'I thought: this looks bad for Scottish rugby, and I'm part of it'

Published on Friday 30 March 2007 01:05

SIMON Taylor admitted he felt sorry for supporters and his team-mates when news of his impending move to French rugby emerged on the day Scotland faced Ireland in the RBS Six Nations Championship.

The 27-year-old back row had been spotted in the director's box at the Stade de France in Paris at a French league match in January, having agreed a three-year deal to join Stade Francais next season. He is out of contract in June and so was free to speak to suitors, but, unaware he had taken a seat in the director's box until the game was underway, he admitted to some embarrassment at the news emerging before he had spoken with his current employers at Edinburgh.

"It was a shame and I was very disappointed the way it came out, especially on the day of a Scotland game," he said. "I never wanted it to appear as if I was sneaking around or hiding anything from anyone; I wanted to keep it away from the Six Nations.

"My mind was set on leaving and I went there in January and decided then, but we were quickly into the championship and so I wanted to keep it quiet until after the Six Nations. I was very disappointed that people were put out by it coming out the way it did, but hopefully everything has calmed down now."

Taylor perhaps bore the brunt of public criticism at the time, more because his persona as something of a 'golden boy' of Scottish rugby - born of his looks and talent - deepened concern over the growing exodus of star talent than the fact he was leaving. Launching a new Adidas outlet in the JJB Sports shop at Hermiston Gait, on the western outskirts of Edinburgh, the Scottish star clearly attracted attention yesterday.

He is a shy character by nature, but has been a regular face in Scottish rugby's marketing and it is inestimable how many young players have been inspired by the former Morrison's Academy schoolboy. He acknowledged that the departure of so many players in one summer - around 12 internationalists are expected to leave Scotland this year - was a concern for the game in this country.

He admitted: "I had the same feeling as everyone when I discovered how many players were leaving.

"I made my own mind up for my own reasons and then, suddenly, realised all these other guys were going and thought 's***, everyone's leaving; this looks bad for Scottish rugby, and I'm part of it'.

"But it's an individual thing. Everyone will be doing what they feel is best for them; that is what I was doing. Of course, you can understand how people will get upset about it. The professional game is not going well at the moment, but I don't have that many years left in me; I've been at Edinburgh for seven years and I feel it's the right time for me to try out new things and a different type of rugby.

"The rugby is the reason I'm going there. I'm not really a big city guy, but the set-up of the club, the standard they play at and the philosophy of the coach, Fabien Galthie [the ex-France captain] is very attractive. There were other possibilities, but when I saw this opportunity I felt I should take it. What it boils down to for me is how the team play, are they a good team, does it look fun playing for them and have they good players?"

Taylor has twice turned down lucrative offers from English and French clubs in opting to sign two further contracts with Edinburgh after first joining from Heriot's in 2000. He was quick to thank Edinburgh and the SRU for their commitment to him, particularly during long-term injury rehabilitation, and is clearly hopeful that the move will help him realise the potential which earned him selection for two British and Irish Lions tours, before injury ruined both experiences.

"I believe this can only improve me as a player, and benefit Scotland, hopefully. The intensity of games and pressure every week, in front of 10,000 people screaming and banging their drums all contributes to you performing well.

"Unfortunately, at the moment, Edinburgh don't have a club stadium. Facilities at Murrayfield are fantastic but there's no getting round the fact that when you put a few thousand people in a massive stadium the atmosphere will not be as good. When we played against Gloucester in the Heineken Cup the atmosphere was better and it lifts you; it's a different feeling playing in front of a real crowd, and I'm excited about having that every week.

"I don't see how it would harm the Scotland team. Obviously, there are things like being released for training, which I have in my contract, but once you're out on the pitch that kind of thing pales. The big concern is whether the player has been training hard with his club, and is able to play better in that 80 minutes against Ireland or whoever, and the issue of whether you were released for one day three months ago becomes largely irrelevant."

He concluded: "It's a difficult time for professional rugby in Scotland, and next season will be very important for the two teams remaining, but among the international squad I think we're all quite excited about what lies ahead.

"Our confidence took a massive knock after the Italy game and I think that affected us for the next two games. But, whereas in the past we used to get blown away physically by teams and that was a worry, we have caught up in that regard and know when we go out on the field we won't get blown away or beaten up by anyone now.

"Now, it's about whether things go your way on the day or you make naive mistakes, little errors - things that can easily be fixed, rather than needing years of work. We had quite a few inexperienced players in this championship, and I know people only look at the results, but it takes time for these guys to get up to speed. I know how long it took me to get up to the pace of international rugby, but, actually, guys like Euan Murray, Rob Dewey, Dave Callam and Kelly Brown have taken to it a lot quicker than me, which is encouraging.

"I want to finish as successfully as possible with Edinburgh this season and then the focus turns to the World Cup, and everyone is excited about that because we know we can compete."