David Ferguson on Rugby: Former pupils flying the flag for Royal High and Scotland

Published on Thursday 26 November 2009 23:00

CHRIS Cusiter spoke this week of hoping to use the victory over Australia to inspire a new generation of rugby players and pointed to that unforgettable 'Toony Flip' moment in Scottish rugby history as having shifted his focus from football to rugby.

Inspiration can come in many shapes and forms – great tries, great victories captured in the focus of TV cameras and the wider media. But one should not underestimate the value of a 'simple' international debut. Alan MacDonald's first appearance for Scotland tomorrow afternoon will reverberate around the Barnton area of Edinburgh, in particular, and could play a significant role in efforts there to enthuse young rugby players.

The fact that Ben Cairns has been restored to the line-up for this final autumn Test match with Argentina has also meant a double celebration at The Royal High School. The head of English, Tom Bacciarelli, is delighted, having coached Ben and Alan through their school years, while Alistair Oliver, a maths teacher, remembers the pair well and continues to coach the 1st XV.

Bacciarelli said: "There has been a terrific buzz right through the school this week. Ben and Alan were and are good rugby players, but they are also great role models for the school."

The Royal High School might sound like an independent school, but it is not, hence it is English and maths teachers who run rugby. The FPs club was one of five clubs, along with three universities, who formed the Scottish Rugby Union in 1873. From 1970 the public-private status of the school, with minor fees, was dropped to become wholly state, and girls arrived in 1972 (including one in the first draft who was to become Mrs Iwan Tukalo – her husband and fellow former Scotland internationals Pringle Fisher and Colin Telfer also studied at the Royal High School), but it is now a rarity in the world of state schools in that it runs rugby teams at every age level, with two in each of the first three years of school.

That depends on teachers still giving up time out of school, but Cairns and MacDonald are the embodiment of why they do it. They are well remembered because they played key roles in a particularly successful time at Royal High. In 2002-3, Cairns captained the 1st XV to the Scottish Youth Cup final, where they lost to Selkirk, and to victory in the Scottish Schools Plate.

"It is great now," said Mr Oliver, "when you are trying to tell the boys why it is important to keep at it, to work hard, to train and look after themselves, to be able to turn and say, 'Look at Ben and Alan – they did, and look where they are now'. They were terrific lads, turning up for training even when injured, so they didn't miss out on learning something."

However, there was a problem at Royal High which points to why Cairns has 'Currie' as his club and MacDonald 'Heriot's FP'. The Royal High FPs have not been a major player in Scottish rugby for decades, so talented youngsters have long moved elsewhere. Cairns played once for the FPs in a friendly but was already in the sights of Currie, where his brother Mark was playing. MacDonald was quickly encouraged along to Goldenacre, where the Scottish Cup had just come to reside.

Royal High FPs were already looking at ways to stop this talent drain and that year they agreed to merge with Corstorphine, who had an experienced senior side in the Premier leagues but no youth system. It has been an intriguing six years for the now RHC Cougars, the clubs working to overcome the hurdles associated with combining strengths and traditions, but still struggling to keep the youth talent.

Robin Boog, FPs president at the time of the merger, recalled: "We were both churning out these enthusiastic youngsters who were then being told to go to Premier clubs if they wanted to play representative rugby. So, the idea of joining forces with Corstorphine to help both clubs was sound and we just need to hold on to more players to get up the Premier leagues."

Royal High FPs currently have another group of talents emerging at under-17 level – the school also has a new parent helping the first years going by the name of Graham Shiel – and the aim is to continue the development ladder but also take RHC Cougars among Scotland's Premier top 36 clubs. Inspiration and aspiration are fundamental, and now the young Royal High lads have two Scotland internationalists to look up to.

"Ben and Alan have shown that it's possible to get there," said Mr Oliver.

Praise the ground staff for winning pitch battle

IN AN age where criticism abounds, it is worth taking a moment to offer some praise to the Murrayfield ground staff. Look at your own garden right now, and the fields around Scotland, and then wonder what type of effort it would take to keep them in a state where you could walk on them, never mind play international rugby, after the monsoon conditions of one the wettest Novembers in history combined with three high-level rugby games in the past five weeks (those who were at Edinburgh's game with the Newport Gwent Dragons two weeks before Fiji arrived will recall the mud that night). Even with high-tech new sun-lamps to help grass growth, it has been a fair effort to get the Murrayfield pitch in playable condition today. Well done.