ALRIGHT class, settle down –
we have a fair bit to get through today, so, listen carefully.
Now, we were all absolutely
delighted by Glasgow's marvellous win over Leicester on Saturday,
but, that was then – we are into a new week, with new challenges
facing us. Not least among these is the imminent start to the 2017
Six Nations, and, as you all know, we've never won the damned thing.
Well, if the Scotland squad can
channel their inner Warrior, who is to say this will not be out year.
I realise, received wisdom has it that Scotland's best chance of
winning the Six Nations is in the season when we have England and
France at home. Well we were away to both the last time we won the
Five Nations, so let's just ignore that old chestnut.
I am under no illusions as to
how difficult it will be to win the damned thing this year –
because, it's very hard to win it in any year. However, if a squad
based on the club squad which has beaten Racing 92 and Leicester home
and away does not believe, then that squad never will.
Scotland has improved markedly
since Big Vern Cotter took over. Regardless of the politics which
have conspired to see him finish his contract early, the players
surely owe it to the big man to send him on his way to France
victorious.
First up are Ireland, nearly
everyone outside the Sudentenland's favourites for the title this
season. Sure, they beat the All Blacks, and won well on the day. Of
course they are dangerous, but, unbeatable, no way Jose. It used to
be the Irish couldn't even win a penalty at Murrayfield; formidable
though they are, we can get back to these days.
A win over the Irish can
kick-start a very good campaign. If you can beat the team that beat
the All Blacks, you need fear nobody. Wales are in severe decline,
England are in disarray with injuries, and we are well past the time
we won again at Twickenham, while with home advantage, we should
surely beat Italy this year. That only leaves France. Well, you never
know with France, but, even in Paris, they are beatable.
I like the look of our extended
squad. I have just two quibbles – there is absolutely no way, even
in a bad year, which this is gearing up not to be, that Simon Berghan
is Scotland class. Good luck to the boy, but, he shouldn't be in
there, Glasgow's Darcy Rae is a superior tight-head, and, Cornel Du
Preez ahead of Magnus Bradbury – what is that all about?
Of course, both Berghan and Du
Preez are “project players” - well, unless you are getting
someone special such as Josh Strauss, or you are recruiting genuine,
top-class Scotland-qualified talent such as John Hardie and Huw
Jones, I'd forget about overseas recruitment and spend a bit more on
bringing through young, Scottish talent – but, that argument is for
another post.
Meanwhile, let's hope the squad
has a good camp and we get off to a winning start on Saturday week.
JIMMY Hay's funeral in Glasgow
on Friday was a true celebration of a great rugby character. Being
Scotland team doctor for a spell in the 1990s was an enjoyable break
from the reality of life as a consultant orthopaedic surgeon for wee
Jimmy, an Honest Man of Ayr who always seemed to be smiling.
Jimmy had a good rugby life. He
captained the legendary unbeaten Ayr Academy First XV of Mike
Denness, Ian Ure and Ian McLauchlan. He played in the first Ayr Seven
to win the club's tournament, they had to wait 22-years for a second
win, by which time Jimmy's son Andy was playing, but, mainly he
simply enjoyed playing. Never more-so than when in tandem with his
equally laid-back brother-in-law Bill Mowat as a pair of half-backs
who could have played tig wi a room full of monkeys and never been
het.
Club ties was the order of the
day and just about every club in Glasgow District, and a few from
elsewhere were to be seen inside Sherbrooke St Gilbert's Church,
alongside various medical faculty ties. The congregation included
everyone from former Scotland captains and SRU Presidents down to
guys who never got into their club's first team, all, touched in some
way by Jimmy. Scottish rugby has lost one of the good guys.
IT IS still a quiet murmur,
little more than a whisper, but, I get the feeling if Mr Dodderer,
the Lesser-Spotted Johnston and the other High Heid Yins at BT
Murrayfield do not do something, and quickly, the club game will rise
in revolt.
The BT Premiership is, yet again
this season, producing some pretty good quality rugby. OK, with two
games still to play, we know three of the four teams in the end of
season play-offs, but, below that, we have a ding-dong between Currie
and Heriot's for the fourth spot, and a relegation battle which will
go right to the wire.
Indeed, it might be that, on 18
February, Gala will host Boroughmuir in a winner-takes-all survival
battle. The Braw Lads are in a braw pickle, however. There last two
games are that one with Boroughmuir, preceded by another big game, at
third-bottom Hawick – who's going to referee that one – Nigel
Owens?
Mind you, the team that finishes
second-bottom will still face the promotion/relegation play-off
against the team which finishes second in National League One, which,
as far as I can ascertain, has been a high-quality competition this
season.
Peter Brown was at Jimmy Hays
funeral, it was noticeable, he was wearing his Marr rather than his
Gala tie, which might tell you something.
I LAVISHED praise, rightly, on
Glasgow, at the start of this post. So I end it with further praise,
for Edinburgh, who have topped their pool in the European Challenge
Cup and consequently have a home quarter-final.
Yes, the capital side is still,
at times, guilty of inconsistency, but, they beat Harlequins home and
away and thoroughly deserve to have qualified.
Two Scottish teams in the
European finals, in Edinburgh – is this too-much to ask? It could
happen though.
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