He was a fictional character, sure, but he represented everything you want to be as a leader. Firm. Fair. Loyal. Battle hardened. Decisive. The captain of all captains.

Now I’m not saying Ford will be underhanded –far from it –but he could be just like this. He will have a number of captains at his disposal come game day. He can get by with a little help from his friends.

Ford is the strong silent type. A journalist once told me that he encouraged an opposition hooker to strike Ford early in a match because it would fire him up, but he is a smart player. He picks his battles. When he takes it to the mattresses it is with a direct drive and volume of attacks. His mind sharpens and he returns the favour, but in a different way.

Perhaps the captaincy will make Ford this kind of leader for 80 minutes. Andy Robinson certainly feels it can. Most importantly, though, Ford’s supporting captains can do as he would want them to.

He will run the scrum, of course. In the lineout, though, he needs someone on the ground; a consigliere. He needs someone to pick a spot for him. He needs a player willing to back his throws and give him favourable targets. He also needs a defensive marshal and a stand-off willing to move to the beat that he and Robinson dictate.

Ford is fortunate. He has a number of deputies, familiar faces, willing to back him up. He has Kellock, Gray, Barclay, Cusiter, Blair, Lawson, Sean Lamont, Morrison and Jacobsen. He has a host of personalities attuned with the cause. He should have no problem with the squad understanding his messages, or the plan put forth by the management.

This, it would seem, is the crux. The team need to be tight and in synch. Ford has to hold them all together. He has to make all of his deputies feel confident and vital. They are vital. Ford can only represent so much, and it is getting closer to the time when talking to TV folk and sitting down with press mobs is not important.

The game is important. The team is important. The deputies are important.

Big games bring big noise. Clapping collisions and songs ring around stadiums. Everyone shouts that little bit more when they realign. Opposition attackers are called out that little bit more aggressively by would-be tacklers. You urge people more. There is more hard breathing and swearing as contact is met again.

In this heady environment Ford will have to keep his cool and he cannot rally the team at every breakdown or set-piece. He needs supporting captains for that. He needs his 9, whichever one is selected, to collar him and his forwards, screaming at all of them to career round the corner for the team. He needs his 10 to put him in the right place to make his calls. He needs to be pushed himself.

Al Kellock said the other day that being captain is a great honour. It is also true that a captain will be honoured in his role, being supported and worked for. With so many other captains Scotland are now in the privileged position where they can use experience and support to carry them through one of rugby’s most testing fixtures.

Ford will lead everyone, and everyone will strive to repay his support in kind.

This could take Scotland’s stand-off debate back to the rivalry we thought we had all seen the last of: Phil Godman vs Dan Parks, but hopefully Andy Robinson will see sense and give the nod to Greig Laidlaw, who has stepped into the breach for Edinburgh this season after a few appearances last year, and performed beyond all expectation.

Glasgow’s Duncan Weir is also in the equation, offering more in attack than Parks but with a similarly effective boot. However, his boot can also be similarly inconsistent.

Yes, Phil Godman dropped that goal, but it has largely been Laidlaw (with a little help from Harry Leonard) whose attack minded Edinburgh came top of their Heineken Cup pool, having scored 17 tries.

In one competition; in 6 games. Compare this to pool rivals Cardiff, with Dan Parks at the helm lest we forget: 7 tries. Or Scotland since January 2010: 18 tries; over 2 Six Nations, a summer tour to Argentina, a World Cup and a 5 autumn tests (21 tests). Okay, international tests (and defences) are not quite the same as those in the Heineken Cup, but the level is not that far off these days.

Injuries are starting to force Robinson’s hand, and now the half-backs have been affected. While we wish Ruaridh all the best with his recovery, it could well turn out to be a positive, leading him to pick the young form players he may otherwise not fancy. It certainly could have this effect in the back row, where both Rob Harley and David Denton would have been very unlikely to have found themselves both in the team during the Killer B era, but now may yet both start or at least make the matchday squad. Needless to say picking Greig at 10 also allows you to pick either Blair or Cusiter at 9, both of whom have been playing very well of late.

Robinson apparently wants to build Scotland’s play around Jackson’s attacking mindset. With Jackson out until mid-tournament, Laidlaw is the next best thing in this squad.

Cairns injured his knee initially in a pre-season friendly against Sale Sharks and had returned to full team training as part of his recovery from ‘key-hole’ surgery.

Unfortunately, in a session in December, he ruptured the joint’s anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) with the knee now requiring a full reconstruction.

Cairns will have surgery at the Spire Murrayfield Hospital at the end of January and is expected to return in time for a large part of the club’s pre-season, with the opening game of 2012/13 the target for his return.

Edinburgh Rugby lead physiotherapist, Stuart Paterson, said: “There are known risks in rehabilitating a damaged ACL and unfortunately, in this case, the ligament has not been able to withstand the rigours of professional rugby training.

“Rehabilitation guidelines for this type of operation suggest that he’ll be available for a large part of pre-season but the important thing is to give his knee time to heal, mature and stabilise.

“Eight months to the date of surgery would be around the time of our last pre-season game and that’s an achievable goal for Ben to return to his best.”

Cairns said: “As a professional athlete I have the scope to dedicate all my time to making sure I come back healthy.”

“I’m taking the positives from this in that at the end of my recovery my knee will be back to 100% and I’ll be in the best shape possible, returning faster, stronger and fitter.”

Stand-off Jackson was withdrawn from the fray in Llanelli after experiencing pain in his upper leg when kicking an early penalty.

The 23-year-old has been subject to further assessment, and no long-term issues are anticipated.

A Warriors spokesman said: “Ruaridh has reacted well to treatment since Saturday’s game and the Warriors medical team are happy with his progress. He will continue to be monitored closely in the lead-in to our Heineken Cup matches and, from Scotland’s perspective, for the RBS 6 Nations Championship.”

Low has since been assessed by orthopaedic surgeon, Graham Lawson, at Spire Murrayfield Hospital.  Mr Lawson confirmed that the prop has suffered damage to the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his knee.

Low will miss Glasgow’s forthcoming Heineken Cup games and the start of the RBS 6 Nations Championship. It is common for this injury to require re-evaluation but the expectation is that Low will be absent for at least eight weeks.

Warriors head coach Sean Lineen said: “This is clearly very disappointing news for Moray. He’s an ambitious player who is extremely keen to achieve success with both Glasgow and Scotland, and the injury has come at a very unfortunate time.

“He’s a tough character, however, and I know he’ll work hard to bounce back strongly. In terms of his rehab, he’ll be in great hands with the medical and physio team we have here at the Warriors.”

Scotland head coach Andy Robinson said: “We all wish Moray a speedy recovery. As far as Ruaridh is concerned we will be monitoring his progress closely before the players come into camp with us later this month.”

It must be a bit gutting for Moray, having sat out the World Cup – despite travelling to New Zealand – and now this. We wish him well with his recovery.

The 1872 Cup is over and Glasgow are victorious. Truthfully, few players stood out in the series to be the stand out candidate for their place, but with a training squad likely to be pushing 40 it is possible for a great many to have the chance to renew their press for a position in the Calcutta Cup match on the 4th of February. Robinson will be able to see more at closer range and there will be opportunity for interaction. Some players completely change when they experience new conditions and pressures. Some even change for the better.

The debate will rage on once the squad is announced. Every fan will have their favourites –this may sometimes depend on where their allegiances lie –but there will be some healthy competition for places. Some backs like James King, Duncan Weir and Stuart Hogg are begging to be included. Some, like Nick De Luca, have stumbled upon some fine form. Forwards like McInally, Denton, Harley and Fraser McKenzie look set to barge their way into Murrayfield on training day. Robinson has some options.

Robinson must also start considering long term options and he must consider some bolters. It is painstakingly obvious, but after Scotland’s worst ever World Cup showing and their continued woes near any international tryline Robinson has to take different options and make bold decisions.

This, therefore, leads to the more pressing question: whichever names come out in the wash, who on earth is going to be their captain?

You cannot declare that change is drastically needed and then list the same skipper. Scottish rugby is experiencing a slight upturn in fortune so it would be remiss to hang on to anything archaic. By this I mean the outmoded and frankly disastrous plan of naming Kellock as captain and then splitting his duties with Rory Lawson. Naming Blair and Cusiter as co-captains. Scotland needs a leader and Kellock was that, but Scotland also needs a leader the group can rally behind for every game and it must be said that Kellock is not guaranteed his place in every game.

On the surface this can be claimed because Kellock was in the stands in a Scotland issue suit when they played their vital World Cup match against Argentina. He is perhaps less likely to retain an international place now. He runs an efficient lineout and is a great talker, these attributes are well known, but he is not as skilled or as dynamic or even as threatening as other locks. Gray is as hard to throw near as him, McKenzie has a bit more grit, Hamilton is a much better scrummager and all of them are better ball carriers.

This is not a slight on Kellock. He is a good servant to Scotland and he should retain a squad place and his senior player status. A nation striving to improve and recover from a terrible campaign can ill afford to name a captain who is not guaranteed his place, though.

So who is guaranteed a spot? Well, the half-back roles are up for grabs and Lawson, Blair and Cusiter, whom have all had the responsibility of leadership, cannot be declared standouts. Robinson likes a 9 as captain but there lies no stability in that channel. He needs a lone figure.

Of course there are a few who will not be challenged for their place. Ford, despite what form he may be in come the fixtures, is guaranteed a starting spot. You’d need dynamite to dislodge him. Halfway through last season they said he was one game away from a level of exhaustion that would permanently damage him, but he has somehow bounced back this season. He is resilient, even if his throwing falters. His drawbacks? He is not enough of a talker or a tactician to lead Scotland.

His front-row cohort Allan Jacobsen is also a starter unrivalled. With Jacobsen, though, he works better when his goals are set out. He is a foot-soldier rather than commander and he thrives under the pressure applied by others. Lofty mantle would only stifle him. On the other side of this John Barclay works better when he puts pressure on himself and he has been touted as a future captain of Scotland. This is an option, but he is not in great form of late and is not assured of a start with Ross Rennie becoming many fans first choice 7.

It is no secret that I am a great admirer of Kelly Brown. He is a workhorse, he can think and I do not remember the last time he played badly wearing a thistle. Of course he is hampered by his stammer, but we are entering an age when the national team need to go out and perform rather than give grandstanding speeches and harry and talk themselves into holding opposition close. He always leads from the front and never shirks a responsibility. He is also a respected senior player already. He is a player Scotland can rally behind for every game.

Whomever Robinson chooses I hope that the training squad get their figurehead early and a new age of Scottish rugby can begin. If there is a willingness to change the coaching set-up and a willingness to give new players a chance then take the opportunity to send a statement and add new direction to that squad.

Asked what he thought of the honour the 109 cap man said: “I’ve only ever focussed on playing well and doing the supporters, myself and my family proud. To be even nominated for this honour is something I would never have imagined. To be recognised in this way for doing something you love to do is a wee bit strange to be honest but it’ll be a nice reminder of what I’ve achieved in both club and international rugby.

“There are so many who have helped with my career, going all the way back to playing at Galashiels Academy.  Gary Parker and Garry Callander at Gala; Ian McGeechan, Jim Telfer, Frank Hadden, Mick Byrne and all the current Scotland coaching team. Through school rugby and my professional career Rob Moffat was a great mentor and inspiration and always available whenever I needed to chat something through with him.

“I’ve been fortunate to play with so many great players and I’ll never ever forget the cheers of those Murrayfield crowds.”

‘Mossy’ recently retired from international rugby but will continue to focus on playing for Edinburgh Rugby, watching over the sides run in the Heineken Cup and RaboDirect Pro12 from full-back. He has been the symbol of Scottish rugby for several years now and the entire rugby community including all of us here at Scottish Rugby Blog join in congratulating Chris on his outstanding career and this deserved award.

Front Row

MacArthur isn’t really challenging Ford for the Scotland shirt – no-one is, but in the props it is less clear cut. Chunk is a starter if fit and he galvanised Edinburgh when he came on, but then also gave away crucial penalties. Supporting roles as stand-ins for first choice Chunk, Ford and Euan Murray are all up for grabs though, with Geoff Cross now probably the clear second choice prop ahead of Moray Low and he would likely make the top spot on Sundays. No one in this game particularly made a case, although Cusack and MacArthur for Glasgow went well in the scrums.

Second Row

Less of a matchup this and more of a “who will partner Richie?”. The big man set about Edinburgh’s lineout with aplomb, at one point stealing 3 in a row and illustrating just what a useful tool standing about at the front waving your arms can be when you are 7 feet tall. In the loose he is a marked man now and this should continue in the next Six Nations. As a result his impact on games seems a little less than this time last year, or as AD says “posted missing”. His captain Al Kellock also played well after an early injury knocked him on his backside, taking a crucial try to keep Glasgow in the game and leading from the front with a little help from his half-backs. On the Edinburgh side, Gilichrist played well and may yet show enough to make the training squad, but he’ll have to beat off Mackenzie and possibly even Vernon from Sale to make it in alongside Hamilton. The two Glasgow boys: currently out in front.

David Denton vs Rob Harley

Tricky one this. Both players have been to the fore in their respective league campaigns thus far this season, but here they seemed almost to cancel each other out. Harley’s frigid defence came up against Denton’s rampaging attack – a microcosm of their team styles really.

Ross Rennie vs John Barclay

Barclay has been the holder of the 7 shirt for a long time while Rennie has had to recover from injury after injury so a lot could be made of this matchup. This season he has been well-managed and it is starting to pay off. He got a try as a result of good support work going forward, while Barclay as usual was everywhere in defence – including all the places Edinburgh would rather he wasn’t, slowing down or stealing ball – but a little anonymous going forward ball in hand. Rennie also deserves plaudits of sorts for not getting injured in a nasty clash with that other injury-berserker Rory Lamont, who left the field after a lengthy treatment.

Mike Blair vs Chris Cusiter

This one has generated a bit of debate already. Bill Johnstone commented on the BBC Radio Scotland coverage that he felt Blair was having a marvellous game, almost at the exact moment I thought out loud what a good game Cusiter was having. Cusiter made far more breaks although Blair threw himself about in defence all over the park. Some of his passes seemed to me to be a little high, forcing his first receiver to jump or at least stay still and losing the momentum Edinburgh so clearly thrive on, while Cusiter was throwing them lower and delivering quicker. If you look at the end result, Cusiter had a far greater influence on it as he, Jackson and Kellock dragged the Glasgow team back into the game and Cusiter’s speculative box kick into Murrayfield’s mammoth in-goal area gave them the draw. Why he wasn’t given Man of the Match is a little beyond me.

Greig Laidlaw vs Duncan Weir/Ruaridh Jackson

So far, not much learned. Laidlaw won this matchup possibly by virtue of not making as many mistakes as Weir or Jackson made during their stints. Jackson came on and popped up for his try on the end of Cusiter’s up and under but he’d made a few dodgy calls before that. All three proved basically what we already suspected: Weir has a big boot, Jackson likes to attack but can be flaky and Laidlaw can run an attacking game brilliantly from 9 or 10. But can he control a defensive kicking effort under test levels of pressure?

Centres

No direct match-ups here (based on previous selections anyway) although James King I suppose could be an outside bet for a squad place. Arguably Robinson’s two favourite centres were on show though, in the shape of Morrison and De Luca. Of those two probably De Luca looked the better, making some good breaks and throwing some fizzing passes compared to Morrison who made some good breaks and threw very few passes. Would he consider a De Luca / Ansbro pairing?

Back Three

Mossy was playing opposite Stuart Hogg (who along with Lee Jones for Edinburgh, seemed to get little ball to work with), but as the elder statesman of Scottish rugby announced his retirement this week and Lemi and Visser were in the mix too we didn’t learn much about potential Scotland back three slots. Other than this: Tim Visser – who skinned Lamont early on – could be a key ingredient in next year’s Scotland recipe.

It continues a concerted push by the SRU in recent months to strengthen the Glasgow team in the eyes of not just the public but perhaps their own players, to prevent anyone else around Scotstoun from thinking a move to Manchester is an upgrade.

This means that with the recovery from surgery of DTH Van Der Merwe – who was last year almost pushing for the title of Scotland’s Most Effective Winger With a Dutch Name – the Warriors would next season boast a back division laden with international experience – and dare we whisper it – strength in depth on the bench too. David Lemi was brought in as cover on a short term contract but it might be safe to assume that next season he will be surplus to requirements. Even without the Samoan flyer (who it is hoped will get a chance to show what he can do in the spring), Glasgow could have a back three of both Lamonts and DTHVDM, with Morrison and AN Other in the centre and Jackson, Weir and Wight scuffling over the 10 shirt. Although getting on a bit, Federico Aramburu and Troy Nathan have also been solid performers this season and Tommy Seymour will be hoping he gets a chance on the wing too.

All that is before you take into account the youth who were blooded while the World Cup was on, and who many believe are the real reason for this mini-renaissance. Fullback Stuart Hogg has already shown enough to suggest that while this year may be a little early for international honours, he is going to be fighting Rory Lamont tooth and nail for that Glasgow and possibly Scotland 15 shirt in years to come. Alex Dunbar and Peter Murchie have had pro-team appearances for Glasgow and there are also talents like Peter Horne away gaining Sevens experience but who must be planning to slip back into the 15s game eventually, possibly at his U20 position of fullback.

So how do you fit them all in? After all, the reason there is a buzz around the pro-teams at the moment is that the youngsters (on both coasts) have been learning to win and lose on their own two (or thirty) feet and the seasoned internationals have not just been waltzing back into their slots. This result of this buzz has attracted the Lamonts home, but might the perceived ease with which to claim a starting berth and put themselves under Andy Robinson’s microscope have been an attraction too? Now they get here they find that is no longer the case and Lineen will have to find a delicate balance between keeping his big signings happy and bringing on the new blood – that which we have all called for in order to see the teams progress.

The prime example of this dilemma – other than Hogg v Lamont – is Jackson and Weir, who have resumed the battle for the 10 shirt with no clear front runner since the World Cup. They have drifted in and out of form, and each has managed to look good coming off the bench while not being entirely convincing from the start.

Is it better to have two equally talented players helping their pro-team to victory in rotated shifts, or to have one playing week in week out and primed for the step up to international duty – while the other stagnates? Certainly youngsters with experience, confidence and form are more useful on the bench than those without as has been seen in the past. The extra chances afforded by the World Cup may just be the best thing that happens to this generation of Scottish players.

One option could be to shuffle some of the talent around a bit. It happens often enough in the front row – Ryan Grant has now played for both pro-teams, and the defunct Borders. Rob Dewey has not really settled in since his return from Ulster, and it might be possible that he would consider a return to the stomping grounds at Murrayfield where he made his name. Especially as Edinburgh have plenty of ball-playing centres but no real battering rams as Robinson seems to like. Young Hogg is not yet snapped up to a pro contract at Glasgow despite plaudits for recent performances (at least up until his slightly nervy performance on Saturday, apparently put down to concussion) and might even be a candidate for Edinburgh.

The capital team have 2 solid first choice wings in Visser and Jones but their immediate replacements are not clear, nor have Edinburgh settled on a long term replacement for Chris Paterson who announced his international retirement yesterday. The demand for true competition to fill his international shirt may end up with him eased out at club level too, although you feel someone as level headed and passionate about the game as he is will not be away for long. Edinburgh of course have Tom Brown and Jim Thompson waiting in the wings at fullback, but on the international stage Rory Lamont is probably the best fit even if Hugo Southwell’s current form at Wasps is great.

Which, of course, means Lamont needs game time at Glasgow; full circle. Hogg might be the man, but if Lamont is the man then he needs to play. So how do you find out if Hogg might be the man in future?

All in all though, whether you are Michael Bradley, Sean Lineen or indeed Andy Robinson, it’s not a bad problem to have at last.

Ever since the Gala boy made his debut against Spain in the ’99 World Cup we have had an infatuation with ‘Mossy’. It did not matter if he was playing on the wing, at full-back or even at stand-off: the fans loved him.

He amassed 109 caps for Scotland, 96 of which were starts, and he scored 809 points. Many of these points were scored as he was declared the World’s most accurate kicker. In recent days Paterson has been struggling with hip and leg injuries, though, and this has hampered his chances of kicking efficiently. At 33-years-of-age, having already played at 4 World Cups and having achieved so much it seems he has now decided that others could be best used for Scotland if he is not the go-to kicker and so has called time.

How will we remember Chris Paterson?

For me it is the way he embodied Scotland’s underdog spirit. Written off time and time again because of his slightness or lack of strength he kept popping up in big games with big scores, tackles or crucial kicks. He would be hurt on occasion, but he always got back up. He didn’t complain, he didn’t shirk duty, he didn’t think of himself. He just did what Scotland needed him to do and the fans loved him for it.

I had the privilege, once, of being in a team-run huddle with him the Thursday before an Edinburgh game. As my first ‘first team’ experience, I was seeing a lot of things I had not expected. Paterson, who had seemed to me to be passive, relaxed and efficient without fanfare up until this point, suddenly burst into life. He spoke eloquently and passionately about what he hoped to get from the coming game of rugby. Everyone listened.

It is this sort of passion and commitment that saw him captain Scotland 12 times and earned the respect of those he played with. It is also why he is Scotland’s most capped player of all time. Win or lose he was there. Doing the job.

Often it was whichever job was put in front of him, and he was shuffled around from wing to fullback with only the merest dalliance at standoff, a position that many felt might have been his true calling.

So what now? Well he is still at Edinburgh, the team he has been synonymous with since he returned after a short spell with Gloucester. He will still be whizzing about his eyrie, Murrayfield. He will still be organising from the back, in black. That hasn’t changed.

Scottish rugby has certainly changed as of today, though.

Here are some of his best bits as uploaded by the SRU:

What is your favourite Chris Paterson moment for Scotland?

Chris Paterson
International record: 109 caps.  Points: 809 – 22 tries, 170 penalties, 90 conversions, 3 drop goals.

The word eulogy has crept into sports analysis of late. It has been taken to mean praise and study of a play or a career. However it still retains its meaning of a speech or tome written in praise of the deceased, and some of that meaning shone through last night.

Amongst those saying he was a revolutionary, that he changed the game, that he showed the world what professionalism meant there were those that took it a step too far. “To a man who’s talent, work ethic, attitude and humility was second-to- none!!” tweeted Jason Robinson. “Was”? He is still playing rugby for Toulon. “What a trooper Jonny Wilko was” Rugby Dump tweeted. He still is.

What irks me about this situation is that Wilkinson was so good for so long he stuck around long enough to see himself become the bad guy. In his day he was unplayable. He would run games from ten, willing the ball into positions from either foot and smashing defenders. He could pass, he could run, he could organise and he could last a game.

I will always remember that try he scored against New Zealand at Twickenham in 2002 when he feigned to drop kick, chipped over the top and collected himself to slide in as England fans roared him on. That was the moment we were all sure he was World Class and could potentially guide England’s rusty old rig all the way to glory…

Which he did. He hit ‘that’ drop goal. We will all forget how many attempts it took him or how poor Elton Flatley kept pace with him for that entire contest because finally, finally, a British sports person had shown themselves well on a World stage. He was the man who singlehandedly booted England to the Webb Ellis Trophy.

He was not to stay this same person, though. The man who was so full-on in contact was to irreversibly damage his body, puncturing organs and destroying shoulders. The man who worked through everything with relentless practice didn’t know what to do when that stopped sorting out his wayward kicks. One thing that did not change, though: he still needed smiling practice.

Beforehand we put it down to focus. Now we put it down to the fact that he was not the same player, and with all his hours of work and impossible standards it was eating him up.

Last season, when a major athletics championship down south was on, there was an anomaly with the allocation of drug testers in Britain. Scottish testers went down to the southern counties and those from the north of England came up to cover Scottish sports. Understandably after an 80minute game of rugby I struggled to produce a sample for some time. So as you do you get talking to the tester.

He said he tested Wilkinson once. Nice fella. Focused. Came up to give his sample. Dehydrated. Knackered. Still did it. Force of will. Just did it on the spot. Bang! “Cheers Jonny, you’re a Superstar”, the tester said. “Used to be…” Jonny replied as he slinked off.

That was the issue with Wilkinson being in the international glare. He was never going to be the same person that reached those impossible heights. He knew that. He still is the embodiment of professionalism but he is also a cautionary tale to enjoy what you are doing, not just punish yourself rigid with targets.

I want everyone to remember Jonathan Wilkinson OBE with balance. He is one of the greatest players of the professional era. A Hall of Famer. A World Cup winner who defined a generation of English rugby players. A kicker that showed everyone what could be achieved if kicking was your most prized tool and you spent hours priming it. A man dedicated to rugby, but a man consumed by it. The greats always make sacrifices. His took such a toll on him that he will never be the same again. Someone give him one last medal so he can rest. I hope that when he gives it up all together and says he is proud of his achievements I can believe him, because I certainly do when he says “I will never truly be satisfied.”

JW: The Professional.