Rugby: Blair looking for benchmark

Published on Friday 27 November 2009 08:40

SCOTLAND co-captain Mike Blair will head for Murrayfield tomorrow still nursing a damaged ankle which puts him out of the concluding Autumn Test with Argentina but hoping to draw immense comfort from seeing the national side come of age.

And, at the heart of a team seeking a third straight victory in the Bank of Scotland Corporate sponsored series to add to the scalps of Fiji and Australia, will be debutant flanker Alan Macdonald whom Blair, in his capacity as Edinburgh skipper, has seen blossom to earn his opportunity.

"Where we have to learn is from having had good one-off wins in the past but consistency is what international rugby is about," said Blair, who is unable to predict whether he might be fit to return to Edinburgh colours when the Magners Celtic League resumes next Friday at Llanelli.

What the scrum-half is certain about, though, is that Macdonald has the capability to cause a stir on the big stage.

"I'm really chuffed for Alan Macdonald in particular," said Blair.

"He had a cracking season with Edinburgh in 2008-09 and has really backed that up.

"Being capped is a great reward for the effort Alan has put in."

The emergence of Macdonald will take the number of capped players in the Edinburgh squad to 17, including Kyle Traynor who has also taken his chance during the current series.

Speaking at the draw for the later stages of the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools Cup, Blair paid tribute to Traynor, who is on the bench tomorrow.

He said: "If you had said to Kyle a year ago that he would be getting his chance he would have been as shocked as anyone. He has worked hard and taken an opportunity which arose when Allan Jacobsen was injured at Edinburgh.

"Kyle has shown he is capable of playing well at the top level."

Similarly Blair has looked on with admiration at the way Phil Godman has piloted Scotland from stand-off.

"Phil's in a bit of a groove at the moment and that's what you get from receiving backing.

"Being the only recognised stand-off means he can play well and continue in the position with a huge ring of confidence."

In making those assessments Blair says he benefited from being invited to sit alongside coaches as the Aussies were defeated last weekend.

"I was there for experience and to let the coaches know what I was seeing.

"They were learning about me and I was learning about them in terms of analysing the game.

"Some of the decision making by Phil Godman and the back three players was spot on and it was the same when Chris Paterson came off the bench.

"I learned that, if you see something is 'on' from the easier position of the stand, and the players are in the process of making it happen then their reading of the game is correct.

"An example was Chris Paterson's drop goal which showed the team were making the right calls."

On his own position as co-captain Blair said: "The role is about seamlessness from one co-captain to another. We've not seen the best of it because of my injury but I can recognise the positivity in the way it is set up.

"Also, when Rory Lawson came on (for the other co-captain Chris Cusiter) you could see he was a leader in his own right.

"His kicking got us out of a lot of sticky situations and the seamlessness comes into it again when substitutions are made with guys like Chris Paterson and Jason White among those able to come off the bench."

Interestingly, Scotland coach Andy Robinson this week said if the game of rugby wants to become even more attractive there is a case for reducing the number of subs from seven to five.

"The game is about identifying space and then playing in it but we are filling the field with big, fast men who don't have to worry about tiring and creating space for the opposition because they know they will be replaced off the bench."

But Robinson, in giving his views to The Guardian newspaper was careful to protect the value of having the likes of White and Paterson around as he made clear by adding: "Rather than increase the replacements from seven to eight I would reduce the bench with only two front row subs.

"If that means uncontested scrums then the side causing uncontested scrums would drop down to 14 men."

So far in the victories over Fiji and Australia this Autumn the coach's decisiveness has been impeccable although he would be the first to admit that a bit of breathing space on the scoreboard would be welcome.

Here a bit of extra insight into the man he termed "the best No.8 in the world" Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe himself would not go amiss but one player with an inside tack on the player is Sean Lamont, who says: "My brother, Rory, (the Scotland full back) also plays at Toulon where Fernandez Lobbe seems to do everything.

"He carries the ball really strongly and chases kicks so that it appears he is absolutely everywhere.

"His engine is incredible. Not only does he keep running but with power as well.

"He's an all-round, dynamic No.8 and definitely one player we need to contain."

If Scotland indeed do a containing job on Fernandez Lobbe, then they will be well on the way to a third successive win for the first time since 2002, but the threat from the Argentinian is also recognised by co-captain Blair, who says: "Argentina haven't changed a huge amount in the last few years. They are a gutsy team who are very committed at the breakdown and will try to make a mess of your position, partly by aerial bombardment, while they have one of the best players in the world in Fernandez Lobbe.

"They are going to need a fair bit of calming down and key will be holding on to the ball a bit more and putting pressure on the opposition given the prospect of better weather conditions this weekend."

Up in the stands nobody will be urging the team on more than Blair whose generous remarks, particularly to rival scrum-half Rory Lawson, clearly indicate that while tactics and performances may be a work in progress, when it comes to harmony and camaraderie the Scotland squad appear to be at world class level.

• The Predictor: Guess the outcome of Scotland v Argentina

The Teams

SCOTLAND

15. R LAMONT (Toulon)

Age 27. Caps 21. 6ft 2in. 15st 1lb. 30pts

14. S LAMONT (Scarlets)

Age 28. Caps 39. 6ft 2in. 16st. 35pts

13. GROVE (Worcester)

Age 21. Caps 2. 5ft 11in. 13st 11lb.

12. CAIRNS (Edinburgh)

Age 24. Caps 7. 6ft. 13st 6lb. 5pts

11. T EVANS (Glasgow)

Age 24. Caps 7. 6ft 2in. 14st 4lbs. 30pts

10. GODMAN (Edinburgh)

Age 27. Caps 19. 5ft 10in. 13st 4lbs. 59pts

9. CUSITER (Glasgow) captain

Age 27. Caps 47. 5ft 10in. 13st 6lbs. 15pts

1. JACOBSEN (Edinburgh)

Age 31. Caps 39. 5ft 10in. 17st 9lb

2. FORD (Edinburgh)

Age 25. Caps 32. 6ft 1in. 17st 5lb. 10pts

3. LOW (Glasgow)

Age 24. Caps 4. 6ft 2in. 17st 12lb

4. HINES (Leinster)

Age 33. Caps 60. 6ft 7in. 18st 9lb. 10pts

5. KELLOCK (Glasgow)

Age 27. 19 caps. 6ft 8in. 18st

6. STROKOSCH (Gloucester)

Age 26. 13 caps. 6ft 3in. 16st 6lbs. 5pts

8. BEATTIE (Glasgow)

Age 24. Caps 6. 6ft 4in. 16st 10lb. 5pts

7. MACDONALD (Edinburgh)

Age 24. Debut cap. 6ft 2in. 16st.

Substitutes: 16 Dougie Hall (Glasgow), 17 Kyle Traynor (Edinburgh), 18 Jason White (Clermont Auvergne), 19 Richie Vernon (Glasgow), 20 Rory Lawson (Gloucester), 21 Chris Paterson (Edinburgh), 22 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh).

ARGENTINA

15. AGUILA (Brive)

Age 25. Caps 21. 5ft 10in. 13st 12lbs. 15pts

14. BORGES (Albi)

Age 29. Caps 29. 5ft 10in. 12st 8lb. 55pts

13. TIESI (Harlequins)

Age 24. Caps 22. 6ft. 14st 6lbs. 35pts

12. RODRIGUES (Rosario)

Age 29. Caps 2. 6ft 1in. 14st 5lbs. 25pts

11. ARAMBURU (Dax)

Age 29. Caps 21. 6ft. 15st 2lbs. 40pts

10. FERNANDEZ (Hindu)

Age 23. Caps 6. 5ft 11in. 12st 11lbs. 3pts

9. LALANNE (London Irish)

Age 26. Caps 4. 5ft 8in. 12st 6lbs

1. AYERZA (Leicester)

Age 26. Caps 25. 6ft 1in. 16st 10lbs. 5pts

2. VERNET BASUALDO (Toulouse)

Age 27. Caps 12. 5ft 11in. 17st 2lbs

3. SCELZO (Clermont Auvergne).

Age 33. Caps 46. 6ft 2in. 19st. 45 pts

4. CARIZZA (Biarritz)

Age 25. Caps 13. 6ft 7in. 17st 13lbs. 5pts

5. ALBACETE (Toulouse)

Age 28. Caps 34. 6ft 6in. 18st 2lbs. 5pts

6. CAMPOS (Montauban)

Age 26. Caps 6. 6ft 4in. 16st 7lbs. 5pts

8. FERNANDEZ LOBBE (Toulon) captain

Age 27. Caps 32. 6ft 3in. 16st 3lbs. 15pts

7. ABADIE (Rovigo)

Age 24. Caps 4. 6ft 3in. 16st 11lbs. 5pts

Substitutes: Augustin Creevy, Rodrigo Roncero, Esteban Lozada, Tomas Leonardi, Agustin Figuerloa, Benjamin Urdapilleta, Horacio San Martin.

Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)

SUBSTITUTE WHITE IS STILL JUAN TO WATCH FOR THE ARGENTINIANS

ARGENTINIAN talisman Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe is worried by the absence of an old friend from the Scotland side he'll face in tomorrow's final Autumn test at Murrayfield, writes BILL LOTHIAN.

Drawing on his time at Sale Sharks before joining Toulon Fernandez Lobbe said: "When I realised Jason White was not starting I imagined that the Scottish back row must be really, really good."

Fernandez Lobbe added: "Jason is amazing. A great player but most of all a great lad. I was very happy I was able to play with him for three years. He is going to have a big impact so we have to be ready

White, who has 76 caps, came off the bench after 47 minutes last weekend to help set up then protect the victory margin against Australia.

Fernandez Lobbe was described by Scotland coach Andy Robinson as "the best No.8 in the world" this week but played down the tribute, saying: "There are a lot of amazing players in my position including Jamie Heaslip of Ireland and England's James Haskell, while Rodney Soi'oialo of the All Blacks is amazing over the ball and Ryan Jones is the soul of Wales."