Double-header likely to have confirmed what Andy Robinson knew

Published on Monday 3 January 2011 18:38

THE 1872 Cup is the closest we have these days to a national trial, although without the players based in England of course. Just how close will be demonstrated later this month when Scotland coach Andy Robinson names his squad for the Six Nations Championship.

• Glasgow stand-off Ruaridh Jackson, above, does not yet look ready for a Six Nations start Picture: SNS

After this season's two-leg affair ended in a win apiece and an aggregate victory for Glasgow, several players must be hoping that Robinson does not give too much weight to the evidence from those back-to-back matches. Following a successful second half of 2010, the coach already has firm ideas about his squad for the Championship. Those who under performed at Firhill and Murrayfield will be eager for him to maintain those ideas, or at least to defer a definitive judgment until after the impending Magners League and Heineken Cup games rather than reaching a conclusion purely from the two domestic clashes.

In the case of John Barclay, for one, it would surely be counterproductive for the coach to deduce too much from that brace of games. If the 1872 Cup had actually been an official trial, and if Scotland enjoyed the strength in depth and the cut-throat competition for caps which they have in New Zealand, the Glasgow flanker's yellow-carding on Sunday would have put his place in jeopardy.

But in reality Barclay, being one of our few players who could currently even be considered as close to world class, would need to blot his copybook several times rather than just the once before losing that place. His indiscipline - partially explained, but not excused, by provocation - would cost Scotland dear if replicated at international level. But it was an aberration, not proof of some weakness in his character, and Robinson is likely to do little more than have a quiet word with the player about the necessity of avoiding any repetition.

Glasgow stand-off Ruaridh Jackson was another who turned in a substandard performance, missing three kicks at goal and looking vulnerable under the high ball. Such a display, however, should do no more than confirm Robinson in his opinion that the 22-year-old is not yet mature enough to start a Six Nations game.

In the second of his two substitute's appearance so far, against Samoa at Pittodrie, Jackson showed remarkable calmness to slot the winning penalty in the last minute of the match. That proved he deserved his place in the squad as back-up to Dan Parks, but challenging the Cardiff fly-half for the No 10 jersey is another matter.

Parks himself, of course, is all too capable of inconsistency, but his ability to control the game with his kicking from hand means he is virtually cemented in place for the first match against France.Later on in the championship, in a non-vital match, will be when Jackson gets his chance to show what he can do.

Glasgow coach Sean Lineen replaced Jackson with half an hour to play, bringing on scrum-half Henry Pyrgos and moving Colin Gregor out to stand-off. Gregor quickly displayed the place-kicking accuracy which Jackson had lacked, converting a couple of penalties to haul his back into the contest, but he undid that work with a loose pass in the final minute which, intercepted by Jim Thompson, produced the clinching score for Edinburgh.

Gregor is a talented footballer, and a delight to watch when on his game. His composure, not just with the boot, and his versatility have led some to infer that he is in the running for a place in Robinson's squad.

But while the ability to cover at least two positions in the back line - not to mention full-back and centre at a push - may be in Gregor's favour when he is being considered as a substitute, over his career that versatility has worked against him. He effectively replaced Jackson on Sunday, but will surely not do so for next month's trip to Paris.

Edinburgh scrum-half Greig Laidlaw's hopes of forcing his way into the Six Nations reckoning do not look any brighter. Although capped as a replacement against the All Blacks in the first and most demanding of the Autumn Tests, the 25-year-old looks like being no better than fourth in the pecking order once Chris Cusiter returns from his injury lay-off. That is not expected to be in time for the start of the Six Nations, but Rory Lawson and Mike Blair should still be in the way for Lawson.

One Edinburgh player whose prospects do look brighter, however, is Thompson. Hugo Southwell of Stade Francais is hot favourite to start at No 15, but Thompson did enough against Glasgow to merit consideration.

On the wing, Robinson may be forgiven if he wished we were entering 2012 rather than 2011, because Tim Visser can provide the cutting edge that Scotland seek in attack - but the Dutchman does not qualify for the national team under residency until next year. In the pack, Richie Gray is likely to be one of the first names on the teamsheet, but Robinson has a decision to make over who will partner the Glasgow lock, with Ally Kellock, Scott MacLeod and Nathan Hines all contenders.

In the front row, Moray Low was not seen much in the loose for Glasgow, while Allan Jacobsen, the Edinburgh prop, impressed once again.

Overall, though, as the tightness of Glasgow's single-point aggregate victory suggests, the two games were hardly decisive. Robinson has no more difficulties in selection than he had before Christmas - but that lack of real choice remains a real difficulty for the coach, who must strive to keep building a successful team on very narrow foundations.