Retirement Is The Hardest Step For A Professional Rugby Player

BEING too-much of a miserable bar steward to pay Uncle Rupert's prices, either for a hard copy, or to read the online version of the Sunday Times, I have only got scant details of former Scotland back Rory Lamont's interview with Mark Palmer, in which Sean's young brother admitted to feeling suicidal, in the wake of his injury-induced early retirement from rugby.

Rory Lamont on the ball for Toulon

Anyone who has been around the game for any length of time, knows the ranks of the retired rugby players are choc-a-bloc with guys with all sorts of long-term problems,brought on by the game. These may simply be “glass” ankles and knees, hip problems requiring replacement operations, bad backs and shoulders, to the more-serious hangovers, such as mental problems.

Given the increased severity of the collisions in the modern game, the chances are, such problems will increase in severity and quantity in years to come. Rory Lamont is probably, and sadly, unlikely to be the last to reveal such travails, more will follow. Therefore, the onus is on the professional clubs and the Unions to spend a good deal more time, money and research, to exercise their duty of care to their players.

Thankfully, it would seem the SRU, who have the excellent Dr James Robson in their camp, are ahead of the ball in this aspect of professional rugby. I have every confidence in them staying there. And, I wish Rory well for the future.

THE newly-retired James Eddie never shirked a challenge during his decade of exemplary service to Glasgow Warriors. Therefore, it should not be unexpected that his first big date as a retired player will take him to a place where angels fear to tread.

Eddie has agreed to speak at Cumnock Rugby Club's annual end-of-season Sportsman's Dinner, in their Broomfield club-house. I am not implying this is a rowdy evening, except, traditionally, the menu card lists what scran is on offer, the order of speeches, then one single word – Fracas!

Believe me, it does what it says on the tin. James, you have been warned, by more than Mark Bennett.

Nick Beavon

CONGRATULATIONS to Nick Beavon, the Melrose prop, who has earned a full professional contract with Edinburgh for next season. At 29, Nick is perhaps a wee bit long in the tooth to be setting forth on a professional career. However, props, like football goalkeepers, mature later and tend to last longer. In any case, it takes years to master the dark arts of the front row and Nick has certainly been a key member of the 'Rose pack these past few seasons. His promotion to the professional ransk demonstrates, the door to the pro game is never shut to those who work hard enough to earn their place on the sunny side of it.

 Macphail Coaching Scholarship recipients Mike Blair and Calum Forrester

CONGRATULATIONS too to the newly-retired Mike Blair and to Ayr coach Calum Forrester, who are the recipients of this season's John Macphail Coaching Scholarships. This will see them head for the Land of the Long White Cloud, to spend part of their close-season working with the coaching staff at the Christchurch-based Canterbury Rugby Union.

They will be watching the Crusaders working during the week, and spending time in the region which has produced Richie McCaw, and current World Rugby Players of the Year Daniel Carter and Kendra Cocksedge. Nice trip if you can get it and their experiences ought to prove beneficial to Warriors and to Ayr.

Forrester is the second Ayr club coach to be a Macphail Scholarship recipient; Kenny Murray, now assisting Gregor Townsend at Warriors, was one of the 2014 scholarship winners.