It Doesn't All Have To Be About The Autumn Internationals

I HAVE had my brain in for recalibrating since Saturday – it's mainly international mode for the next few weeks, as the Autumn Internationals take precedence.

Rory Sutherland, added to the Scotland squad today

Injuries have, of course, seen three additional players drafted into the Scotland squad, with Edinburgh trio Rory Sutherland, Neil Cochrane and Magnus Bradbury joining the group. I am delighted to see Sutherland back in the national squad, after his long battle against injury, however, I fear he maybe a bit short of match-sharpness, he has played a mere 17 minutes for Edinburgh this season, admittedly at the weekend against Ospreys, so maybe he did enough in that spell to impress. Plus, he's a Teri and, the more of them in any Scotland squad the better.

Certainly, in the rare event of Edinburgh having all their loose-heads fit, I would say he would be number two in that position to Alasdair Dickinson, and therefore, ahead of British Lion Allan Dell.

I am not so sure about Neil Cochrane, however. He has certainly been more-involved this season than Sutherland, having been in the match-day Edinburgh squad six times, although only getting on in five games, for about one and a half games match-involvement time over those fixtures. I think, I'd have called-up Pat McArthur first, although, Pat seems to be an under-rated talent at Murrayfield.

Pat McArthur - under-appreciated at Murrayfield

Magnus Bradbury is, of course, one of Murrayfield's gilded youth, and he certainly has to perform, to help clean-up his tarnished escutcheon.

It is, however, at times like this that you see the problem we have with only two professional sides. If we get two or three injuries in one position, the time rapidly comes when we are down to calling-up guys who are most-probably under-cooked, and, with the attrition rate in professional rugby, we are vulnerable as a nation.

SRU, forget Agenda 3 and Super Six, establishing at least a third professional team should be your main priority, then, trust in the clubs to provide the newcomers you will need.

FOR SOME reason which is beyond me, with the Autumn International window opening, the excellent BT Premiership goes into hibernation for the rest of this month. It could continue, although, more than on coach has said he welcomes the break for his players.

So, with those professionals in the Edinburgh and Glasgow squads not required by Scotland, and the semi-professionals of the Premiership able to relax, the genuine amateur – plus the few shamateurs out there, have the chance to shine – should anyone in the media notice.

Well, I have noticed and it is maybe time we shone a light on some good club performances. Melrose, we all know, are unbeaten and away and clear at the top of the Premiership. But, there are other unbeaten sides we should praise.

In National League 1, leaders Edinburgh Academical are almost doing a Melrose, ten wins in ten games, nine of them with bonus points, they are looking good for that return to the top flight.

In Caledonia Division 2 (Midlands), Blairgowrie are also still unbeaten at this stage of the season, nine wins from nine starts, to top the table. In Division 2 (North), Ellon are similarly unbeaten, with an eight from eight record to head that division, while Waid Academy FP head Division 3 (Midlands) with a perfect seven from seven record, and a bonus-point collected each time. That's the same record as North Police Scotland are showing at the head of Division 3 (North).

There are no unbeaten records to boast about in East Region Division 1, but, in Division 2, two clubs have gone through their opening ten fixtures unbeaten. They are Barnton and Ross High. Barnton, however, have posted bonus-point wins in every game, averaging 89 points per match, to hold a two-point lead at the top of the table.

Across in the West Region, Allan Glens and Garnock, the two unbeaten teams in Division 1 met at Bishopbriggs on Saturday, with Glens winning 21-10 to head the table, eight wins from eight games, and seven bonus points.

 Allan Glens - Firsts and Seconds unbeaten in their leagues

The only other team in Scotland with an unbeaten record is Glasgow University Medics, whose perfect seven bonus-point wins in seven starts has taken them clear at the top of West Region Division 3.

So, congratulations to the ten unbeaten teams, to still have that clean sheet at this stage of the season is very good going.

Just for interest, I had a look on the SRU's website at the various reserve leagues, to find a further three unbeaten teams – Kelso A, at the top of the East District Reserve League 1, Linlithgow 2^nd XV, at the top of East Reserve League 2, and Allan Glens 2^nd XV, taking a great lead from their 1^st XV in also being unbeaten eight games into their West Reserve League 2.

The Women's Premier League now splits into Pools A and B, each of the eight sides having met the other seven once. And, congratulations to Hillhead-Jordanhill, who posted a perfect seven from seven record to top the table.

But, they are not the only unbeaten ladies team, with Oban Lorne sitting unbeaten at the top of the Women's North League.

AND FINALLY. During my Monday morning browse through the New Zealand Herald, in this instance trying to find-out if John Hardie really was, as has been suggested, back home. I chanced upon a wee question, much-engaging our colonial cousins.

Just why - everyone in the Land of the Long White Cloud seemed to be asking – was God Save The Queen played before the match between The Barbarians and the All Blacks, at Twickenham on Saturday?

 Some say this is Barbaria, an English dominion in the Thames Estuary

It had me wondering too; then I remembered, Barbaria is a dominion of the English crown, pre-dating the Act of Union. It is either a sandbank, or a World War I fort in the Thames Estuary, therefore, when the Barbarian national side plays an international team, particularly at Twickenham, GSTQ (the UK national anthem which the English keep commandeering) is mandatory.

Also, the Hooray Henries and Barbour Brigade inside HQ, need to be reminded, they are the Master Race, and these colonials in black need reminding too.