David Ferguson: Robinson sets bar high at three wins out of three

Published on Thursday 12 November 2009 21:48

SCOTLAND "expects" when the curtain rises on another international season, but it is very unlikely that those turning their attention to Murrayfield tomorrow will expect more than the new Scotland coach Andy Robinson.

The former England and British and Irish Lions chief revealed last month that he had set his squad a target, but then refrained from telling us what that target was. It has become clear in the lead-up to the opening Bank of Scotland Corporate Autumn Test with Fiji, however, that three wins from the first three games is the immediate aim.

Robinson is not known to do anything by halves, though he was probably wise not to reveal his target for fear of having it thrown back in his face, but there can be no doubt that the new man is setting the bar high. Scotland have only once won three autumn Tests back-to-back, when Ian McGeechan and Jim Telfer led the team to victories over Romania, South Africa and Fiji in 2002. Not even that pair, however, launched their various tenures as head coaches with three consecutive Test wins.

To analyse this month's task, however, we must realise the quality of the opposition. Fiji are first up and before yesterday this was destined to be the best Fijian squad ever to face Scotland.

They are littered with individual talent, from forwards Akapusi Qera, the Gloucester flanker rated among the best in the Guinness Premiership, to Nicky Little, the mercurial fly-half now with Bath, and then Seremai Bai, their inside-centre and captain and the latest Fijian wing sensation in the shape of Napolioni Nalaga.

They have, however, lost a handful of key performers and so will take to Murrayfield with a greater crop of Fiji-based youngsters than was originally intended. They also have struggled for training time, with all the coaches Glen Ella, Sam Domoni and Mike Brewer, having only come together with the squad on Monday. That win has become more of an expectation in the last 24 hours.

In week two, Scotland play host to Australia. The Wallabies have had their troubles this year in the Tri Nations, having achieved just one win, against the Springboks, in their six games.

However, they re-opened the annual 'northernvsouthern hemisphere, which is best?' debate last Saturday with an 18-9 defeat of an England side, somewhat weakened, at Twickenham, and it will be interesting to see how they go against a near full-strength Ireland tomorrow. Should they win in Dublin, Australia would be heading to Murrayfield with half of a British Grand Slam secure, 25 years after they first swept the British Isles. Not likely to be in Edinburgh just for the sights then.

The third opponents, Argentina, are like Fiji – a bit of an unknown – because of the lack of preparation time they have had with Santiago Phelan. Still, the records show seven wins to the Pumas and two to Scotland in their nine Test meetings, and the only Murrayfield win was a full 19 years ago. In 1999, 2001 and 2005 Scotland lost at home.

The core of the current squad played in the second Test win in Buenos Aires 17 months ago, which finally book-ended the run of defeats since 1990, and the Pumas are striving to create a new squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

But Robinson knows what most of us know – that the current crop of Scotland internationals have been under-achieving and are capable of more. How much more is impossible to judge; top eight, top five, World Cup semi-finals? That will not be decided this week, but the new broom has made it clear in recent days where he believes this squad can set their targets.

McNish joins Dubai classic sevens drive

A TEAM of former Scotland internationalists have won support from Scottish racing driver Allan McNish for an assault on the Dubai classic sevens title next month.

Glenn Metcalfe has agreed to come out of retirement and is in training for the veterans tournament staged as part of the Dubai Sevens early next month and will be joined by Scotland squad coaches Gregor Townsend, Duncan Hodge and Stevie Scott as well as Graham Shiel, James McLaren, Dave McIvor, Derrick Lee and Rowen Shepherd. Policeman Stuart Reid is also in the squad with some other well-known sevens exponents in Ross McNulty, Gareth Flockhart, Fergus Henderson and David Boswall, and they will be coached/chaperoned by former Glasgow Hawks flanker Fergus Wallace.

The team, put together by Scots businessman and rugby enthusiast Colin Bone and known as the Bone Steelers, will raise money for the Bone Steelers Foundation, which is supporting Lance Armstrong's Livestrong charity.

McNish, the former F1 driver and Le Mans winner, has agreed to be the team's official ambassador. He said: "It is an honour to become an Ambassador of the Bone Steelers. I used to watch these guys play and it will be fascinating to see how they get on in the Dubai event."

The Scottish side has also attracted sponsorship from OKI Printing Solutions, Bone Steel, Eden Park, Hogmaneigh.com and Henderson International Group. Bone added: "Allan is a legend in his sport and we are delighted to have his backing as we prepare the Bone Steelers for what is building up to be a fantastic occasion."

Bone Steelers Squad for 2009 Dubai Sevens: Duncan Hodge, Stuart Reid, Gareth Flockhart, Rowen Shepherd, Derrick Lee, Fergus Henderson, Glenn Metcalfe, Graham Shiel, David Boswell, James McLaren, Ross McNulty, Gregor Townsend, Stevie Scott, Dave McIvor. Coach: Fergus Wallace.