAD a conversation before a recent club game, with the father of one of our international squad hookers. As a former hooker myself, I was lamenting the fact that his son and his contemporaries in the national squad, who wear the number 2 shirt, simply couldn't do the basics of their job - they didn't know how to  hook.

I felt, and still feel, that, with the new insistence (most scrums) on a straight feed, and with the change in the engagement rules, the lost art of actually hooking, should be on its way back.

Silly me. That's not how they think in the pro game. The hooker's dad, whilst agreeing with my assertion that Channel One Ball is the best attacking platform off a scrum, and that requires a hooker able to strike quickly and cleanly on his scrum half's put-in; assured me that's not how the scrumming coaches think.

Apparently, hookers are now instructed to get into a pushing, rather than a hooking position, on their own put-in. The scrum is now, more than ever, a grunt-fest; the idea is, you get the nudge on and push the opposition backwards, thereby stepping over the ball and winning it.

Yes, you win ball, but, it is slow ball, it is well nigh useless, but, the coaches have decided, it is too-risky to strike for the put-in and try to attack off quick Channel One ball.

Michty me, is this what Scotland, the nation of McLeod/Bruce/Rollo, of McLauchlan/Laidlaw/Carmichael, of the 1970s "Mean Machine" front five, of Sole/Deans/Milne is reduced to?

Finally - thank you to all my readers during 2013, awe ra best for the News Year, when it comes and, hopefully you will be back here in 2014.

 

Confirmation - Edinburgh Are Now Believing

THE late cancellation of last night's Warriors v Treviso match could well bite Glasgow on the bum. After the way they graft5ed to overcome Leinster, BOD and all, at Murrayfield, Edinburgh just might fancy themselves to wrest the 1872 Cup along the M8.

It wasn't a vintage performance from Edinburgh, in those conditions it was never going to be, but, watching on BBC Alba, there were signs that the wisdom of Solomons is starting to be picked-up by the players. Jack Cuthbert, Greig Tonks and the big Aussie lock, not guys you immediately think of as big Edinburgh players, all stood out, as, most-certainly, did the big Saffer flanker who got the MOM nomination - Cornell Du Preez.

Add good shifts from the tried and trusted - Laidlaw, Ford, Denton and Grant, and, it was a good night for the capital side. The back-to-back derbies will be very interesting.

I HAD to laugh, however, at those scrums late in last night's game, when the ball was put-in (more or less straight) and just sat there, while the two teams went for eight-man shoves. I have long said, it's maybe too-late for Ross Ford to ever learn the art of hooking, but his failure to master the art was clearly demonstrated last night.

That said, as a former hooker from the bad old days in the 1960s and 1970s, when pretty much anything went, I did admire Ross's effort at heading the ball back - with his head, against the head actually, since it was a Leinster put-in. Been there, done that.

FINALLY, Peter Fitzgibbon had a reasonable game last night. My God, I have now albeit reluctantly, praised Fitzgibbon and Clancy this season - ach, it's the time of year, must be.

The Balance Of Power Might Have Swung Towards The Capital

I MUST admit, I never saw that one coming. By which I refer to Edinburgh's superb away win over Gloucester, at Kingsholm - never the easiest place to visit. I gather the natives in the famous Shed were revolting as the upset unfolded in front of them on Sunday.

 

This was yet another blow to the over-blown self-esteem of the English Premiership; a clear case of: "Aye, ye want tae run Europe yet ye canna beat Edinburgh at hame".

 

This result clearly shows that, while, since it is a mainly Scottish workforce he is dealing with, there will be disappointment along the way, the wisdom of Solomons is starting to bear fruit.

 

The 1872 Cup double-header will be interesting, since, for the first time in a year or two, Edinburgh will probably start as favourites.

 

Well done Greig Tonks in seizing his chance at ten, however, that was merely one game; still, the club now has alternatives at half-back.

 

 

 

MEANWHILE, you have to ask, when will Glasgow get their collective heads together again. Given I am old enough to remember the bother the young Ian Durrant and Derek Ferguson got themselves into in such establishments back in the 1980s, maybe a blanket ban on professional sportsmen entering kebab shops in Glasgow should be given consideration.

 

 

 

NOT impressed by the Scotland Club XV original pool. There are one or two lightweights in there. But, mainly I wonder, why pick Dean Kelbrick, but without either Ross Curle or Robbie Fergusson beside him? Per any two of the three Ayr centres and they regularly produce, in concert, some inspired inter-changing and off-loads, which have brought their club some spectacular tries this season. And, before I am accused of a pro-Ayr bias - George Hunter! Nice big boy, great about the park, but, he has one glaring weakness for a prop - he cannot prop.

 

 

 

IT IS surely a wee bit worrying for the rest of us to read Steve Hanson's interview this week, in which he insists, the All Blacks can improve. No, strike that, it's not so-much worrying as downright scary.

 

Anent the Blacks, I agree with those who questioned the award of the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year 'Team of the Year' award to the Lions, on the back of what was, a scrappy series win in Australia.

 

I have never before been aware of this being a purely national award, however, since the Lions would be well-gubbed if they were to play the Blacks next week, how come the New Zealanders' 14-game unbeaten run wasn't honoured?

 

 

A Good Feeling In The Ayr

ON yet another generally downbeat weekend for Scottish Rugby, one result stood out. Well done Ayr, who, by beating Ulster Ravens at Millbrae on Saturday, brought a shaft of light onto an otherwise desolate landscape.

 

Edinburgh joined Glasgow in demonstrating how to lose a winnable match, and, unless Glasgow can claim a bonus point in beating Cardiff at Scotstoun on Friday night, once again, Scotland is out of Europe before Christmas.

 

We have expectations of the two pro sides, but, not of the four RBS Premiership sides in the British & Irish Cup. Against the full-timers from the second tier in England, realistically, the Scots have little or no chance. They ought to do better against the Welsh and Irish sides, but, to be fair, up until Ayr - who have by far the best Scottish record in the competition - beat the Ravens on Saturday, this season had been extremely dire for the Scottish sides in the B&I.

 

Hopes are now high that Ayr can travel to Belfast on Friday night and complete a double over the Ravens, but, around Millbrae there is the realisation that, no game in Belfast on a Friday night is ever easy.

 

The big plus from Ayr's win was how well the drafted-in Warriors melded with the Ayr regulars. And, this augers well for the success of the changes announced from Murrayfield last week - always assuming the body of the kirk doesn't revolt and turn their backs on the Murrayfield proposals.

 

IF the new proposals close the considerable gap between the professional and semi-professional ranks, it will be win-win for Scotland. Certainly the manner in which the Glasgow full-timers: Byron McGuigan, James Eddie, Scott Wight and Finlay Gillies bought-into the Ayr game-plan at Millbrae worked well.

 

It was also good to see the Development Players, who play far more often for Ayr than they do for the Warriors: Finn Russell, George Hunter, Fergus Scott and D'Arcy Rae, perhaps taking extra confidence from having familiar training faces around them to lift their game.

 

Murrayfield hopes, that by reducint the Premiership to an eight-club "Superleague" it will drive up standards. The unrequired Edinburgh and Warriors' players - we are led to believe, will be more-readily released to the new league clubs than at present.

 

OK, it's all a bit jam tomorrow, and, we've had this before from Murrayfield; but, the Ayr result gave a glimpse of what might be possible.

 

 

 

HOWEVER - will it work? That's the $64,000 question. For a start, if we go to eight "superclubs" below the two full pro sides, which clubs will get the  nod and the extra funding which will apparently accrue from Murrayfield?

 

On present/recent performances - Ayr, Melrose and Gala and Heriot's would appear to be certainties. But, what happens elsewhere? Currie have been probably the top Edinburgh side over the past four or five years. They are having a bit of an up and down year this season, but, ought to still make the cut.

 

However, what will happen elsewhere in the Borders. We hear that one weel-kent Soutar is of the opinion that, if an eight-club top league comes in: "We micht as weil build hooses on Philphaugh, we've nae chance o' gettin in".

 

I accept the old magic of the green shirt isn't as potent these days as it once was and that there is a fight going on in the toon for the sould of Hawick Rugby, but, that said, a "Superleague" without Hawick? doesn't bear5 thinking about.

 

Then there is the situation north of the Forth. Stirling County are on a bit of a downer, ditto Aberdeen, while Dundee will have to get out of the National Championship and into the Premiership if they are to stand a chance of a Superleague place. Also, can Hawks maintain a Glasgow presence?

 

There is, therefore, a possibility of top-flight club rugby in Scotland becoming a plaything of teams across the Central Belt.

 

Also, an item which has not, to my mind, been addressed. These eight Superleague clubs will be expected to showcase the game in Scotland. I reckon, to do this properly, the clubs will, as well as increased playing budgets, need assistance in upgrading their spectator facilities and providing better pitches for the players to perform on.

 

Has this additional and much-needed expense been factored-into the figures?

 

Then there is the need for greater grass-roots seed money. How will this be organised? Can we really make the game popular in the state school system?

 

By my reckoning - there are far more questions than answers in the above.

Cardiff Blues Confirm Our Lowly Status

SCOTTISH Rugby badly needs a make-over, that much is obvious. We are now being seen, elsewhere in these islands, on the rest of the Celtic Fringes as much as in the G&T belt of Middle Engerlund as a poor lot, to be pitied rather than derided. Basically, we are there to make up the numbers. The London Media, while admittedly paying lip-service to Irish and Welsh clubs, players and rugby, can barely bring themselves to mention us - we matter that little.

 

Then, events, such as Glasgow's poor capitulation to a not-very-good Cardiff side on Friday night conspire to underline our paucity. Where do we go next?

 

It might just be "second season syndrome" affecting Gregor Townsend and his men; the rest are now learning to "read" Toony's coaching and his men's cavalier playing style. Hopefully, the current malaise is temporary and, perhaps as early as this coming Friday, the improvement will start.

 

However, reading various reports on events in Cardiff, it seems Glasgow didn't so-much lose the battle of the breakdown as fail to trap in that area which now so-dominates the game.

 

Basically, while the Southern Hemisphere's Big Three cheat better than anyone else at the breakdown, nobody cheats as badly as we Scots, and, if we cannot sort it out (please, come home Richie Grey of Gala), then we are sunk.

 

I still hope, when the IRB finally comes to its collective senses and restores proper rucking, that Jim Telfer still has enough wit and wisdom to remind us how we used to do it and we can get back to the top, until then, I despair.

 

 

 

JUST as I feared, the English clubs are now trying very hard to woo the Welsh away from the establishment line and into their rebel camp. As I have long said, the Heineken Cup row isn't about money per say - the English clubs want to rule the world and, the RFU will not try too hard to prevent this.

 

And, with the FFR pulling their clubs into line, the English clubs are now certain that the Welsh Regions - who despite the fact they could not live without the backing of the WRU - are at war with that body, will, apparently, break ranks and join them in a new competition which just might spell the end of the Pro12 as we know it.

 

Actually, with the announcement this week of increased support for what Murrayfield hopes will be a slimmed down Premiership, with just eight semi-professional sides, a new-look Rabo, more club than region-based, just might work in Scotland's favour.

 

IF the English clubs can woe the four Welsh regions away, then you might find that the Irish provinces could go, to be replaced by the bigger clubs and while the English, French and Welsh Regions went along (for a few years) as a Super League NH elite - a cross-borders competition featuring traditional club names - Llanelli v Hawick, Ballymena v Boroughmuir, Cork Constitution v Coventry, Heriot's v Young Munster might well be an attractive alternative.

 

There are a lot of people who have long contended the money spent on some of the useless mercenaries who have turned-up at Glasgow and Edinburgh, would have been better spent by a number of elite Scottish clubs, getting a greater number of Scottish players better exposure.

 

This weeks events just might bring this to pass, for the betterment of Scottish rugby. Let's face it, we cannot get much worse.

Sad For Sean - But - Not As Sad As It Could Have Been

AS I watched the slo-mo replay of Sean Lamont's injury on Friday night, I immediately said: "Ligament damage, long lay-off"; and so it has come to pass.

I must admit I remain a bit undecided about big Sean; sure, he's very good at making line breaks, as witness in his part in Chris Cusiter's crucial try on Friday night. However, all too-often, Sean's breaks founder on his failure to get the ball away to a supporting team-mate. Yes, just occasionally, there hasn't been a team mate on his shoulder, but, just as often, he hasn't been aware of the support, or has chosen to ignore it.

I'd rather have him available for the Six Nations, rather than out injured, however, it's not as if he's untouchable - we have options. Let's hope he gets back in the minimum time.

I SEE the English clubs are searching for a Plan B, now their hopes of staging an alternative European competition have been blown out of the water by the FFR's hard-line stance pulling their clubs into line.

Certainly, the Heineken Cup, good competition though it is, isn't perfect; but, there are more-important things in rugby than the balance sheets of the top English Premiership clubs, most of whom are reliant on a sugar daddy for their survival.

The biggest cause of the problems their greed has caused has been the continued failure of the 57 Old Farts on the RFU's General Committee to get it into the thick, self-centred heads of the big clubs - that they don't run rugby and they aren't the most-important thing in the game. Sort that out and a peace deal is possible.

Also, when will the English learn - they don't own rugby? Their selling of a deal to BT Sport was, like their selling of England home game viewing rights to Sky all those years ago, simply an example of the English view - It's our game and what we say goes.

Aye Right. Time to remind them about the stupidity of this.

I see one possible English way out is to invite some Welsh clubs - not the four Rabo Pro12, but a quartet from the next level down - the Welsh Premiership, to either join the Premiership top-flight - and just what will the top Championship sides say to that?

Get real lads - those traditional "big" Welsh clubs: Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Llanelli, Bridgend, Aberavon and Neath, still in the Principality Premiership, are all in the bottom half of the table.

Currently Pontypridd lead the table, from a clutch of smaller clubs. The Principality Premiership clubs would struggle to survive in the English Championship, far less the English Premiership - it's a non-starter.

East a bit of humble pie and work for change from within. It makes sense.



IAIN MORRISON, in his Scotland on Sunday column at the weekend, put forward his case that the obsession with size is ruining rugby. I have some sympathy with his point of view, however, full-time players will, because of the physical demands of rugby, tend to be bigger and I cannot see how we can either make players smaller, or depower the game.

However, there is one draw-back to the obsession with size. I feel there are a few players on the books of the two pro sides who only got there because of their size. They have technical limitations.

Maybe the coaches are not getting the balance right - too-much concentration on fitness, too-little on skills.