Rugby: Morgan wants ruthless streak from next Scotland boss

Published on Tuesday 21 April 2009 10:21

FORMER Scotland rugby coach Dougie Morgan has called for the next incumbent to the hot seat to be more "hard nosed and ruthless" as the search to replace Frank Hadden intensifies.

Applications for the job have now closed and, so far, the only individual to publicly throw his hat into the ring is Mike Brewer who is coming to the end of his first season in charge of the forwards. Edinburgh coach Andy Robinson is believed to have applied last night.

"What Scotland need is someone who is a bit more hard-nosed and ruthless because we have just been kind of drifting through the last few years," said Morgan, 62.

"Frank spoke about development and having a young team. But players can only be young for so long and development means something happening. Nothing did happen. Selection was wrong at the start of this Six Nations and had an effect on Mike Blair who suffered through having too much onus on him as captain and scrum half.

"The back-line didn't go too well either as there is still a need for more of a cutting edge in terms of try-scoring. As for the forwards, it especially comes down to attitude and there are big boys there who should be able to do more."

Coincidentally, mental toughness was the theme of a recent interview in which Brewer set out his stall.

Morgan, who captained Scotland, toured with the Lions and both coached and managed the national side in occupying a place at the heart of the game for over two decades, knows the scene better than most. But, while Brewer's comments will strike a chord, it is Edinburgh mentor Robinson who gets Morgan's vote.

"A hard-nosed attitude comes down to personality and either you have it or you don't.

"I don't know too much about Mike Brewer but I know that Andy Robinson has done a good job with Edinburgh and has coached internationally with England so I'd endorse the view that he is front runner," said ex-Stewart's-Melville scrum half, Morgan.

But while Morgan has come out in favour of Robinson, another former Scotland guru, David Johnston, is questioning the need for an international supremo at a time when there are two super-team coaches on the payroll of Scottish Rugby who also control the national side.

"Things seemed to work all right in Argentina last year when the respective Edinburgh and Glasgow coaches, Andy Robinson and Sean Lineen, travelled as assistants. By making the Scotland post part of the Edinburgh/Glasgow assignment you take into account the fact that there are usually around two thirds of the international match day pool of 22 players from a combination of those teams. Also, on those occasions when there are Celtic League matches coinciding with the Six Nations or Autumn Tests that would mean an opportunity for an aspiring coach to have a spell in charge and that is welcome because there isn't much by way of a coaching ladder here."

Having drafted a paper on the future direction of Scottish rugby around the start of the pro era – by and large it was ignored by the establishment – former Test centre Johnston, from Watsonians, is more aware than most of the importance of the structure required to complement a successful international team.

Johnston believes these are worrying times with the base of the professional game restricted to a couple of teams while insisting that the Scotland job remains attractive.

"The problem I have found when attending Edinburgh games is that no matter how attractive the rugby – count the Heineken European Cup match with London Wasps as a rare exception because it was absolutely dire – the fixture list is so bitty. I have come away feeling entertained by Edinburgh only to learn there isn't another home match for six weeks."

The message is that against that environment it is difficult to generate the terracing passions that keep players on their toes and attract investors.

As for the likely quality of applicant, Johnston says: "The job offers a platform to perform at the highest level in Northern Hemisphere rugby so must be attractive to an ambitious coach.

"But it is certainly a challenge especially while the club game is struggling – yes, there are great games but crowds are down – in a way that suggests standards being achieved elsewhere have passed Scotland by."