Rugby: Moffat targets a trophy

Published on Friday 17 July 2009 10:32

ROB MOFFAT today targeted a Celtic League rugby title for Edinburgh as the 52-year-old former assistant set out his stall as the club's new head coach.

Savouring a move that gives Moffat the chance to draw on experiences of briefly holding the reins when he opened the professional era in charge of now defunct Borders 13 years ago, he said the time was right for both himself and Edinburgh to strike out.

"The way I look at it, we have to move on and the natural direction after finishing second last year is to win the league," he said while quickly qualifying those remarks.

"While I'd be disappointed if there is not a trophy to show for next season, we will have to play well and, of course, a bit of luck with injuries will be needed.

"But this club – and I believe we are more of a club than ever before – is well set up with facilities.

"We are up there with anyone in the world in terms of pitches, medical back-up and so on whereas at the start of the pro era Scotland's teams were looking to follow others. In that respect alone, everything has changed from when I was last a head coach.

"In those days players were adjusting from two or three nights a week to full time training. Things have moved on a lot but I've maintained a link with the professional game helped by working with outstanding coaches including Riche Dixon (at Glasgow) who maybe didn't get enough credit for his abilities at times. Put together Riche and others like Andy Robinson, Jim Telfer and Tony Gilbert, who was assistant to the All Blacks before joining the (reformed] Borders, and that is a lot of knowledge I've been exposed to.

"If I hadn't got the Edinburgh job – after making up my mind to apply as soon as I heard Andy Robinson was stepping up – I would have been happy to play a supporting role but I now have the chance to develop some outstanding potential in our ranks."

Moffat toured with Scotland as a winger to the Far East in 1977 without getting a cap call. "I seem to remember people referring to me as unfulfilled potential allowing for the fact I was around the Melrose club in the same position as Keith Robertson who never played a bad game for Scotland," he recalls. "Although I never look back with regrets, maybe that is why I always want to get the best out of every player I work with."

Among those Moffat has coached from when he was a schoolboy is Chris Paterson, the Scottish cap record holder. That is a situation that could lead – inevitably – to accusations of being over-familiar with the dressing-room and even the fact that his appointment from within represented 'buggins turn'. Typically, Moffat responded positively, saying: "That will never really bother me. I'm a pretty strong character."

Again, Moffat regards the fact that he has known many of the squad from age-group rugby days as a major bonus rather than something that might have required him to distance himself from the team for a while in order to generate more authority.

"The fact that lads like Chris played his best-ever rugby last season and so did two or three of our older players says it all."

As for the two Edinburgh players returning from Lions tour duty – Mike Blair and Ross Ford – Moffat intends that while they are properly rested, the knowledge they gained in South Africa will be milked for the benefit of the team.

"I'm delighted that Ross not only played in a Test but in a winning Lions Test and it could be that, aged 24, he'll make a further couple of tours. As for Mike, he led by example to earn his place but I'll have a chat with him before deciding on a captain."

There is a case that Blair should be left to consolidate his international place without added responsibility. Moffat says: "I'll have an open mind when speaking with Mike when he returns from holiday and it is reassuring that there are five or six players more than capable of captaining Edinburgh."

When it comes to integrating Edinburgh with the traditional club scene we are talking about someone who can be seen most Saturday afternoons at a Premiership match.

"When it comes to being a coach representing rugby in Edinburgh I take pleasure from having taught Bruce Aitchison, who is now at Watsonians, while Stewart's Melville's Graeme Moffat and Heriot's Bob McKillop are both regulars at our training sessions.

"Bob is one of those guys who's delighted to see one of his players getting a chance at the higher level and what also helps is the number of Edinburgh players including Andy Kelly, Ally Hogg, John Houston and Scott Newlands who are coaching on the club scene. That should further help to take Edinburgh forward."

Moffat's days at Melrose were marked with Championship success though he reveals he stepped in there almost by chance.

"There was one occasion when the 3rd team were looking for someone to assist their coach Mike Bleasdale and being a PE teacher I thought it quite natural to get involved trying to pass on any knowledge I'd acquired. Things just developed from there."

Now Moffat will himself be looking to play a part in appointing assistants who almost certainly will come from the club scene.

Already being mentioned are Gregor Townsend and Peter Wright, ensuring there is a homespun feel to an Edinburgh team with an international edge.

ROB PREPARES TO TAKE THINGS TO A NEW LEVEL

ROB MOFFAT toured the Far East with Scotland as a winger in 1977 out of the Melrose club – although no caps were awarded – and helped guide Melrose to a hat-trick of Scottish club titles from 1991-94.

In 1996, he gave up his job as head PE teacher at Galashiels Academy to enter the fledgling professional game with Borders before being transferred to Glasgow in 1998 when the Borders were merged with Edinburgh.

Moffat coached the Scotland sevens team at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games and was assistant to Tony Gilbert at the revived Borders team. He then joined Edinburgh when Borders closed for a second time three years ago initially working as assistant to Lynn Howells.

As well as his Edinburgh role, he has led Scotland A to the final of the Churchill Cup in North America in 2008. and coached Scotland under-20s in the world championships in Japan this year.