Rugby: Scots seeking revenge not a French revolution

Published on Tuesday 8 December 2009 08:52

SCOTLAND club international coach Ally Donaldson believes that continuity will be key in the forthcoming encounters with France and Ireland.

The Currie supremo, pictured below, has been reappointed to the senior coaching role and will again be assisted by Selkirk's Kevin Barrie, with Dundee High coach Ian Rankin as team manager. That trio took charge for the defeat by just a single point to France in Rouen and a comfortable 31-18 win over Ireland at Myreside last season.

And Donaldson also expects to have some familiar faces in key positions when he names his side for the Scots' encounter with their French counterparts at Gala's Netherdale ground on Friday, 5 February with free admission for supporters.

The team will then travel to play Ireland on Friday, 19 March.

He explained, "Although the team is not set, some of the positions are pretty much decided. We will have a few of the same guys at the core of the team and we think that having some continuity certainly helps. But there are also some guys who have been playing really well for their clubs this season and they have forced their way into the squad."

Initially, Donaldson and his colleagues have opted for just over 30 players and that number will eventually be trimmed to form the final squad for the clash with France. The current group has been formed on the basis of advice from club coaches.

"There weren't really many names on the list that we didn't expect," he added. "But it was interesting to see the names that the coaches came up with. We asked them to nominate players from other clubs rather than from their own. We were impressed by the names and it was obvious that the coaches were all very honest with their comments."

Selection criteria preclude the selection of players involved in the national Under 20 squad and those who have had a professional contract in the past 12 months. As a result, some of those who have set the Premiership alight this season are not eligible.

That situation means that, while many of the players who served their country well last season will be in the reckoning again this time around, there will be some new faces when the line up is finally revealed.

Donaldson concedes that his involvement last year was a step into the unknown, with preparations for the trip to meet France particularly difficult.

"We didn't have a clue about the standard they would be at," he added. "They had guys who had been pros the previous year. We lost 13-12 but the game gave us a lot of confidence. There was a big crowd and a great atmosphere. That showed that the best club players in Scotland are able to raise their game.

"What it proved to me was just how much it meant to these guys and how important it was to them to be pulling on a Scotland jersey. It is a really big thing to be asked to play for your country. They all bought into the concept."

Donaldson, who has underlined his coaching credentials by guiding Currie to top spot in the Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership, is happy to be working with Barrie, who was assistant at Malleny Park while Donaldson was cutting his teeth as a coach with the club's second team.

"We know each other very well and we get on fine which is great," he added. "That certainly helps."

The coaches are currently working with the initial squad on Monday evenings as they continue their build up and the players will have a chance on Boxing Day to stake their claim for a place in the final squad. The club side will perform under the guise of the Co-optimists against Edinburgh Accies at Raeburn Place.

"We have 30 odd players in the squad at the moment," Donaldson explained. "We have another couple of training sessions and then we will cut the squad. We are hoping to have as many players as possible involved over the next few weeks. We have chosen Mondays because a lot of the guys will pick up knocks playing for their clubs on a Saturday.

"Once we've decided on a squad to play France, we'll do some more intensive preparations. It's a Friday night game at Netherdale and I hope we can get a decent crowd for it.

"We had a lot of people watching us at Myreside last year and it would be great if we could get that again in Gala."