Rugby: Maltman aims to hit the heights at Heriot's

Published on Tuesday 15 September 2009 09:45

MIKE MALTMAN is on the fast track to rugby prominence with specialist sprint training helping the 19-year-old back row prospect become one of the early eye- catchers in the Scottish Hydro Premiership.

Although Heriot's crashed to their third straight defeat, to Watsonians, last time out that was hardly the fault of a player who joined this season from Musselburgh and whose contribution was summed up afterwards by colleague Colin Goudie, saying: "To turn up pre-season and see someone Mike's size then find out he is four or five years younger then me was scary.

"Mike is a really good player and with (under-20 cap] Chris Fusaro back next week it will be interesting to see how they run together."

The fact that Heriot's are only days away from being able to recall individuals required to rest after summer world championships will certainly offer encouragement and Maltman shares in the optimism that better times lie ahead.

"I made up my mind to join Heriot's as soon as Musselburgh were relegated to Division Three last season and I've settled in well helped by training with both the national academy and East Institute of Sport.

"Having said that, it was invaluable as an 18-year-old to be playing in Division Two and learning from some experienced players. Regardless of where I played, one thing I had to work on was my pace and conditioning coach Neil Crosbie has helped me get my time for 40 metres down to 5.18 seconds which is a big improvement on last year."

The sight of Maltman battering his way across the gain-line after hitting the ball at speed on at least three occasions was surely the silver-lining for Heriot's but the 6ft 1in and 102 kg (16st 1lb) flanker is careful not to get carried away even though Graham Shiel, the former Scotland centre and coach at the national academy where he trains one day each week, was looking on from the stand.

"I maybe gave a scoring pass to Jamie Syme but I also knocked on a couple of times," says Maltman, adding: "There's plenty to work on but I'm convinced I'm in the right place to keep improving and, from the moment I settled into pre-season work, I became aware that Heriot's play a similar style to that I experienced representing Scotland at various age-groups.

"I knew Bob McKillop as a coach from the Scotland age-group set up (Maltman has caps at under-17, 18 and 19 level), which made my move easier and I also spoke beforehand with Grant Talac, who played at Musselburgh and also with Heriot's.

"What has helped me most of all was the way the tactics were geared to trying to get the ball into my hands and I appreciated being at the heart of things against Watsonians.

"Without the help I received at Portobello mini-rugby when persuaded to go along by a pal, Declan Slaven – who still plays for Musselburgh – I wouldn't have started out in the game.

"Then Musselburgh gave me the chance to play in four separate teams that reached Scottish age-group finals at Murrayfield.

"So, there are a few people to be grateful to on making it into Division One.

"But the important thing at Heriot's is for us all to put our heads down and get a win, starting at Boroughmuir on Saturday."

Many have expressed fears that Heriot's will struggle against full-time professionals in the forthcoming British and Irish Cup but Maltman is approaching the competition positively.

"I see the B&I cup as not only a chance to experience a higher level of rugby but also an opportunity to get noticed."

Heriot's are drawn in a section that also comprises Munster A, Nottingham, Coventry, Neath and Bristol, who have won both their opening English national league outings.

Maltman added: "I've a couple of years of a technology design course at Edinburgh University remaining and I'd really love to earn a professional contract after that so the new cup is a chance to raise my own standards.

"Of course the start of matches will coincide with trials for the Scotland under-20 squad whose world championships are in Argentina next year.

"But both the B&I Cup and World Cup carry plenty of significance and I'm sure the correct balance will be achieved regarding availability."

So far as Goudie is concerned, Heriot's have proved capable of establishing territorial gains but just need to be more clinical in the opposition half.

"When we were in Watsonians' 22 we would get three-point penalties (four times) but that isn't the same as seven-point tries.

"If you add up the number of times we were in that situation that would have made a big difference even turning some of these chances into tries.

At least Heriot's are scoring tries – seven so far – but one major worry is the loss of former professional Marc Teague with a shoulder injury which could keep him out well into the new year with stand off Rory Hutton likely to be another long-term casualty.

As well as Chris Fusaro, though, also due back are hooker Finlay Gillies and flanker Struan Dewar.