Rivalry invigorates Glasgow pair

Published on Monday 28 December 2009 22:07

THE RIVALRY between Glasgow No 8s Richie Vernon and Johnnie Beattie, now looking set to be played out through the 2010 RBS Six Nations Championship, could hardly be more closely fought for the youngsters.

• Richie Vernon has emerged as a key member of the Glasgow side and continued his rise to prominence with a superb display against Edinburgh on Sunday. Picture: Jane Barlow

The pair share a flat in Glasgow and are very good friends, Beattie, the elder at 24, helping to guide the younger Vernon, who, at 22, is still something of a rookie in rugby having turned his back on a degree in medicine only last summer.

Last month, Beattie started for Scotland and Vernon enjoyed some time off the bench at the end of the Test matches, but, back to club duty in recent weeks the tables turned as Beattie was told to rest a debilitating groin injury he played with through the autumn Tests.

Beattie had to watch on Sunday as Vernon turned in his best performance yet in a Glasgow jersey, before coming off the bench to replace the 'Man of the Match' in the last few minutes.

Vernon is certain to start again in Saturday's return at Murrayfield, his pace and athleticism a core part of Glasgow's bid to cope with Edinburgh's desire to improve on an uninspiring encounter at Firhill.

With Simon Taylor having walked away from Test rugby and Allister Hogg out injured until after the Six Nations, a door into the Scotland back row has been blown wide open.

Beattie is still the front-runner, due to his experience and form in November, but, having helped Scotland to a first win over Australia in 27 years in only his second Test match, the 6ft 5in Vernon is now intent on helping Glasgow end a nine-year wait to beat Edinburgh in the capital.

Vernon said: "We had them at home first so we knew it was really important to set the tone and come out all guns blazing, and I think we did. But last year we under-performed in the first game and then came out flying the next week, and I'm sure they (Edinburgh] will do a similar thing. We have a lot to build on but we're going to have to raise the performance level a few notches to win at Murrayfield."

While naturally pleased with his try, Vernon was disappointed that Glasgow did not use it as a springboard to a more attacking and entertaining finish to the game and he is hopeful that Glasgow will prove they can beat Edinburgh with more rugby.

It makes sense as Vernon is prominent when the ball is being moved about, and he is astute enough to know that he has to be at the heart of it again to keep his place after muscling into Glasgow's 'Killer B' back row of Beattie, John Barclay and Kelly Brown.

Barclay is impressed, however, and believes Vernon is benefiting as much from learning from the internationals around him as he is lifting the bar for them.

"Richie has always had a lot of potential," said Barclay, "but getting capped for Scotland made a difference to him as he came back to Glasgow much more vocal and more of a leader.

"It helps that he knows he has to be at the top of his game all the time to play regularly for his club. In fact, everybody in the back row at Glasgow knows competition for places is fierce, especially at No 8."

That is something that the 23-year-old flanker is acutely aware of himself after being dropped despite a fine display against Australia, as Robinson wanted to blood Alan MacDonald in the Test arena.

Roddy Grant has emerged as another openside threat in Edinburgh colours and the tension between the two seemed apparent when they were sin-binned for fighting in Sunday's first half at Firhill.

Barclay shrugged that off, stating: "I was a bit upset about it as I didn't hit anybody. There had been a bit of niggle in general and I was punched at the side of the scrum, and it all kicked off from there.

"Maybe that was the straw that broke the camel's back for the ref and he felt he needed to take action to calm things down. Maybe what happened showed there was a lot of tension during the game and everybody was fully committed, but you would not expect anything else in a game between Glasgow and Edinburgh."

Barclay was, however, disappointed to miss the Pumas match and is clearly intent on regaining his place as Scotland's no1 seven in the coming weeks.

"I thought after the win over Australia he (Robinson] would keep a winning team, so when I was told I wasn't playing it was disappointing.

"By the same token, Andy is so experienced and such a great coach you respect what he says and he must have had his reasons for making the change. Nobody is a certainty in Andy's squads because he is big on picking the guys who are on form, which is absolutely right.

"I know I must play well week in, week out, to have a shout. And not just in these two games between Glasgow and Edinburgh. There are a lot of others before the Six Nations."

The many strands of that competition for places is crucial to the Scottish teams and Scotland achieving success, and the intrigue this week will surround who in the Glasgow side can prove their consistency and who from Edinburgh rises to a new challenge of bouncing back from an opening 1872 Cup defeat.

Vernon added: "I reckon Sunday was the best I've played for Glasgow, but I do know that you have to perform every week or you don't get your top the next week.

"There are so many one-on-one match-ups across the park in these games with Edinburgh that it is hard to ignore.

"You realise who you're playing against and while you try just to play your own game that's never going to happen; it's always going to be slightly personal against Edinburgh.

"We've now gone out and won the first game, but we know it's going to be a lot tougher this weekend."