Rugby: Gemmell sure he can go from Sevens up to a bigger stage

Published on Tuesday 2 June 2009 10:16

SCOTLAND sevens coach Stevie Gemmell has revealed he is ready and willing to swap the abbreviated game for an increased role in professional 15-a-sides.

Murrayfield bosses are preparing to announce a new national coach with Andy Robinson the hot favourite and that would leave an opening at Edinburgh Rugby.

And Gemmell, an ex-Wigtownshire and Kilmarnock centre, makes it clear he is ready to throw his hat into the ring.

Speaking in the wake of his side's commendable display in reaching the semi-final of the Emirates Airline/IRB sevens tournament where they lost only after extra time to series winners South Africa Gemmell responded to a question about whether he was thirsting for a crack at day-to-day 15-a-side coaching with a single word: "Undoubtedly".

Elaborating, he said: "I am a coach. I want to coach.

"If you look at my record over the past three years (with the sevens team) I think I have deserved that opportunity but there are other people who think the same."

It follows that, if part of the sevens' role is to develop players for the wider scene, then the same goes for coaches albeit Gemmell is already highly regarded as a key member of the Scottish national academy set-up. He was also part of the back-room staff for the A side's successful trip to the Churchill Cup in North America last summer.

Similarly, it is hard to escape the conclusion that Gemmell craves the chance to prove himself in an all-round capacity when he remarks: "People say it is different coaching sevens from 15s but I'm not so sure. If you speak to any of the players in the changing room who have been with me, the measure of me as a coach is what the players will say. That is how I want to be measured.

"If other people want to ask them then the players will tell them the truth, whatever that is.

"If that opens doors for me I'll push that door open. If it doesn't I'm delighted where I am. Logically a job with a pro-team would be the next step for me."

If a change is to be made at the helm of the sevens side then, realistically, this would be the time with the Commonwealth Games in Delhi just 18 months away.

Any newcomer would need time to establish himself and Gemmell hinted at a crossroads in his career.

He said: "Who knows what next year holds?

"If I'm going to move on with the sevens, great. If I'm not there is no better way to finish than with the Edinburgh tournament."

Referring to the task of replacing Frank Hadden, he added: "There are a lot of permutations obviously depending on what happens above.

"I just love coaching. If I never do it again I've had the privilege of coaching my country.

"Hopefully I've shown that with a good group of players we can achieve something (together]."

Meanwhile, a by-product of Scotland's strong finish to the sevens circuit, with last-four appearances at both Murrayfield and Twickenham, is that they are guaranteed to finish in the top eight-ranked Commonwealth countries thus guaranteeing a passport to the Delhi Games.

Also, a place on the next IRB circuit is secure, although Gemmell feels that there is unfinished business.

He said: "I hope people look towards the Commonwealth Games and say 'are we serious about sevens or not?'

"When we are serious as we have been in Edinburgh and London (when top stars bolstered the squad] then semi-final places happen. That is now the benchmark. Sevens are a unique opportunity to be up there at the top table of world rugby as well as developing talent.

"A top-four placing in a world tournament is something I am immensely proud of the players' achieving but it needs to be the start. We have to look seriously about player availability."

Whether Gemmell himself continues to be available will be one of the burning questions in Scottish rugby over the coming days with Robinson tipped for promotion before leading the A side to the Nations' Cup in Romania next week.

One potential stumbling block, though, could be that Rob Moffat, currently No.2 to Robinson and committed to chasing a step up himself if the opportunity arises, is also a former three- quarter.

Could two ex-backs combine successfully in the Capital cause?