Hastings hopes history repeats itself in another must-win Canada clash

Published on Friday 21 November 2008 22:48

AN INTERNATIONAL match with Canada in the north-east may appear to some supporters as a come-down after Scotland faced the giants of New Zealand and South Africa at Murrayfield this month, but history points to the Canucks playing a key role in turning around Scottish fortunes.

On the last occasion the teams met, a host of young Scottish debutants, including today's skipper Mike Blair, tasted defeat in Vancouver, but the last time the nations faced each other on Scottish soil, in January, 1995, there were intriguing similarities to this weekend.

Scotland had toured Argentina in the previous summer – then losing both Tests narrowly – and had lost to South Africa the match before they met Canada on a bitterly cold afternoon. Dougie Morgan, the coach, and captain Gavin Hastings were under pressure, one newspaper running the headline 'Taxi for Morgan' and Scottish Rugby magazine at that time putting a cartoon of a coffin draped in a saltire on its cover and asking of the Scottish game 'can we still rise now?'

The team was struggling to turn promise into victories, claiming just one win and a draw from ten Test matches before Canada pitched up. Currently, Frank Hadden's team have won two of their last ten internationals; similarly, promise is clear, but tries and wins have been scarce.

In 1995, it was a time of great change with a host of leading lights from the 1990 Grand Slam era having retired, and 14 players being handed Test debuts in the 14 months up to and including the Canada match. Hadden has had a more settled squad, but still given recent debuts to Fergus Thomson, Alasdair Dickinson, Nick De Luca, Ross Rennie, Ben Cairns, Thom Evans and Matt Mustchin, with Max Evans expected to join them this afternoon.

Nearly 14 years ago, however, Canada provided Scotland with a significant turning point. The Scots beat them 22-6, Damian Cronin scoring a try and Hastings slotting five penalties and a conversion, and they then went on to beat Ireland, France (with the famous Toony Flip and Hastings try in Paris) and Wales before losing a Grand Slam decider at Twickenham. They set a then scoring record in the championship of 87 points, and Hastings a new points record with 56.

Hastings remembers the Canada Test all-too-clearly. He said: "My abiding memory – and it might be similar this weekend – was the absolutely desperate weather, with sleet and snow throughout the game.

"But the Canada Test was certainly a big catalyst for us. That game allowed us the opportunity to get a victory after a very disappointing run. We played well enough to get back to winning ways, and it gave us confidence to go on and prove we were good enough to contest another Grand Slam, and even though we didn't win it, that was a magic end to my last Five Nations."

At the other end of the career spectrum were Eric Peters, Dave Hilton and Stuart Campbell, who made their debuts against Canada. Peters, now based in London with King Sturge, was at last week's match at Murrayfield and shared in Scotland's frustrations at running the Springboks close without winning.

He said: "A game like this is important for the Scottish team. They've been playing quite well, but have lost a few big games now and that was definitely a great chance missed against the Springboks last week. When you lose week in, week out it can seep into your mentality without you realising, to a point where you almost expect to lose. Conversely when you win you almost expect to when you play the next game.

"In 1995, quite a few of us were coming through together and the Canada game provided a real springboard for everyone. The senior side had had a bad run and I think the guys that came in were maybe not quite as run-down from the series of defeats as the others, and were very positive.

"Actually, in 1998-99, it was similar again. We had lost seven on the trot, including to South Africa, when we had to play World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Portugal. We won them quite easily and they gave us an opportunity to run through our backs moves successfully.

"The pack had been providing reasonable ball, but the defeats I think had affected the backs' confidence. We got through a lot in those easier games, scored tries, and the confidence counted in the more pressure situations in the following Five Nations as we scored a record number of points.

"So, sometimes it's good to have a slightly easier game to dominate and express yourself, rather than always be under intense pressure.

"It can work conversely as well and you lower yourself to the standard you're playing, so it's important they try to keep their standards where they were against South Africa."

Hastings added: "I hope the guys can go out and win well, and use this game the same way we did all those years ago. Scotland need to get back to winning ways, and need to learn to score tries because I think we've got out of the habit of that, and you struggle to win Test matches with just one try now.

"But if you can score, you are capable of beating anyone – if we had got two last week we'd have beaten South Africa.

"If that midfield axis of Mike Blair, Phil Godman, Nick De Luca and Ben Cairns moves on from this weekend positively they will have some great Heineken Cup games in which to move up to the next level, and that will be good for Edinburgh but also for Scotland in 2009."