Author: Alan Dymock

Dundonian Alan has played rugby all over the world for various teams including Dundee High School, Heriot's and the Scottish Club International. Now writing from London he covers all issues international and unreported.

Contracting But Not Shrivelling

October 25, 2011 in Pro Teams

By

Tags: , , , ,

If you are on social networking sites your timeline will currently be clogged. In fact plugged or dammed are probably more fitting descriptions. Everyone is bleating about the weather. Somehow it has come to everyone’s attention that we are entering Scotland’s lengthy rainy season and we are ready to whinge about it as much as possible.

It seems, though, that those at EH12 have been saving for these rainy days. We’ve been alerted to something else via the social sites. It appears that now the World Cup is over we have entered Contract Renegotiation Season.

Cup In The Air, Feet On The Ground

October 18, 2011 in Rugby World Cup, World of Rugby

By

Tags: , ,

Humility is an attribute that is getting rarer in contemporary professional sport. With football players refusing to play so they can get big money transfers and NFL MVPs obligated to say they are “going to Disneyland!” you are unlikely to see the best of the best refusing to celebrate or a last-gasp loser showing magnanimity.  

Lineen On Glasgow

September 7, 2011 in Magners League

By

Tags: ,

This morning I was fixed with a smile and told “I’m a pretty positive sort of guy.”

Over a plate of biscuits Sean Lineen assured me of Glasgow’s focus and of his renewed passion for the game on the west coast. Last season the Warriors finished in a lowly 11th place and there was talk of the head coach being courted by Aviva Premiership outfit Bath. This time round, though, the former Scotland centre is looking to rebuild and get the best out of a young team.

The Timing Of Interest

September 5, 2011 in Adventures in Rugby

By

Tags: , ,

Carl Lewis once said, “Life is about timing.”

He may have slickly been suggesting that everything had fallen into place for him, but in sporting terms he was certainly correct. If you get there in the right time you get Gold. If you show your hand too early you lose the pot. If you slow your pace too much you are behind the fans, and they are gone.

For this reason I must offer my congratulations to the think tank at Murrayfield because, in the parlance of modern sport, they’ve played a blinder.

RWC Build-Up: The Major Madness

August 30, 2011 in Adventures in Rugby, Rugby World Cup, Scotland National Team

By

Tags: ,

Before every major event we get caught up in the madness of predictions. We follow speculation as if it were Gospel. We force ourselves to show blind faith, regardless of what common sense has been telling us for 3 years out of 4.

Suddenly people at the office you rarely speak to are talking to you about sport. That distant mate no one has seen for years is emailing you about fantasy leagues. You’re heading to the bookies when, normally, you’re that person that doesn’t buy a lottery ticket on Rollover day.

RWC Build-Up: Our Back-Three, According To The Best

August 29, 2011 in Rugby World Cup, Scotland National Team

By

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Let me set the scene for you: Scotland play 2 EMC Tests with 6 back-three options. They play one game against Ireland with S. Lamont, Paterson and Walker. Then they play against Italy with R. Lamont, Evans and Danielli. Then they take out Walker and send the rest off to New Zealand.

My question for you is: What should Scotland’s back-three be?

Uh-huh. Mmmm. Ok. Right. I see.

Well forget all that, I’m now going to ask a few ex-internationals instead because –no offence!- I’m pretty sure we would all love to hear what Scotland and Lions greats Ken Scotland and Andy Irvine have to say instead!