Scotland led by band of Boroughs

Published on Friday 13 November 2009 09:08

A LITTLE bit of Meggetland will be transported to Murrayfield tomorrow when Scotland tackle Fiji in the opening Autumn rugby Test.

It is rare for a club to have a hand in producing successive Scotland captains but that will be the case for Edinburgh's famed Boroughmuir outfit as Chris Cusiter takes over the helm of the national side from Mike Blair.

Back in 2001-02 Blair, pictured below right, spent a season at Boroughmuir on his way up into the pro ranks which was as successful, in its way, as fellow scrum-half Cusiter's term a year later while undertaking a similar journey.

Of course, it would be foolish to pretend both players had only blue and green colours coursing through their veins as their arrival at 'Muir was more to do with the national academy system and the need to be playing Premiership Division One rugby for a spell.

Nevertheless, Cusiter, who will hand over the captaincy at some stage to substitute Blair tomorrow, has acknowledged both the debt and the uniqueness of their mutual connection, saying: "Boroughmuir was the place to go, obviously, for scrum-halves on the way up at one time.

"Mike was there the year before me and captured a Melrose sevens winners' medal while in my season we won the Premiership. Both of us had success and something to show for representing Boroughmuir."

It is almost enough to make the third scrum-half in Scotland's extended squad, Rory Lawson, venture out along Colinton Road in search of a membership application and at least Boroughmuir were spared the dilemma that confronted new Scotland coach Andy Robinson in trying to decide who is currently his first choice.

Ultimately Robinson has opted for Cusiter, although he qualified his selection by installing Blair as a co-captain, who will emerge from the bench to call the shots at some stage in a move aimed at continuity.

Such an arrangement is not, however, without its difficulties and goes well beyond which name would be engraved on the Calcutta Cup in the happy event of Scotland capturing that venerable silverware later this season! For example when will the management know when the moment has arrived for tweaking the starting line-up in tactical terms?

Cusiter says nothing has been pre-ordained and attack coach Gregor Townsend hints that this will be an occasion, more than ever, when timing is paramount.

"The importance of coaching lies in the watching of the game and what will benefit the team," says Townsend, adding: "We don't have any set time when anyone will come on and it is all to do with performance, fitness and how the game is going.

"But I'm sure it will be a tiring game and one in which we particularly need to draw on the fact it is a 22-man squad."

Townsend talks with the authority of a man who knows what it is like to be inside a Fiji dressing room. That was as a 17-year-old back in 1991. He recalls: "Fiji came to play in my Gala club's sevens tournament and we shared a changing room with them. They were all huge athletes even if one of my main memories is of the players sitting shivering with cold under blankets between ties!"

Nothing has happened in the interim years to persuade Townsend that Fiji will do anything other than seek to exploit their athleticism and physique.

"Compared with a few years ago Fiji are no longer inclined to start well and then fade. The fact new development programmes have been put in place in their homeland and many of their team are now Europe-based has seen to that.

"Fiji were close to drawing 20-20 with (eventual winners) South Africa with 10 minutes to go of their World Cup quarter-final last time which demonstrated staying power and we have to put them under as much pressure as possible.

"Key will be getting forward momentum for our runners through quick possession and off-loads then turning the opposition when they are not expecting it.

"At the same time, if we give Fiji any easy ball, they will punish in the manner of a team who are probably the best finishers anywhere in one-on-one situations."

Such an approach finds an echo within the starting line-up with winger Sean Lamont remarking: "You never know what you are getting which is the allure of the Fijians on the world stage.

"They are not to be underestimated in any way; as if we could with Fiji (8) sitting above Scotland (9) in the world rankings.

"We have to impose our game and hopefully stifle theirs."

If that sounds like Scotland are geared to being party poopers flanker and pack leader Ally Strokosch is in no doubt about priorities, stating in typical no-nonsense style. He said: "We aren't going out there to have fun. We are out to win a game and whatever way we have to do it will do."

Within that Strokosch makes clear the Scots can rouse a crowd expected to be around the 30,000 mark by meeting fire with fire.

"We have to shut off their off-loads and get them on the floor," says Strokosch.

That should be sufficient to spring possession for a Scotland side who aim to be efficient according to hooker Ross Ford, a man apart as the only member of the squad to have played a Lions Test courtesy of coming off the bench against the Springboks this summer.

"We contain Fiji, we cut down their options ... and, when they have the ball, we will have to be very clinical and decisive. But we also look to play (attractive) rugby as well," says Ford.

Certainly there is a better balance to this year's Autumn Tests, sponsored by Bank of Scotland corporate, compared to 2008 when lower ranked Canada followed New Zealand and South Africa.

If the Scots can ask questions at the set-pieces and pin down the South Sea islanders then a solid platform can be achieved at the start of the Andy Robinson coaching era.

But the Scots, while expected to win, might be excused a nagging worry about the presence in the opposition camp of Mike Brewer, passed over for the Scotland job and in that regard a man who could be excused having a point to prove. He said this week: "To beat Scotland, we must have knowledge of what we want to do, knowledge of the opposition's strengths and then go out and play with intensity and accuracy both in attack and in defence. We've only had four field sessions together so that is not long, but we're done with 90 per cent of what we wanted to cover and will be ready once our final team run at Murrayfield is over."

A RARE EVENT

A SCOTLAND captain handing the baton to a player with the same club connections has occured only twice in the past 43 years.

In 2001 Scotland were skippered in subsequent Tests against Ireland and Tonga by Northampton pair Budge Pountney and Tom Smith but before that it is necessary to go back to 1966 when Iain Laughland was succeeded by fellow London Scot, Pringle Fisher.

Finlay Calder led Scotland throughout the 1989 Five Nations Championship and was followed on tour by Alex Brewster, also from Stewart's Melville, although that Japan Test was a non-cap match.

The threat from the South Sea warriors..

HAVE-BOOTS-WILL-TRAVEL could well be the motto of Fiji centre and captain Seremai Bai, 30, as he has crossed the globe picking up rugby experience that could make him the main threat to Scotland tomorrow.

Bai left his homeland a decade ago to join Eastern Suburbs in Australia before linking up with Wales' Crosskeys en route to a stint at New Zealand provincial side Southland.

Nowadays the 6ft 2in and 15st 10lb powerhouse is to be found at Clermont Auvergne turning out alongside Scotland substitute Jason White who is sure to have provided some insight to his colleague's abilities.

These will include the fact that Bai was named man-of-the-match for his try-scoring display as Clermont defeated Italian side Viadana 36-18 in the opening round of this season's Heineken European Cup before losing out narrowly at Ospreys.

After missing out on the 2003 world cup due to a reluctance to skip his New Zealand provincial rugby duties, Bai returned in 2007 and was key to Fiji defeating Wales and earning a quarter-final tie with eventual winners South Africa.

That match was a chequered occasion for Bai, who was subsequently cited and banned for a high tackle.