One Of The Good Guys

 

I WAS getting myself wound-up for the Bulls v Warriors, BKT United Rugby Championship Grand Final when the sad email pinged into my inbox – Bill McMurtrie had died. This news wasn't unexpected, Bill was 85, and he had been on the downward slope for some time, since the passing of his wife Evelyn. However, his father, like Bill a distinguished journalist, was still lighting-up the Herald's letters page into his nineties – so I hoped we might have the man I called The Kaiser around for some time.

I owe Bill a lot.. In my wild youth, when I frequently hit the keyboard without first engaging brain, he reined me in quietly, and occasionally not so quietly. He tried to teach me how to best approach the powers that be, but, he encouraged me too.

Bill kept good company. In his 38 years with the (Glasgow) Herald, as sports sub, Sports Editor, Cricket and Rugby Correspondent, his work was being compared to such luminaries as Bill McLaren, Ian Archer, Brian Meek, Doug Gillon and the young John Traynor. If they were like Jim Renwick, Denis Law, Andy Irvine and John Rutherford, Bill was the steady nuts and bolts journalist. The John Greig or Gordon Brown, doing the heavy lifting to empower the fireworks elsewhere on the page.

His knowledge of the game was encyclopaedic; he could quote chapter and verse on the Laws of the Game, he was a staunch supporter of the refereeing community, and of the smaller clubs. This last attribute stood him in good stead when this poacher turned game keeper and was eventually persuaded to put himself forward for a place on the SRU Council.

In his role as representative of the Glasgow South clubs on the Council, he made many friends and when I suggested he was perhaps: “The best President the SRU never had,” few among his constituency (and beyond) disputed this opinion. The warmth in which he was held in Clubland was underlined when the Glasgow clubs made him a presentation to mark his contribution to the game, handed over on a memorable night at Braidholm, where he was a familiar figure, as a fan as much as in his long-running role as GHA Secretary.

The many warm tributes to Bill on social media, following his passing was testimony to the high regard in which he was held acorss the game.

That presentation night was one of the last evenings at which he was seen with his dear wife Evelyn, whose death from Cancer hit him so hard. One of the highlights of that night, embellished by the presence of two SRU Presidents, to pay tribute to Bill, was Evelyn's story of sleeping with the Calcutta Cup, which was in Bill's possession for a function in the West.

Journalismwas in his DNA – I remember him writing: “McMurtries have been covering Ayr games since before the Kaiser's War”. Bill was a genuine Paisley Buddie, he attended Paisley Grammar School – one of three distringuished journalists I can think of who went there; the others – Andrew Neil and another long-serving Herald man, the great Willie Hunter. His father was later Editor of the Border Telegraph, which took Bill to Galashiels Academy. Here he was known more for his cricketing than his rugby, but, his youthful time in the hotbed of Scottish Rugby was to stand him in good stead in his adult life.

After a short spell with the Berwickshire News, he returned to the Central Belt, and the Herald Sports Desk. There he served as Sports Sub, Sports Editor, Cricket Correspondent then Rugby Correspondent,

Back then, he had the freedom, denied his pale successors, to travel the world covering Scottish and British and Irish Lions Tours. I remember his tale of one Lions Tour, to New Zealand, where a car journey across North Island was enlivened for Bill and his fellow Scottish scribes, when, a lunch stop in a one-borse town in mid-island brought the surprising discovery of Tennent's Lager, on-tap, in the restaurant they had stopped at. During that tour, Bill came up with his memorable tag of: “The Common Enemy” for the English contingent.

He was one of several experienced journalists to take a deal to leave the Herald early, as the bean counters began to hold sway. He freelanced for a time, before playing leading role in building a media presence for the newly-formed Glasgow Warriors. Some of us, with long memories, are convinced, Bill and the late Ron Evans, did a better job of building and maintaining the Warriors brand on a shoestring than their better-funded successors have managed.

This led to his final rugby life, as a “blazer” and an excellent one he was too, representing the Glasgow South clubs and the SRU with dignity and gravitas. He efectively was Murrayfield's man in the West and right well did he fulfill this task. However, he would be declared something of a “non-person” after one particular intervention at the SRU's Annual Meeting, when his knowledge of the SRU rule book saw him lead the opposition to and scuppering of one of Mr Dodson's wilder schemes.

He was still, however, a welcome presence when he visited the press box. I remember one day, at Old Anniesland, when, the match over, we working journalists announced, we now had to go to hear what the two coaches had thought of the game.

“In my day, WE told the coaches what we thought of the game”, said Bill – he made a good point there. The game was poorer for Bill's decision to step back from reporting, then helping administer the game. He was a grerat rugby man, who gave the game tremendous service over many years.

He thought deeply about the game, I remember meeting him one evening at Broomfield, for an Ayrshire Cup tie between Cumnock and Marr, back then a middling District League club. My: “What the Hell are you doing here Bill”? Was quickly answered. The International Board, as World Rugby then was, was toying with one of their periodic Titanic deck chair re-arranging Laws variations; Bill had worked out that while the proposed change would have only marginal effect at the top level, further down the food chain, it might cause chaos, and this game offered him a chance to garner the statistics to help prove or scupper his theory. I cannot remember the outcome, other than, Bill, as so often, was right.

We should be glad we had him for so long, and, we and the game is poorer for his passing. I think, however, he would have been chuffed to bits that, a day after his passing, Glasgow should produce that wonderful win in Pretoria – it was almost as if, they won it for Bill and his memory.

 

A Victory For The Ages

A LAYMAN'S GUIDE to sports-writing: There are three types of match reports:

1. The Runner: a strictly factual description of the run of play, penned “on the hoof”, as the game unfolds before you.

2. The Wrap: a more-reflective piece, iuncluding post-match quotes from players and coaches, written after the final whistle.

3. The Monday Piece: written for that morning's papers, going into the events of the game in greater depth, and reflecting on the fall-out from the game, such as, does this result mean the Manager is Toast.

This post is a sort of Monday Piece, being published on a Sunday. It is a sad reflection on the way the socio-political and religious battles of the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th centuries continue to cause fault lines in civic Glasgow and the West of Scotland. This prevents the Second City of the Empire's two pre-eminent sporting institutions from being able to properly celebrate great victories in Europe, via the sort of open-topped-bus victotry tour which lesser cities, who also have two rival teams in the same sport, can regularly enjoy.

But, in Glasgow Warriors, after that magnificent triumph, in the BKT United Rugby Championship Grand Final, in Pretoria yesterday, The Dear Green Place now has a team the entire city, Billy, Tim, Angus, Yousaf, whoever, an get behind and whose victory ought to be celebrated.

If the city had people in charge capable of rational thought, there would be an open-topped-bus parade from the airport right into George Square, where the Lord Provost would be there to greet them. But, I somehow cannot see the stumble bums currently running the city being able to set this up. Mind you, if the entire team were suddenly to come out as “Trans” you never know what might be arranged for them.

Lisbon 1967 and Barcelona 1972 were brilliant victories, but, nothing like as difficult as Pretoria 2024. Going into the spiritual home of South African Rugby, and beating the home-town Vodafone Bulls on their own cherished Loftus Versfeld pitch, that was a whole lot more difficult than beating Italian or Russian sides on neutral venues.

This was a wonderful display of Scottish smeddum. I don't mind admiting, I fervently hoped Warriors would win; I sensed they had it in them, but, beating the Bulls on their own patch, I honestly had my doubts if the team could do it. Oh Me of little faith.

The rational reasoning is, this game was yet another example of one of sports oldest unwritten rules: the team that wins “the final before the final never wins the actual final”.

From a Scottish Perspective, the best example of this was the European Cup of 1970, where Celtic beat Leeds United in a Battle of Britain semi-final which the world and his uncle felt ought to have been the final, only to crash and burn against the unrated Dutchmen of Feyenoord in the actual final a few weeks later.

This year, all the talk was that Bulls' semi-final against an international-stacked Leinster was worthy of being the final, and, having downed the Dubs, Bulls only had to beat unrated Glasgow, a team they had beaten, on the same ground, just a month previously. Whatever is the Afrikans for “skoosh case”, in the eyes of the Bulls' adoring Boer fans, this was it.

They sold-out the 52,000-capacity Loftus Versfeld in five days, but, come the final blast of Referee Andrea Piardi's whistle, around 51,000 of those fans were streaming home in tears, leaving the small knot of travelling Warriors' fans, plus the usual scattering of ex-pat Scots to enjoy their victory.

Mind you, I must say, the reaction of the disappointed Bulls' fans on social media has been an object lesson in respecting Kipling's views on those twin imposters. Respect.

 No Starkie No Party - Warrior #14 Derek Stark and his mates enjoy the victory in Pretoria

So, what does this win mean for Warriors? Well, straight away, they might as well print a big target on the back of next season's shirts. It's one thing to beat Glasgow, quite something else to beat Glasgow – the URC Champions. Every team, particularly the Irish and South African sides in the URC, will be coming for them next season.

The big-money English and French sides will be looking afresh at the likes of Josh McKay, Sione Tuipulotu, the Fagerson Brothers, Rory Darge, George Horne and Scott Cummings as potential recruits, while this win has also increased the earning potential of Coach Franco Smith and Defence Coach Peter Murchie.

The vocal Sack Toonie faction in the body of the Scottish Rugby “kirk” is already calling for Smith to be promoted to the top job at Murrayfield. I too would not mind seeing the popular South African decamp along the M8, but not yet – Glasgow still has a European mountain to climb, but, I think he might be the ideal man to fill that awkward hole for a Director of Rugby at EH12.

The team will return from South Africa, then there will be, for some, a well-earned holiday. Zander Fagerson, who was immense in his 80 minute shift on Saturday, and one or two others, have earned their summer holidays, while others will go straight into the Scotland squad's pre-tour camp, prior to their trip to the Americas next month. Rugby Union, like Association Football is now an all-year-round game at the professional level.

I think the flights home from Pretoria might be a series of mile-high parties, and deservedly so. These young men have done Scotland and the city proud. They are not all Weegies, but, the imports such as Sebastian Cancilliere – rapidly closing on Diego Maradona as Glasgow's most=popular Argentinian, have, particularly after his victory, been clasped in the city's warm embrace.

We will probably never see Rugby Union displace the Fitba as Glasgow's game of choice, but, if this victory persuades a handful of kids in places such as Castlemilk, Drumchapel, Easterhouse or Govan to swap the round ball for the oval one, it will indeed have been monumental.

Lewt's enjoy the triumph, but, just as Franco Smith told his men after then knocked over reigning champions Munster, there are greater challenges ahead – to build on this fantastic win and Let Glasgow Rugby Flourish.

Let Glasgow Flourish

SHOULD GLASGOW flourish in today's BKT United Rugby Championship Grand Final in Pretoria, it will surpass any previous Scottish rugby victory – at least in the Open Era.

Winning at Loftus Versfeld is not impossible, but, whether the home team )has been Northern Transvaal, Blue or Vodacombe Bulls, or South Africa, it has never been easy. Today's game will be no different. The ground is no longer the citadel of white privilege – the Afrikaner Broederbond watching Rugby Union, but, Warriors are entering perhaps the most-hostile atmosphere they will ever face.

I have no concerns about the hostility coming from the spectators getting to Glasgow – Franco Smith is picking on consistency – his experienced side will not let the atmosphere derail them. Four men, however, will really feel the heat from the fans – the third team on the park: the match officials.

Scotland's Sam Grove-White copped a ridiculous amount of social media criticism for his performance as referee in Bulls' semi-final win over Leinster. This criticism came mainly from South African fans – whose team, we must remember won. Some of the daft abuse aimed at Sam was at Rangers/Celtic level of entitlement. The lunatic majority among the fans of these two clubs demand they get every decision, so too do the regulars at Loftus.

That's the pressure Andrea Piardi, Frank Murphy, Craig Evans and TMO Matteo Liperini (closeted in the TV truck with a bunch of Saffers) will have to endure. Piardi, was veering towards bowing to spectator influence in Warriors's semi-final in Limerick, until Kyle Steyn had a word in his ear, to remind him there were two sides infringing. I think Mr Piardi has learned his lesson and will give Warriors a fair crack of the whip today. However, Steyn's diplomatic skills might be required again.

The Bulls players will stretch the boundaries of the Laws as far as they can, it's the Saffer way, but, the likes of the Fagerson Brothers showed in their semi-final, they were up for tackling the shithousery of the ultimate shithouse – Peter O'Mahony. They will be ready for round two today.

The game is played and won or lost on grass, but, on paper, the Bulls appear to hold the advantages:

• They are at home

• They are more-used to playing at altitude

• They will have the backing of the vast bulk of the crowd

• Bulls will field six members of the URC Dream Team, against Warriors' two

• They finished above Warriors in the regular season

• They beat Warriors, on this ground, just a few weeks ago

These perceived advantages will not phase Warriors. We Scots like nothing more than being written-off prior to big games. “Ye've nae chance” has long been a rallying “Haud ma beer” moment to your average Scottish player, and the Warriors' squad, whether born and bred Weegies or imports will be ready to battle for the magnificent URC trophy.

Forget all the hype, at the end of the day it's just another rugby match and the realities of the game will hold sway. The forwards will decide who wins it, the backs by how much. Received wisdom has it, Bulls are the better scrummagers, Warriors better at the touchlines, so it could come down to which pack wins the breakdown battle – and here Warriors just might have the edge.

Both sides have game-breakers in theirr back line, but, the fact Warriors will probably be the fitter side could prove crucial. If they can stay in-touch, or have their noses in front, going into the final quarter, I can see Warriors being able to cut loose and perhaps win by one or two scores.

I don't expect a tries fest, but, I do believe, Warriors can win. The teams for the match are:

Vodacom Bulls: Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Ruan Vermaak, Ruan Nortje (CAPT), Marco Van Staden, Elrigh Louw, Cameron Hanekom; Embrose Papier, Johan Goosen; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Harold Vorster, David Kriel, Sergeal Petersen, Devon Williams,

Replacements: Akker van der Merwe, Simphiwe Matanzima, Francois Klopper, Reinhardt Ludwig, Nizaam Carr, Zak Burger, Chris Smith, Cornel Smit.

Glasgow Warriors: Jamie Bhatti, Johnny Matthews, Zander Fagerson , Scott Cummings, Richie Gray, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey; George Horne, Tom Jordan; Kytle Steyn (CAPT), Sione Tuipulotu, Huw Jones, Sebastian Cancelliere, Josh McKay.

Replacements: George Turner, Nathan McBeth, Oli Kebble, Max Williamson, Euan Ferrie, Henco Venter, Jamie Dobie, Duncan Weir.

Interestingly, in the one change from the semi-final line-up, Franco Smith has recalled Dunky Weir for this one. A long-range penalty, in the final minute, in the rarified air of Pretoria, to win the title – isn't that potential scenario tailor-made for the wee man?

Bulls have lost Willie Le Roux to injury, but welcome back another superstar in Kurt-Lee Arendse. Realistically, the odds are stacked against Warriors, but, you write-off this team at your peril; they just might be the first half of a brilliant Carlsberg Weekend for us Scots.

 

A Sunny Saturday

FROM MISERY in Munich to laughter in Limerick, such is the occasional weekend of the Scottish sports fan. If the Scotland football team were guilty of stage fright on Friday, Glasgow Warriors certainly grabbed their chance with both hands some 24 hours later.

But, now comes the hard bit – if monstering Munster was an unexpected pleasure, battering the Bulls in their Loftus Versfeld fortress will be an even-bigger ask. It's one thing to make the short hop to Limerick and storm Thomond Park, it's an even-sterner test to travel all the way to South Africa, overcome the problems of heat and altitude then beat a formidable home team, backed by a one-eyed support who make even Munster's Red Army look even-handed and fair-minded.

Still, it is the Scottish way to make things hard for ourselves. And we might have an advantage – the South Africans had gone into the knock-out games believing it would come down to them having to beat the two Irish provinces back to back, to take the title. OK, the Bulls' staff are well aware – Warriors beat Stormers to reach the last four. Jake White is a wise old owl, he respects fellow Saffer Franco Smith and knows full well, Smith's side will travel well-prepared to win, but, I get the impression from social media, the Boers who back the Bulls will take the Scots lightly. If that rubs off on the Bulls squad, so much the better for Warriors' chances.

What gives me additional hope for the Warriors is – in winning their two knock-out games to reach the final, they have not yet hit their straps. Yes, there have been magical moments, but, there have also been mistakes and moments when you really feared for them.

If they can produce a ten out of ten performance, instead of the seven and a half and eight ones which got them there, the prize is definitely within their grasp.

Warriors had to take a myopic and committed home support out of the equation at Thomond. Every decision Andrea Piardi and his team made, which didn't favour Munster saw the noise level increase significantly. Thern of course you had the Munster cheating at every breakdown. Yet Warriors stood tall, and nobody strood taller than the Fagerson Brothers. I thought Matt really came of age in the way he took-on Peter O'Mahony at what we nowadays call: “Shithousery”.

I have long felt, had POM had to live in the old days of punch-ups, “99” calls and real rucking, he'd have been a lot less-effective. He does the posturing and faux hard man stuff well, he is great at the cheap shots and the sledging, but, “a guid shoein'” or two would soon cool his ardour.

On Saturday, the Glasgow back row out-played the Munster one and that proved crucial, messrs M Fagerson, Darge and Dempsey will need to be as-good, if not better, in the tougher, more-rarified atmosphere of Pretoria this weekend.

Another major factor in Glasgow's success was how well the bench did. Franco Smith got more out of his replacements than did Graham Rowntree. Particularly pleasing was to see Max Williamson out-playing big, bad RG Snyman. The Saffer is made out to be some sort of super enforcer bogeyman – on Saturday's evidence, Leinster have bought a pup.

Further up this page I mentioned how the officiating team in Limerick were subjected to crowd pressure. I hope we get one of the absolute top men in the middle in Pretoria, because, from the social media reaction to Bulls' win over Leinster, we aint seen nothing yet when it comes to a hostile crowd for match officials.

In some of the Facebook rugby chat forums, Sam Grove White has been getting hysterical abuse from unhappy Safferes – and their team won!!! The Bulls fans will demand every decision goes their way – gift wrapped and presented on a silver platter.

[I recall a top Scottish football referee telling me – the two toughest games a referee in Scotland can get are The senior Old Firm game, and the Junior match between Auchinleck Talbot and Cumnock. He had officiated in both and in his view the best approach for a referee was to blow his whistle as little as he could – since the trouble really kicked-off after he had made a decision, since the side not getting the call would immediately object. I reckon, watching that Bulls v Leinster game, SG-W adopted that stance; try to keep the game flowing and not give the sides time to carp. But, sometime, that approach doesn't work – Satuirday was such a game].

That was only in a semi-final, Glasgow better look-out for some crazy “home town decisions” in the final. I actually thought Sam and his team did well in difficult circumstances in their semi-final. The game was between two teams, both of whom thought they ought to get every 50-50 call and who, at times, didn't appear to think the Laws applied to them, It was a really tought game for them – the final will be even-more-problematic, I suspect.

And, on the off-chance any Saffer reading this does do irony, or has a modicum of intelligence: let's take your argument that SG-W had a bad game and run with it; shall we call it pay-back for Craig Joubert, the difference being, Joubert was bent enough to ensure Australia, the team he was favouring actually won the game – another win for South Africa.

Sione Tuipulotu got the Man of the Match medal in Limerick, it could have gone to any one of six or seven Warriors. His stats in Rugby Union's new key metric: “MAC – metres after contact” were off the scale, and he wasn't alone in this.

This Warriors's side has already worked miracles to get to this final. They have had a fantastic season, now, they must, against the odds, regird themselves for one final push – it will not be easy but, the biggest Scottish wins in big games have generally come when they have been all but written-off before hand.

Saturday could see another huge win added to the list. Bring it on.

 

Let Us To Americas

IT WAS worth the wait, when, at lunchtime today, Gregor Townsend named his squad for the Sklyscanner Summer Tour of the Americas. We all knew that one or two of the big hitters, notably Finn Russell and Zander Fagerson, would be given time off and would miss this tour, so he has certainly produced a few new names. The squad is:

Let's begin with the left-field picks among the ten uncapped players named. I am particularly delighted to see Northampton hooker Robbie Smith selected. Ayrshire Bulls coach Pat McArthur, himself of course a former Scotland hooker, has long maintained that Robbie had what it would take to go all the way – he deserves his chance.

Another wild card is Sale scrum-half Gus Warr. Elder brother Harry came north to university and played for Ayr, the Bulls and won Scotland age group honours, while Gus. Who also played for the age group sides, stayed at home in Cheshire and worked up through the Sale Academy. He has been their starting nine for most of this season and definitely has deserved his call-up.

Liecester's Will Hurd was picked for the Guinness Six Nations, but missed-out through injury, now he is back and deservedly so. However, perhaps the furthest left-field pick is Ewan Johnson, the 24-year-old Oyonnax lock. He and Glasgow Warriors' Max Williams certainly are a couple of big lads who could blossom on the tour.

Just a wee thought – the Borders has long been the chief supply area for Scottish caps. With four locals: Alex Craig, Matt Currie, Stafford McDowall and Robbie Smith – Dumfries and Galloway is starting to make an impact.

The squad is a nice mix of newcomers and experience, The tour dates are:

Saturday 6 July: Canada v Scotland, TD Place, Ottawa, kick-off: 10pm UK time, 5pm local time

Friday 12 July: USA v Scotland, Audi Field, Washington DC, kick-off: 11.30pm UK time, 6.30pm local time

Saturday 20 July: Chile v Scotland, Estadio Nacional, Santiago, kick-off: 8pm UK time. 3pm local time

Saturday 27 July: Uruguay v Scotland, Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo, kick-off: 8pm UK time, 4pm local time

POLITICS is big in the UK at the moment – with the 2024 General Election campaign underway. I know it's boring, but, seeing as I do, life through the prism of sport, I can see events in Germany having a bearing on how big Sir Keir Starmer's House of Commons majority is, come 5 July.

The nation goes to the polls between the round of 16 and the quarter-finals, so, should Scotland still be involved, it could give the SNP an undeserved boost. On the other hand, should England be out by then, the backlash darn sorf might prove even worse news for Rishi Sunak. Rishi already knows his bum is out of the window, but, if 'Arry and the Lads do theirt usual and don't win it – well there might not be a Tory left in Ingurland.

Starmer is, of course, heavily invested in England doing well in Germany, since, as Harold Wilson famously pointed-out: “England only ever wins the World Cup under Labour.”

There is, however, a burgeoning political situation brewing elsewhere, in Scottish Rugby. I gather one or two of the Club Rugby Board are feeling rather good at the moment, now that Super Rugby has been put to bed and firmly parcelled away in the historical archives. We are back to the way it's Aye Been with the club game as the only show in town below the two pro teams, and all is well with - world.

But, have they thought this through properly? They now have a Gang of Four former franchise holders sitting there in the Premiership Forum – with the possibility (I would say probability) of this becoming a Gang of Six, by 2026, by which time they will form the majority of the Premiership constituency – payback time beckons guys.

Speaking of the CRB, I note they are still taking an eternity to post their boartd meeting minutes – the last one up on the SRU website being their meeting on 17 January. We know the elves have been beavering away since then, why the reluctance to tell us what they've been up to?

To stick with the political slant of this post – such reluctance to update the body of the kirk on what is going on is almost on a par with how the SNP operates.

 

Out In A Blaze Of Glory

ANYONE WHO has been around Scottish Rugby for longer than five minutes is well aware – The Junta doesn't do irony, shame or, to be honest, any of the normal human emotions. So, I was not at all surprised to see Marr's Kevin Quinn - the Premiership rep on the Club Rugby Board and SRU Vice President Keith Wallace getting their nebs onto the BBC ALBA coverage, by dishing ot the medals and the trophy at Millbrae, after the Super Series Sprint Final.

I don't know who (if either) was Cassius, and who was Brutus, but, both were involved in sticking the knife into Super Rugby. OK, we don't have a Performance Director at the moment, but, Super Rugby was a Performance Department concern, rather than a Club Board one – someone from the Performance Department, or SRL should have done the honours – unless, of course, Keith was standing-in.

There were one or two scrappy interludes, but overall, the final was a good advert for the brand of rugby – Bulls soaring into a 21-point half time lead, before Wolves came back strongly after the turn-round. Wolves can take some solace from the fact the won the second half, courtesy of Bulls butchering two seemingly-certain tries, but, after Mason Cullen's 70 metre breakaway try, following some typical ruck piracy by Blair Macpherson, Bulls were safe.

Maximum credit has to go to Wolves for that second half fight-back, but, in the end Bulls' superior defence carried the day.

The man with one of the hardest jobs in Scottish Rugby in the new season will be Ayr Coach Grant Anderson. The word from Millbrae is that the majority of the victorious Bulls squad will be seen in Ayr colours next season. With the demands of a 22-round Premiership campaign, Gruntz will need them, and most of the guys who got Ayr back into the Premiership this season – keeping everyone happy and focussed and getting his squad rotation right will be a big test for Anderson and his back-room team.

I can envisage a situation whereby the odd fringe player might drift up the coast to Marr, who, let's be honest, maybe need some (to use an Ayrshire farming expression) “oot-crosses” to freshen up their squad.

FRIDAY NIGHT at Millbrae, however, was merely the warm-up act; the big show was Scotstoun on Saturday, and a BKT United Rugby Championship quarter-final for the ages.

The way the play-offs are organised: first over the regular season plays eighth, second plays seven and so on, means, the fourth v fifth match – Glasgow Warriors v DHL Stormers ought to be the closest, and these two didn't disappoint.

The way the prevailing wind is funnelled down the pitch at Scotstoun means it is often a factor, depending on how blowy it is. John Barclay, who knows a wee bit about playing there, reckoned on Premier Sports that this was: “a ten-point wind”, so, when Glasgow turned to face the breeze with only a six-point lead, let's just say the Warrior Nation was a wee bitg concerned. But, Pete Murchie and Franco Smith have done a cracking job on Warriors' defensive strategies and, as Stormers hit them with everything, Warriors coped well. The dam did burst, but, typically Glasgow, Warriors hit straight back to cancel out the Cape Town outfit's try and restore their lead.

Playing into the wind actually suits the Warriors' style – they prefer to play ball-in-hand rather than following today's fashion for kicking for position, and with the likes of Jack Dempsey, Zander Fagerson (whose value as a tight-head who can play a full 80-minute shift was again demonstrated) and replacement Henco Venter making crucial metres after contact, Warriors carried the day.

George Horne got the official Man of the Match call – in truth it could have gone to any one of his team mates, for this was a win for team work.

This was an uplifting Glasgow win and, while nobody could possibly under-estimate how tought it will be to go to Thomond Park and win, I would not put it past this Warriors' side – it's not as if they have never won there.

Watching the broadcast, I noticed after the final whistle, when Warriors held their midfield huddle – everyone was in the circle: the injured Stafford McDowall (restricted to water-carrier duties), Dunky Weir and Ben Afshar (not in the match-day 23), the long-term-injured JP du Preez, the Academy boys – Warriors truly are a club, with the right all in this together club attitude. This season is far from over.

Finally on this game – a word of praise for the all-Irish officiating team, led by Chris Busby. They were all good – yes, even you Frank Murphy!!

IT WASN'T TO BE – as Bath and Finn Russell had to give best to Northampton Saints in England's Gallagher Premiership Grand Final at Twickenham.

As in the World Cup Final, earlier in the season, the game was ruined by an early red card, Bath loose-head Bono Obana seeing red following a clash of heads. It was impossible to argue with the way Referee Christophe Ridley (whose selection for the final and impeccable performance therin capped a tremendous personal season) and his team assessed the situation, before opting for the ultimate sanction.

As to whether or not a 15-man Bath side could have won, that's a Kenny Dalglish situation: “Maybes Aye – Maybes Naw”. But, it has given fresh impetus to the argument for and against the suggested: “20-minute red card” sanction, whereby a player who is red-carded is replaced after 20 minutes. I will return to this later.

Meanwhile, while Sam Underhill was most intelligent people's choice for Man-of-the-Match, he didn't get it because of this ridiculous protocol whereby the winner of that award has to come from the winning side – pure pish by the way. Underhill was great and several of his team mates, including “MacMessi” were very good too.

Finn gave his all; he made tackles, he probed and passed; he kicked most of his goals – and one unbelievable 50-22, but, in the end, that one-man handicap was too-much to overcome. However, to be fair to Saints, they led the league over the regular home and away campaign, it would be churlish to not praise them for seeing the job through.

 

Running A Gird - A Lost Art Around EH12

THIS BLOG has never shied away from telling it like it is – more often than not, when I look at how the Scottish Rugby Union operates – my feeling is: “They couldnae run a gird”.

During the 1980s I was the “house stringer” in Ayrshire Senior Football. One Saturday I was in the press box at Rugby Park, seven days later, I was at Somerset Park. OK clannishness is a fact of life in Scotland; but the Scottish Football Association, or more-correctly The Scottish Football League had the sense to acknowledge there was in the country, a significant body of football fans, who while they might identify for example as Ayr United or Kilmarnock fans, but who, perhaps unwilling or unable to travel outwith God's County on a Saturday, would be willing to go to “the other ground” to watch a game.

I can vouch for this from personal experience. When, as a teenager, I got into watching Senior Football, our primary venue was Rugby Park, but, if Kilmarnock were playing in Edinburgh, or Dundee or Aberdeen, our travelling group could be found at Somerset Park, or at Palmerston – the driver had a life-long affection for Queen of the South.

We even, one memorable night, took ourselves up to Ibrox for that legendary night when Motherwell's “Ancell Babes” gave Rangers a five-goal doing in a Scottish Cup replay.

The SRU is clearly not as bright. I present as proof of this failing, the newly-released fixtures for Season 2024-25. This season, Ayrshire's top two sides: Ayr and Marr are both in the Premiership. Common sense should indicate, that when one of the clubs is away then the other should be at home – the reality is, this doesn't happen all that often.

Over the 22 rounds of Premiership fixtures, there are only five (excluding the teo head-to-heads) in which one club is at home while the other is away.

It's a similar story in Edinburgh, where there are few rounds in which the four capital clubs are split, two at home, two away. OK, I accept putting together a fixture list is a difficult task, but, I look at muddles like this, and I wonder – do they ever think things through properly.

Now, received wisdom in Scottish Rugby is that we are like a throwback to the warring clans of yore. All Teries must despise every Pailmerk, Soutars don't get on with the men of Jethart (unless named Rutherford and Laidlaw), “Eccies” chaps don't get on with their neighbours across the Anniesland hedge; while in counties such as Ayrshire and Fife, inter-community warfare is in the blood.

Truth to tell, real Rugby Union fans, of which we have many up here, will quite happily put aside traditional rivalries if the particular match on offer is good enough. When covering games at Fullarton, I regularly encountered Millbrae regulars, up to watch Premiership rugby, while the Bulls or Ayr were elsewhere.

Also, there has been regular movement between the two clubs, in fact, I could almost pick a XV of players who had worn both clubs' strips over their careers. So, for my money it makes sense to fettle the fixtures so one club is at home and the other away most weeks.

Dom Ward of Grangemouth has kick-started a debate on the shape of our season, via a piece he wrote for The Offside Line. Heriot's Neil Meikle, Bulls' Billy McHarg and Boroughmuir's Graham Sheil have also waded-in. This is a subject I have tackled before, and I will return to again next week – we really do need to get things sorted out as a matter of urgency.

MEANWHILE the last piece of domestic silverware of Season 2023-24 will be handed over tonight, with the final of the FOSROC Super Series Sprint, between Ayrshire Bulls and Stirling Wolves.

With home advantage, Bulls will start as favourites, but Eddie Pollock's boys have a good record in head-to-heads and have upset the Bulls before. It ought to be a cracker.

Mind you, the fact the final three games are being played in reverse order – surely common sense dictates you play the biggest game last. However, since The Junta has managed to mismanage Super Rugby from its inception, why shouldn't it end with a dull plop than the thunderous chorus you might expect.

I still believe, even as early as the end of next season, we will be saying: “Shutting down Super rugby was another own goal from Murrayfield.”

Both coaches have selected strong squads for tonight's game. The battle at the breakdown will be fierce, but, if either or both sides can get quick ruck ball, we should see some exciting, running rugby and perhaps some long-range tries.

The teams (as ever here in 1-23 order) are: Bulls: Jamie Drummond, James Malcolm, Calvin Henderson, Ed Bloodworth, Rory Jackson, Grant Stewart, Lewis McNamara, Blair Macpherson (Captain), Reiss Cullen, Richie Simpson; Mason Cullen, Bobby Beattie, Jamie Shedden, Thomas Glendinning, Luca Bardelli. Replacements: Alex McGuire, Rhodri Tanner, Craig Miller, Oscar Baird, Ryan Sweeney, Fergus Johnston, Christopher Elliot, Tim Brown.

Stirling Wolves: Liam Quarm, Joe Roberts, Marius Tamosaitis, James Pow, Jari Oguntibeju, Ruaridh Knott, Shaun Macdonald, Ed Hasdell; Kyle McGhie, Craig Jackson; Ross McKnight, Marcus Holden (Captain), Ryan Southern, Mikey Heron; Glenn Bryce. Replacements: Bryce Robertson, Ali Rogers, JP Phelan, Archie Clarke, Macenzzie Duncan; Eric Davey, Euan Cunningham, Calum Ferrie.

Referee: David Sutherland.

The match kicks-off at 7.35pm and is live on BBC ALBA.

TOMORROW AFTERNOON'S TV viewing is already sorted out, I will be right behind Finn Russell as he attempts to steer Bath to their first Gallagher Premiership win in over a decade, against Northampton Saints, at Twickenham.

However, Saturday night TV will be the Premier Sports coverage of the BKT United Rugby Championship quarter final between Glasgow Warriors and the DHL Stormers at Scotstoun.

I can see this as a huge challenge for Warriors. The Cape Town outfit, are like every other South African team, they really come alive in the games that really matter; for all their excellent home record this one – fourth v fifth in the regular season pec king order, will be anything but a home banker.

Franco Smyth has picked what looks, on-paper to be his strongest side. Skipper Kyle Steyn is back on the left wing; Josh McKay is back at full back, with the first-choice half-backs: George Horne and Tom Jordan are starting, while Scott Cummings is reunited with Richie Gray in the boiler-house.

On the bench fit-again George Turner is set to join the 100 appearances club. The Stormeres sustained a blow this week when outstanding breakaway Evan Roos suffered a concussion in training, but, even without him, they have the quality to test Warriors.

Tomorrow night's teams (as ever in 1-23 formation) are:

Glasgow Warriors: Jamie Bhatti, Johnny Matthews, Zander Fagerson, Scott Cumings, Richie Gray, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey; George Horne, Tom Jordan; Kyle Steyn (Captain), Sione Tuipulotu, Huw Jones, Sebastian Cancelliere; Josh McKay. Replacements: George Turner, Nathan McBeth, Olie Kebble, Max Williamson, Euan Ferrie, Henco Venter; Jamie Dobie, Ross Thompson.

DHL Stormers: Brok Harris, Joseph Dweba, Frans Malherbe, Salmaan Moerat (Captain) Ruben van Heerden, Willie Engelbrecht, Ben-Jason Dixon, Hacjivah Dayimani; Herschel Jantjies, Manie Libbok; Ben Loader, Sacha Feinberg-Magomezulu, Dan du Plessis, Suleiman Hartzenberg; Warrick Gelant. Replacements: Andre-Hugo Venter, Sti Sithole, Neethling Fouche, Adre Smith, Marcel Theunissen, Connor Evans, Paul de Wet, Jean-Luc du Plessis.

Match Officials:

Referee: Chris Busby

AR 1: Frank Murphy - AR 2: Peter Martin

TMO: Mark Patton (all IRFU)

Live on: Premier Sports kick-off 7.35pm.