Alastair Kellock: I wanted to face Georgia, but accept Andy’s reasons

THERE were a few sore bodies around, mine included, but everyone was fit and available for selection and determined to be part of picking things up after Saturday.

Andy [Robinson] was clear about the four-day turnaround and the need to rest some guys, but he did not share that with us before the Romania game so we all came out of it eager for the team selection for Georgia and the chance to be better. Everybody wants to play. Although we got the result on Saturday that we wanted, we got the five points and you can’t get any more from one game, the performance wasn’t there.

I have been over the game, looked at my role within it and the forwards role within it, and the problems were simple – we just didn’t keep hold of possession and dictate the game the way we should have in the middle stages, and that is hugely disappointing. It wasn’t through any lack of preparation, planning, fitness or ability – that is all there – but we let it all slip for a bit and you can’t afford to do that at this level of rugby. I don’t buy into the comments that there was complacency out there. We had just been shooting ourselves in the foot with silly errors; basic rugby errors that at this level get eaten up.

Our scrum was not as bad as it seemed – there were only two or three poor ones and one handed them a try – but we didn’t stop their mauls well and, while we won the lineout comfortably, we didn’t execute drills well enough on several occasions.

I said beforehand that Romania were a good team and I knew they would be capable of doing something if we gave the ball to them, especially in our half. All teams in the World Cup have shown over the weekend that they can play when they have ball, and be dangerous in different ways, which is great for the tournament and a wake-up call to the leading nations.

We were certainly in a bad place when they went ahead, a very bad place. I honestly did not think we were going to lose, the belief was still strong, but I knew that we had to change something. If we didn’t we would have lost that game. I spoke to the boys about the need to have the ball and to hold on to possession in the last ten minutes and Dan [Parks] then had his best restart, which we won back and we went from there.

I expect Georgia to be a stronger side. We have seen their games in the Six Nations B tournament, where they beat Romania and finished top. Their back row Mamuka Gorgodze, who is starting at openside, is obviously a stand-out, the French overseas player of the year. We have to be very mindful of him, but they have a strong pack all round and we have to be strong, tight and accurate.

The conditions might be slightly different with the rain we have had this week, so it is crucial that we control the ball, and also handle pressure better. We have a good defence and we have to be able to cope well when they kick deep into our half and have scrums or mauls in our 22. And then, when we win possession, we need to play the game in the right areas of the field.

Readers might wonder why I’m talking so intently about the match when I’m not playing, but I have to retain a leadership role in the squad. I wanted to play against Georgia, no doubt, but I understand Andy’s reasons for picking the team he has, and so it’s about working hard for the squad to get the right result.

It is important that Jim Hamilton leads the lineouts and Kelly Brown runs the pack, and if I have anything I feel needs said then I’ll say it. I’ve been doing homework on the Georgians to share with the guys for example.

But we won’t be successful in this World Cup if there’s only the 15 guys named in the team into it.

I’m lucky to have now played in the World Cup, but there are guys needing to take the field and play their part too. We have plenty of character. I spoke to Moray Low and, though he’s not in the squad again, his attitude could not be better, and that actually lifts everyone as much as anything.

It is good to see Euan [Murray] back too. Whenever I speak to Euan about games I always think back to Croke Park last year where we had a scrum with ten minutes to go and he took what seemed like an eternity to get ready for it.

He took his scrum cap off, walked to the side to throw it, walked back, and I could see in his eyes that there was no way he was going to go backwards at that scrum.

He is a talisman of a prop and he and Chunk [Allan Jacobsen] are ready for the Georgian challenge. One word I would like to add is about the support of two Scots out here, Norrie Flowers and Sandy Geddes.

I met them at a music festival in Mull and at the Clydebank Tens, and they have a fantastic blog which shows you the other side of touring, and so it is well worth checking out http://www.sprfcfan.com/blog.

They are great supporters of a good friend of mine, David Azhar, who suffered a spinal injury playing rugby, and David has been emailing me his support which is fantastic. He is an amazingly positive character, and his family are terrific, so thanks David for your words – they are a great inspiration to me.

On another personal note, I was delighted to hear that my parents are now coming out to see our next game in Wellington, because my sister Lesley had her baby son, Cameron Stuart Findlay, a week early. Thanks sis and Cameron!

The squad are determined to put things right with a good show for the country in Invercargill tomorrow.