Ruaridh Jackson brimming with confidence and ready to call shots for Glasgow

Published on Thursday 24 March 2011 18:54

RUARIDH Jackson's development as an international stand-off will continue back in Glasgow colours tonight as he seeks to put into practise lessons learned from his first RBS Six Nations Championship.

The 23-year-old made his first three Test starts for Scotland in the past month and has told Glasgow coach Sean Lineen that despite a minor knock suffered in the win over Italy he is fit and ready to go straight back into action at Firhill against Ulster tonight.

He is probably also mindful of the competition he faces from teenage rival Duncan Weir, who has returned from a serious shoulder injury suffered playing for Scotland A in November. Jackson takes his place and DTH van der Merwe, who signed a new two-year deal this week, comes in for Hefin O'Hare.

Announcing his line-up yesterday, Lineen said: "To have the Scotland No 10 back is really encouraging. He had a slight bang on his leg but it is fine. He is raring to go and is calling the shots this week; straight back into it with the confidence of playing the last two games for Scotland, which has helped him a lot.

"Ruaridh has always had the ability but we always seem to want things to be done in a hurry in Scotland and it takes a while. You look at Jonny Sexton, you look at the other young tens and the environment they are in and you can see that it takes time. Ruaridh is becoming more composed and making more good decisions. At international level you do not have much space to operate so you have to make those decisions very quickly, and what I was really pleased about in the Six Nations was that some of his kicking from hand was outstanding while his passing game was quick, effective and accurate. I was really pleased for him.

"I always knew he had the capacity to play international rugby. I remember his first game down at Bath a few years ago when he played well, but you have got to remember that he played well because he got two intercepts. The game was okay but what made him stand out was having the audacity to go for the intercepts in what was an opening game.

"I remember the first time I saw him was playing schoolboy rugby at Murrayfield in the sevens on the back pitches and I liked what I saw. He was confident and prepared to have a go but you have got to remember he is young. Give him time and he will just get better and better."

Glasgow are missing forwards Alastair Kellock, Richie Gray, John Barclay, Dougie Hall, Tom Ryder and Calum Forrester to a mix of injury and rest, and backs Rob Dewey, Max Evans and Colin Shaw to injury.Graeme Morrison is back in training, but not yet ready to play and scrum-half Chris Cusiter is not expected to be back to action until next month.

Lineen has restored Richie Vernon to No 8, after the youngster had fleeting roles in Scotland's Six Nations, dropping Johnnie Beattie to the bench, which means Ryan Wilson stays in the team with James Eddie patrolling the blindside and Robert Harley taking over from Tom Ryder in the second row.

Beattie played last week against Treviso, but Wilson won the 'Man of the Match' award and while Beattie is still working his way back to full fitness and form the competition is heating up again in the back row.

Wilson is clearly delighted, insisting it provided him with a huge confidence boost. He said: "Johnnie had a pretty good game last week as well, but I felt I had been quite consistent in how I have played so fair play to Sean for keeping me in there.

"I think I have been taking my chances so it shows that whether or not you are a Scotland No 8 it (selection] should be on performances. That is what I am sticking at and I have been trying to do my best. I think I have earned the chance so I have another week to improve myself and make sure that I am impressing and trying to keep the shirt."

He did admit, however, that it was strange to wear the No 7 jersey after filling the No 6 and No 8 ones in the past. "Last week was the first time I have ever played seven, but I enjoyed it. It was a bit more tackling then you are used to but I got through it pretty well and won the man-of-the-match as well, which is quite a bonus for coming through a match you were playing a position that you have never played before.

"All I could do was watch Barclay's game and see what he did. It was important to get off first phase and make your tackles and then the rest of the game is pretty simple. It was good fun. But eight is my position. Sean has said to me before "you are an eight" and I prefer eight."

Ulster have introduced six new faces with Irish players Tom Court and Paddy Wallace joining Scotland internationalist Simon Danielli in the starting team, while Rory Best takes a place on the bench. Andrew Trimble picked up a slight quad injury playing for Ireland and is unavailable. Paul Marshall is included at scrum-half and Springbok Ruan Pienaar moves to stand-off as a result.New Glasgow signing Tommy Seymour starts on the wing with Lineen insisting that he hopes he keeps his try- scoring form under wraps now until next season.