Rugby: Vernon's pool of knowledge started by guru Grant

Published on Thursday 12 November 2009 08:35

TEARAWAY flanker Richie Vernon has dedicated his first inclusion in Scotland's rugby squad to the late, lamented coach of an Edinburgh club team.

If, as expected, Vernon gets off the bench for his first cap against Fiji at Murrayfield in Saturday's opening Bank of Scotland Corporate Autumn Test, then part of the credit will go, he says, to Stewart's-Melville guru Grant Mackenzie, who died 18 months ago.

"Taking the step between school and senior rugby is always difficult but Grant helped me when I came down from Dundee High to study medicine at Edinburgh University," said Vernon, now 22 and a professional with Glasgow Warriors.

"Partly joining Stew-Mel was down to being pointed in their direction by national academy coach Colin Robertson (a policy existed of having top prospects turn out in Division One] but I also knew their reputation for nurturing young talent and players like Dave McCall and Andy Easson, both now pros, were friends who played there.

"Stew-Mel played a really good brand of rugby and have never been scared of playing young talent. They took a pride in bringing players through and Grant was at the heart of that as a great coach and a nice guy which was why I was delighted to be assigned to them.

"The following year I got an apprenticeship at (now defunct] Border Reivers and it was on the back of an amazing experience at Stew-Mel.

"That was the 2005-06 season when we actually won more matches than we lost but ended up being relegated only due to a lack of bonus points.

"Trouble was we didn't realise until halfway through what a great blend of youth and experience we had and by the time we started stringing wins together it was too late.

"I've continued to keep an eye out for Stew-Mel and, although they are currently bottom of the Premiership, results have started to improve.

"So, given their record of player development I'm wondering if history will repeat itself and they suddenly take off up the table although this time far enough to be able to avoid the drop."

Those who remember Vernon, who will also cover second-row this weekend, rampaging around Inverleith knew it was only a matter of time before he stepped up to the pro ranks, although the player himself revealed it was touch and go whether he would put rugby or medical studies first.

The decision provoked a lot of soul-searching.

Vernon said: "I had long chats with former schoolmate Colin Goudie (a Scottish clubs' internationalist, now at Heriot's] who is also studying medicine in Edinburgh and decided that, if I wanted to fulfil my cap ambition, I had to suspend the university course.

"I told myself that, if ever I felt I wasn't going to make it to the highest level in rugby with Scotland, I'd go back to my books.

"Events over the last couple of weeks in being called into the squad and then named on the bench suggest for the moment things have worked out for me but I want to go back to a medical career at some point."

There is now only the short distance from bench to touchline to be spanned by the 6ft 5in and 14st 10lb Vernon, who admits that he can draw on an appetiser so far as Test rugby is concerned. He said: "I count the first day of the IRB Emirates Sevens at Murrayfield in May as one of my most enjoyable in rugby as I helped Scotland get off to a good start in the two-day tournament before being injured.

"To be part of a Scotland team, albeit at sevens, with the home crowd right behind has given me some insight to the big occasion although I know things will be on a higher level this weekend."

To an extent, Vernon is ahead of more experienced colleagues about what to expect.

"I've been part of a Scotland sevens team who were two tries up on Fiji at the Twickenham tournament last year with a minute remaining only to lose out.

"If there is any team that can bridge the gap between sevens and 15-a-sides it is Fiji because in both concepts they rely on testing the opposition individually with good runners.

"They are all big athletes who like staying on their feet."

Is it an omen that the last time Scotland and Fiji clashed at Murrayfield in the 2008 IRB sevens the home side managed a memorable first-ever win against them although on that occasion Vernon was in the squad but missed out?

The suspicion is that it has only made a man who can truly be said to be representing all of rugby Scotland with links to Caledonia, Edinburgh, Borders and Glasgow, all the more determined to claim Fiji's scalp this weekend and what's certain is they'll be cheering him every step of the way at Stewart's-Melville.