Iain Morrison: Dan Parks - the fall guy

Published on Friday 18 February 2011 19:39

Dan Parks' game doesn't fit in with Andy Robinson's style of rugby but can the coach afford change at such a crucial position, asks Iain Morrison

• Tough call: Andy Robinson has the thankless task of choosing between Dan Parks and Ruaridh Jackson. Photograph: Jane Barlow

The headline in one Dublin paper last week read: "Kidney Refuses to Press Panic Button". Well, I say each to their own. A little panic might just be what Scotland needs - a good old fashioned, hair-on-fire, shrieking stampede - because something pretty drastic is required to galvanise the men in blue after their shocker in the 24-6 loss against Wales.

Even if he hadn't witnessed his side's slow motion implosion, coach Andy Robinson would still have made changes to his team but, after the fiasco at Murrayfield, he must be sorely tempted to make 15 of them. While most selection meetings last no longer than it takes to consume a large latte and a couple of Jaffa Cakes, you get the impression that the management group will be ordering a take-away and pulling an all-nighter when they sit down to pick the 22 to face Ireland.

Among the various issues that will have been giving Robinson a sore head this week is why his Scotland team only ever performs on the bounce? They beat South Africa but only after a pummelling at the hands of the All Blacks. Sean Lamont played like a hero off the bench but why was he was on the bench? Why does the big winger need to be dropped before he finds his best form?

Euan Murray's Christian faith means that he is unavailable for the next two Sunday matches so, perhaps, he too will return to the squad with renewed gusto against Italy? In the meantime Moray Low is the obvious replacement. Since the Scots face the Pumas on a Sunday in a Rugby World Cup pool match, the softly spoken highlander has a cast-iron opportunity to cement his place as Scotland's first-choice tighthead, especially in the light of Murray's struggles in the set scrum.

Richie Gray is sure to return to the run-on XV, although Robinson will have a hard job choosing who to drop for the youngster and the skipper is not sacrosanct.

Al Kellock has done a pretty good job of leading Scotland up until now but he went missing in the first quarter when the Scots' indiscipline cost them the match against Wales.

The home team only conceded nine penalties throughout the 80 minutes but five of them came in a disastrous eight-minute spell in the first quarter and three of them resulted in points for Wales. After Shane Williams' opening score, Kellock had words with his team under the posts. In fairness he probably didn't say: "Right lads, a few meaningless penalties are just what we need right now," but it sure looked that way from the sidelines. Kellock may survive this time because he helped the Scots dismantle Ireland's lineout in Dublin last year but he won't get away with it again.

In truth he is a little unlucky. Leadership is never about one person but this Scotland team are still very young, especially in the forwards who, with a probable average age of 26, are markedly less mature and battle hardened than their likely Irish opposition (average age 29). When the two sides stand toe to toe next Sunday, the Irish can call upon Grand Slam and Heineken Cup winners in abundance. The Scots cannot and that puts a huge onus on the appointed captain.

But we've gnawed all these bones before - leadership, try-scoring, creativity, skills, indiscipline - and more than just the once. This Scotland squad resembles a fairground ride with lots of movement but is it going anywhere other than round in circles? We pundits find ourselves staring at a TV channel that only ever shows repeats and we ride the same old hobby horses time and again. All roads lead to Rome and all the big questions surrounding this Scotland squad revolve around the playmaker's shirt.

He has been excellent for so long that we almost forgot just how bloody awful Dan Parks can be. But he gave everyone a painful reminder against Wales. Scotland have tied their fortunes to the Aussie playmaker so, when he has a stinker, the team are invariably doomed.

The fly-half was charged down (by a prop forward) early in the game and that seemed to set the tone. Parks kicked aimlessly, missed tackles and, on the odd occasion he attacked the gain line with the ball in hand, he looked about as comfortable as an elephant on ice. Most of the time he hung back in his comfort zone, 15 yards behind the line. Scotland's biggest problem is attempting to play an expansive, running ball-in-hand game with a resolutely kicking fly-half.

The problem was illustrated immediately before Jamie Roberts made his break in the second half. Lamont took an inside pass from Parks that needed to be executed flat to the gain line to have any chance of breaking the Welsh line; instead the leggy back received the ball ten metres behind it. Parks can no more change his style than a leopard can change its spots.

The same could be said about Robinson who, contrary to public perception, wants his teams to attack with the ball in hand and always has done. Ever since he arrived in Scotland the coach has talked with almost missionary zeal about "moving things on" and "developing the game" and now he has the excuse and the opportunity to do just that - if he's bold enough.

What do they say about necessity being the mother of invention? Either Robinson changes Scotland's style of play or he changes his fly-half because he can't carry on squeezing a square peg into a round hole.

The coach could opt to pull in his horns, play the percentages, kick to the corners, hope the set piece functions properly and back Parks all the way to the World Cup. Alternatively he could stick with his expansive game plan and promote Ruaridh Jackson to the starting spot. It's a thankless choice.

Parks was appalling eight days ago but New Zealand is just around the corner and, if you had to pick a fly-half to help win a tight encounter against the Pumas or England, you'd pick the Aussie every time, if only for his goal kicking.

The recent A-team match against Ireland also needs to be taken into consideration. Scotland lost the first half badly because they couldn't match Ireland at running rugby. In the second 40 the forwards kept possession, Ireland failed to score a single point and Scotland ran out comfortable winners by ruthlessly executing a very limited game plan. Scotland would be in danger of playing into Ireland's hands if Jackson started throwing the ball about in the wrong areas of the field.

Anyway, five Tests before the World Cup is a little late in the day to be making major alterations to the style and shape of the national team but still Robinson will be tempted, especially if he believes that the Scottish backs offer a good deal more threat than they have showed with Parks pulling the strings. Choosing the playmaker against Ireland is so important that it may define not just this season for Robinson but his entire tenure with Scotland. If he gets it right the Englishman will be hailed a hero. The flip side doesn't bear thinking about but it will definitely involve panic, plenty of panic.