Friday - the weekend is just round the corner, the sun is shining, ladies up and down this fine land are stripping down to their skimpies and you can almost taste the first cold sip of lager!  Thats unless your like me, stuck in Scottish Rugby Blog HQ waiting for something, anything, exciting to happen on the scottish rugby front.  Sure we have a squad announced for the upcomigntour of Argentina, and with4 new caps its almost raised me from a slumber.   The news that Di ’OhNo’ Rollo is making a reappearance on the international scene, albeit with the ‘A’ squad, would normally get my blood pressure rising…but today it hardly registered.  Nothing, it seemed, was going to stir me form my general malais and the only thing left to do was plug in the MP3 player and listen to the tunes and hope that they would help pass the long day…

Suddenly, as Al Green faided out a distant orchestra could me heard through the headphones…..I know that tune……damn, what is it?…….where have I heard that before?…….

Slowly, ever so slowly, its all becomes clearer and I can cast my mind back6 months….

St Etienne, 28th September 2007

9am- Wake up with the most almighty hangover, not good….damn Le Glasgow for staying open so late, running out of the normal beer and only having the 8% skull-crusher left!  Turn around to find Rory sharing the same bed…damn apartment organisers only providing 2 beds for 4 people!  Everyone else is still asleep so decide I’ll creep out the apartment and go and hunt down some food.  The locals don’t seem too impressed with the bedraggled Scotsman who stumbles through some rudimentaryFrench in order to get some munch.  I apologise for my unkempt appearance and leave with a bag of assorted pastries and head for a park bench.  Sun is just starting to break through the early morning clouds…today’s going to be a nice day.

12pm - Creep back into the apartment and people are just starting to come round.  My hangover has largely gone and starting to get ready for another day of alcohol excess and, of course, the small matter of Scotland qualification decider against the Italy.  The others still have a hangover but still seem to have enough energy to fill in the blanks from the previous night….damn them and damn the Italians that kept buying me beer at 4am.  Still, only 9 hours till the big kick-off and no sign of nerves, got to be a good sign!

4pm - Hangover totally gone and a good wee crowd starting to gather in one of St Etienne’s town squares.  Kilted, booted and starting to get excited.  Only thing missing is a beer.  My companions are drinking hot chocolate, water and cola - no sign of alcohol….this is not good.

4.15pm  - Success!!!!  Convince the folks that the best cure for their hangovers is to start on the lager.  The first round in and the days excitement can begin.  Get the first butterfly in the stomach, its either nerves or the jambon cru sarnie for lunch was a bad idea.

6pm - Town square is really busy.  A good mix of  Italians, Scots and plenty of locals.  The Italians are in good voice, lots of singing and the wearing of blue colanders upon heads.  The Scots are noticeably subdued, there are either all still nursing the effects f le Glasgow’s finest or the nerves are kicking in.  The sun has disappeared behind a flurry of big grey clouds and the chance of rain increases - that’ll suit us though….surely!

7.30pm - Big Gavin Hasting hits the stage and mumbles something in French before trying to rouse the Scots in the crowd into action.  Still subdued, nerves are now starting to take hold.  Rory and I have a panicked conversation about what to do for the next 10 days if Scotland get knocked out of the World Cup!  We never considered that possibility and now it is a looming consideration.  Anyway, no time for such defeatist talk.  Just time to down the beer and join the mass march, led by Big Gav, thats making its way out to the Stadium.  Did I just feel some rain?

8pm - Nearing the stadium now, and the damn rain is on.  Seems to be getting ever heavier.  Good craic on the march out to the stadium and finally some renditions of Flower of Scotland are started up.  The locals are hanging out of the tower blocs, waving to the fans, taking photos and one smart cookie has a lion rampant flag hanging from his balcony - good man!  Round a corner and there is the Stadium, floodlights on and its looks like a good place for a battle.

8.45pm  - find out seats, we are in a corner behind the posts and the stadium us functional but basic.  The atmosphere is cracking, the Italians are out singing the Scots and making a heck of a racket.  Amazing atmosphere and nerves are only just in control.  Good news is that most of the folk around us are also Scottish with a few locals and only a couple of Italians spotted about to make up the numbers.

8.55pm- A tune comes over the stereo, not sure what it is but boy does it get the blood pumping!  The rain is thumping down now, puddles are forming round the side of the pitch and its so wet I have to put on my wee red berets has been put on to try keep the rain off!  Rory informs me that the music is a guy called Jean Michelle Jarre and the tune is Industrial Revolution (Part III).  Need to remember to try get a copy and put on my MP3 player.

9.05pm - Game has kicked off and Scotland start well.  Parks has put a couple of spiralling kicks in that have pushed the Italians back and they have coughed up a penalty and gotten a man yellow carded.  Maybe this isn’t going to be that close…

9.40pm - Half time and Scotland are struggling.  They’ve lost a silly try, given away a penalty and Rory Lamont has been taken to hospital with an awful looking neck injury that came from reckless play by the Italians.  Jonathon Kaplan is having a horror show as the referee and misses high tackles, late tackles and even diving from the Italians.  Nerves are shot, I really want to go home!  Never been so nervous at a sporting event in my life.  Still the game is not away from us, we’ve scored penalties and surely we will push on in the second half and grab the win. 

10.10pm - Thats better, 8 points in front and we aint going to throw it away now.  Heart pressure is almost back to normal and even have a wee laugh with Rory about how we had worried about Scotland losing.

10.11pm - Arse, Italian penalty and gap down to 5.  Still, we should get more penalties and don’t look like gifting any more tries.

10.18pm - Christ on a bike, another Italian penalty!  Gap now down to 2 and the nerves are back withfull force.  Rory looks a little sick.  The Italian fans are getting very loud now, they can sense victory is close and that Scotland are crumbling.  The Scottish fans are sitting quiet, fingernails are gone and all that is left is to sit, grim faced, in the rain and wait for the inevitablele.

10.23pm - 7 minutes to go….COME ON SCOTLAND!!!!  Only 7 minutes to hold out and we are into the Quarter Finals.  No silly mistakes….

10.24pm - A bloody silly mistake, an Italian penalty.  Its out on the right but its kickable….he bloody kicked an identical kick in the first half.  Look at Rory, he’s going even whiter than normal and looks to have aged several years.  The Italians are on top of their seats, they know the game is theirs…they’ll play Argentina in the Quarter Finals and Scotland will return home ashamed.  Rory and I know our 10 days left in France will be pointless, no team in the tournament no point in being there.  Gutted.

10.25pm - The kick is lined up, taken bloody ages so it has.  I grab Rory’s arm and hold on for all I’m worth.  The Italian runs and gets a clean contact and the ball is on its way.  The ball travels about 3 meters and Rory is on his feet “He’s missed!” he screams.  No he bloody hasn’t I think to myself.  Poor Rory has lost his mind and is seeing things.  Sure enough the ball has started wide but its curling towards the near post.  Scotland tournament, our holiday all lost on a single kick of a rugby ball…arse.  Rory seeing that the ball is bound for the post starts to sit down, but hold….by god the ball has stopped coming in, either the wind has caught it or it didn’t have enough on it but its starting to fade…..everyone is starting to rise….did it go over, did it go wide?  A cheer comes up from the far side, is it Scots, is it Italians?  The line judge…. all eyes on the line judges….forever they bloody take…empires fall…alien civilisations land, build cities, die out and disappear….bloody line judges take ages.  Flags stay down….NO CONVERSTION!  Ya dancer!  Need a seat now, my heart can’t take this…

10.30pm- Italian pressure, they have the ball looking for space or a last gasp penalty.  Scotland ahead by 2…..2 little points…not enough.  Rory looks sick again.  I feel sick and think my heart is about to pack in.  Scotland can’t get the ball, can’t get it into touch, can’t bloody finish the game off.  Troncon gets it, Troncon kicks it aimlessly into Scottish possession……Parks, being top tonight so he has, has it, sorts himself and plants the ball far down into the Italian corner, picked up by an Italian but a Scot is on him.  The Italian is bundled into touch……relief!  Game over, stand of seats to celebrate but get dizzy and need to sit down.  Rory hasn’t moved, its been too much for him.  He looks like he’s just watched carnage, is so almost was.   This stress is too much, the high too high to enjoy - never ever again will I put myself through that….well, until next week and the Quarter Final!

 Industrial Revolution is a tune that whenever comes on my MP3 will forever remind me of St Etienne.  Sitting in the stadium waiting for the game and the elation, or should that be relief, at the result.  It is also a fair description of how Scotland played on the night….industrial, ugly but ultimately effective rugby.  I’ve still never seen that game back on the telly, too scared to watch it in case that damn Italian penalty goes over - that single minute of rugby is the reason I have grey hairs!!

But these guys are, to Canada for the Churchill Cup next month:

Backs: Scott Barrow (Glasgow Warriors), David Blair (Edinburgh), Marcus Di Rollo (Toulouse), Max Evans (Glasgow Warriors), Rob Dewey (Ulster), Colin Gregor (Glasgow Warriors), Steve Jones (Newcastle Falcons), Calum MacRae (Edinburgh), Mark McMillan (Wasps), Sam Pinder (Glasgow Warriors), Roland Reid, Mark Robertson (both Edinburgh), Gordon Ross (Saracens)

Forwards: Geoff Cross (Edinburgh), Jon Dunbar (Leeds Tykes), James Eddie, Ed Kalman (both Glasgow Warriors), Andrew Kelly, Alan MacDonald (both Edinburgh), Andy Miller (Exeter), Scott Newlands (Edinburgh), Fergus Pringle (Edinburgh), Craig Smith (Edinburgh), Stevie Swindall, Fergus Thomson, Dan Turner (all Glasgow Warriors), David Young (Leicester Tigers), plus one more player who will be selected later this month.

A few names I haven’t heard of I have to admit, but most of them are the usual suspects. Injuries to the main squad have I think weakened the A team’s potential player pool, but hopefully it will give the coaching staff (disappointingly not Robinson and Lineen?) a chance to blood some of these younger players in a more competitive international environment. Alan’s old pal Di Rollo sneaking in there is interesting, he could form a good partnership with Dewey in the midfield if either are on any sort of form…

Backs: Chris Paterson (Gloucester), Hugo Southwell (Edinburgh Rugby), Simon Danielli (Ulster), Thom Evans (Glasgow Warriors), Ben Cairns (Edinburgh Rugby), Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors), Andrew Henderson (Glasgow Warriors), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby), Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors), Phil Godman (Edinburgh Rugby), Rory Lawson (Gloucester), Mike Blair (Edinburgh Rugby) (capt), + 2 players tba

Forwards: Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh Rugby), Alasdair Dickinson (Gloucester), Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby), Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors), Euan Murray (Northampton Saints), Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors), Scott MacLeod (Llanelli Scarlets), Dave Callam (Edinburgh Rugby), Johnnie Beattie, John Barclay, Kelly Brown (all Glasgow Warriors), Allister Hogg (Edinburgh Rugby), Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester), + 3 players tba

So it looks like the Mossy debate will rage on, with Paterson seemingly picked amongst the full backs. Thom Evans adds a bit of zip to a back three shorn of both Lamonts and Simon Webster. Cairns will most likely be used as utility cover. Glad to see faith has been retained in De Luca, hoepfully he’ll get a chance to show what he can do - more likely if Godman gets the nod at ten although apparently Parks has been playing a lot flatter (and better) of late. Perhaps Parks’ club coach Lineen will get the best from him where Hadden has thus far had limited success.

Not sure who the additional backs are going to be, but if Rob Dewey stays fit I imagine he will be one of them, and Max Evans has been in good form too, but perhaps he will get a run in the Churchill Cup A Team squad (announced tomorrow). The additional forwards may feature some of the absent French contingent depending on how their various clubs are performing come end of season. Given that there is only one second row selection currently (and Jason White is not available to slot in there either), I would look to see Murray or possibly Hines in the mix for those slots. It just goes to show that Jim Hamilton’s move to Edinburgh may prove a blessing until some younger second rows come through. Good to see former Highland man Moray Low rewarded for his form this season.

Players who may yet get an A Team selection include the likes of Max Evans, Gordon Ross, Nick Lloyd, Mark McMillan - newly signed for Glasgow, David Blair, Alan MacDonald, Roland Reid etc. We’ll give you details on that as and when.

Ospreys 18 - 19 Edinburgh

Edinburgh sneaked victory away to the Ospreys in a last minute nail-biter (this side of the border anyway). Edinburgh were definitely worth the win, with both sides alternating between throwing it about and throwing it away. Nick De Luca was a deserved man of the match - and it looked like he would be man of the match on the losing team, until a 3 or minute spell at the close where Edinburgh refused to let the ball die, and refused to finish without scoring another try. One lucky bounce later and Edinburgh edged it by a point, to resounding boos from the home fans, and the delight of (miracle-worker?) Andy Robinson who had been frustrated by some of the decisions to that point. Answers on a postcard (but not in the comments section please) as to precisely which word it was that caused the ref to give a penalty against De Luca though. Edinburgh currently sit in third in the Magners League, and with immediate neighbours Munster (hopefully preserving their strength for the Heineken Cup final) and Llanelli (in disarray after the sacking of Phil Davies this week) to play each other tomorrow, it is not inconceivable Edinburgh could still finish in the top 4. Who would have thought that at the start of this season?

And so according to BBC Sport Chris Paterson’s European adventure is over, with the Gala man set to return to Edinburgh after only a year away at Gloucester in which he didn’t get picked much, and - shock horror - missed the odd kick. One or two contributed to Gloucester’s exit from the Heineken Cup, so you can see why the Kingsholm faithful didn’t have much patience… Here’s hoping he settles home again and finds some good form under Andy Robinson. I wonder if he’ll join Gregor Townsend’s stand-off class with Al Warnock, Phil Godman and David Blair…?

According to BBC news, Kelly Brown, Dan Turner and Thom Evans have all signed new contracts with Glasgow. In slightly more exciting news, Jim Hamilton has finally left Leicester and signed a 3 year deal to bolster Edinburgh’s second row, in a move that has been rumoured for some time. It’ll do him good to get more game time, and he will no doubt help with Edinburgh’s power up front.

Worryingly, there is no word on Mossy’s future at Gloucester, despite everyone and their grandma signing new contracts at Kingsholm (including Scotland’s other famous Als, Dickinson and Strokosch). With incoming Olly Barkley providing a solid kicking boot - not to mention cover at 10 - next season, will he be seen as surplus to requirements?

MEGA UPDATE: at the exact moment I chose to upgrade the site’s software and kill it, it was announced that Chris Paterson will be returning to Edinburgh next season. Initial thoughts are that this won’t be great news for either Phil Godman or Hugo Southwell, if he is indeed to be used to play at 10 or 15 as has been proposed. More likely they’ll get short of wingers and chuck him out there, just to get his kicking boot on the pitch. Sound familiar? More on this over the weekend, I’m off to watch the Edinburgh game on TV. Apologies for any ongoing technical blips.

Starting in August, the ELVs (Experimental Law Variations) for Rugby Union will be given a global trial. Some of them we have seen already in the Super 14, and most of the more controversial ones were slapped down. A total of 13 of the proposed 23 are to be trialled, which will more than likely result in their adoption thereafter. Here they are in all their glory:

ELVs to be trialled worldwide

Assistant Referees

• Assistant Referees can assist referees in any manner required when appointed by a match organiser. Not sure if this refers to touch judges. Does this mean the time keeper can point out spear tackles?

Posts and flags around the field

• The corner posts are no longer considered to be in touch in-goal except when a ball is grounded against the post. This may make Shane Williams and Mark Cueto very happy.

Lineout and throw

• If a team puts the ball back into their own 22 and the ball is subsequently kicked directly into touch there is no gain of ground. This will hopefully encourage counter-attacking and discourage aerial ping-pong. Expect a few wingers to forget about this one and put their fullback under undue pressure.
• A quick throw may be thrown in straight or towards the throwing team’s own goal line. They are rarely straight anyway. Again this should encourage counter-attacking.
• There is no restriction on the number of players who can participate in the lineout from either side (minimum of two). Allows you to pile on the pressure to the opponents throw on a tight 5 metre lineout to try and steal attacking ball. Just don’t then maul it (see below). Might bring some interesting tactical choices to be exploited - who do you leave out, will it leave a gap etc?
• The receiver in a lineout must stand 2 metres back from the lineout. Meh.
• The player who is in opposition to the player throwing in the ball may stand in the area between the 5 metre line and touch line but must be 2 metres away from the lineout. Might give speedy hookers a chance to rampage down the touchline.
• Lineout players may pre-grip a jumper before the ball is thrown in. Will this really give anyone an advantage? May lead to an outbreak of bluffing by means of pre-emptive shirt grabbing.
• The lifting of lineout jumpers is permitted. Wait, what? Isn’t this permitted already? I guess this must be an ELV that is already in trial, as they do it every week. Checking the rule book (as of 2007) turns out no, they are just allowed to support players that have already jumped 8ft in the air.
  

Maul

• Players are able to defend a maul by pulling it down. Endless up the jumper rugby should become a thing of the past. Opponents of this law claim it is dangerous, and gives advantage to weaker packs. Should suit Scotland, then. No, wait, we have a bunch of brutes. I am outraged, outraged I say.
• Remove reference in Law to heads and shoulders not to be lower than hips. Knees and toes, knees and toes. Sorry, I fell asleep there.

Scrum

• Introduction of an offside line five metres behind the hindmost feet of the scrum. Presumably this is to give players at 10 and 12 more time to fire up their backline with exciting attacking moves, or to ease the likelihood of a Dan Parks chargedown. Master of the blitz defence Shaun Edwards will no doubt find a way around it.
• Scrum half offside lines (must be in close proximity to the scrum as present Law or must retreat five metres). Not sure what this will change.

They left out making almost everything penalty-wise a free kick - got to give the forwards a chance for a breather - and allowing handling in the ruck, which were two of the more controversial proposals. We will see the free-kick thing trialled in the Northern Hemisphere at some point though.

Disappointed to see that they made not putting the ball into the scrum straight legal. Oh, no, wait…they didn’t.

Probably the last chance for those of us without Setanta to see one of the Scottish pro-teams in action on the telly, tomorrow night on BBC Wales (Channel 991 on digital). Edinburgh will be hoping to finish strongly, but they have picked a side shorn of Southwell and Webster so they will look to the young guns in the backs to see them through to a decent finish in the table. Captain Mike Blair returns from a head knock (assuring him the job of Scotland captain in Argentina given Sales’s Jason White absence) and his little brother sits on the bench. Ospreys are without (player of the season?) Shane Williams and Scotland’s own Nikki Walker, but still boast some impressive talents who will be smarting from a failure to perform in the Heineken Cup and a fairly poor Magners League campaign.

Despite the end of term feel in celtic rugby at the moment with players everywhere departing for pastures new, knee operations or international tours, it should be a good game, as both sides like to keep the ball alive. I feel however that Ospreys will have the edge at the Liberty Stadium. Teams are as follows:

Ospreys: Lee Byrne; Aled Brew, Sonny Parker, Andrew Bishop, Johnny Vaughton; James Hook, Justin Marshall; Duncan Jones, Huw Bennett, Cai Griffiths, Alun Wyn Jones, Ian Evans, Jonathan Thomas, Marty Holah, Ryan Jones (capt).
Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Adam Jones, Ian Gough, Filo Tiatia, Rhys Webb, Shaun Connor, Jonathan Spratt.

Edinburgh: MacRae; Maxwell, Cairns, De Luca, Turnbull; Godman, Blair; Allori, Ford, G Cross, Mustchin, Gissing, Hogg, MacDonald, Callam.
Replacements: Lawrie, Traynor, Pringle, Newlands, Laidlaw, Blair, Dey.

Hope you like the new look and header. I am working on separate headers for each section, first up being an archive header featuring some golden oldies… feel free to comment below.

Off topic a little, but we’ve just started up for the year and are looking for numbers for our Inverness Touch Rugby group. It’s pretty informal, a good laugh and a good way to keep fit/practice your Toony flip. Mine is pretty rubbish but it’s been a good laugh so far.

Anyone in Inverness, Dingwall, Nairn or the surrounding Highlands area fancy playing touch rugby? Its basically similar to Rugby, without the tackling, scrumming and kicking! For a better explanation go to Touchrugby.com or Scottish Touch.

We meet on Monday nights around 6.30pm at the Rugby pitches beside the canal in Inverness. It’s behind the Aquadome, near the junction of Bught Road and the A82 canal bridge. For directions to Canal Pitches see this map.

Let us know if you are interested in coming along. Please also feel free to pass this message on to anyone that you think might be interested in joining us. Get in touch at: invernesstouch@googlemail.com.

Last Monday saw the inevitable spilling of blood at SRU HQ with Frank Hadden managing to cling onto his job.  After a woeful last 6 months that saw Scotland throw away a chance at a World Cup Semi-final and struggle to make any sort of positive impact on 2008’s 6 Nations it was inconceivable that there wouldn’t be changes to the coaching structure.  Whilst Hadden has, somehow, clung onto his job both George Graham and Alan Tait were not so fortunate.  In have come the 2 coaches from Scotland’s professional sides, Sean Lineen (Glasgow) and Andy Robinson (Edinburgh).

It will be intriguing to see how these 3 coaches are able to work with each other.   All 3 have differing approaches to the game and whether this ’soup of styles’ can be carried off will make for interesting viewing.

These changes are hardly a surprise and are, probably, the least the SRU could have been expected to do after such a poor run of results.  Make no mistake though, it now appears that unless Hadden can get results away in Argentina then surely his time as national coach will be coming to an end.

 An interesting aspect of these changes is that with Hadden retaining his position the SRU are failing to tackle the main issue with this Scottish side - namely the inability to attack and effectively hurt opposition.  Hadden’s tenure has been characterised by the image of the ball being passed down a flat line with no gain in territory with the ultimate end product of the ball being booted away.  Game after game we see players, who for their club sides run the ball and break the line, fail to display the attacking verve required at the highest level.  To be honest some of the play over the last 6 months has been feckless.  The players need to look at their own level of performance, but surely the man in charge of coaching the backs (Hadden) needs to take responsibility for picking the wrong players, the wrong tactics and failing to have any sort of game plan.  Hadden’s failing as a head coach are tiny in comparison to his failings as a Backs coach.   

The appointment of Robinson and Lineen put the pressure firmly on Hadden.  Whilst neither Lineen or Robinson admit to wanting to take the national job you have to ask would they turn it down if offered?  Robinson was essential to England success at the 2003 World Cup and, whilst his spell as head honcho with England was a mess, he could be seen as the logical next step.  He will surely be keen to rebuild his image on the international stage and Scotland could be a good platform for him to show what he can do.

My feeling is that Lineen and Robinson are being eased slowly into the national setup and barring a marked upturn in performances, and results, this 2-pronged leadership may well be in charge come next years 6 Nations.  In my opinion this still leaves a gap, a figurehead to sit above these 2 - someone with knowledge of the game at all levels.  If (when?) Hadden leaves I hope the SRU appoint a ‘Director of Rugby’ who’ll guide the development of the game.  The SRU may already have this role in the setup (?) but this needs to be a far more visible presence.  Presuming that Scotland don’t have the balls to approach someone like a Jake White (don’t get if you don’t ask - although, in fairness to the SRU, they may well have), or that Jake would rather wash his hair, we need to look outside of the box.  They needn’t be Scottish, just someone with the passion to succeed and someone who wants to improve the whole structure ensuring that schoolboy rugby up receive the same high level training and are all trying to play the same type of rugby.  Its a big job but the rewards could be huge.

Anyway, as ever I digress.  I look forward to see the impact of Lineen and Robinson,  hopefully it’ll be a start to sorting out the mess we are in at the moment…we can but hope!

 Over and out.

Al