Andy Robinson tried to persuade Richie Gray to stay

SCOTLAND coach Andy Robinson yesterday revealed that he had tried to persuade Glasgow lock Richie Gray to turn down a move to Sale and stay in Scotland, but also admitted he believed that some internationalists should leave their homeland to further their careers.

Sale Sharks announced on Monday that Gray had signed a three-year contract with them from next summer and the 22-year-old joins Kelly Brown and Max Evans as high-profile departures from the Warriors in the recent past.

Robinson – speaking in Glasgow on the day Nathan Hines also announced his international retirement – said he was disappointed Gray was heading south at a time when he believes the Scottish professional teams are on the verge of significant improvement.

“I spoke to him,” he said. “It’s important that conversation stays confidential but I wanted Richie to stay in Glasgow and that’s what I spoke to him about. I’m disappointed for Glasgow and Scottish rugby, and our supporters, because there was a really big effort put in to keep Richie here in Glasgow.

“It’s a shame for everybody that is working hard with him but, as a player, you have a choice to make, and it’s about the growth of your career. As a national coach I need to support decisions made by the players, whether I agree with them or not.

“Richie has not gone about this lightly, but has really looked at it, and he believes that this is the right decision for his career.

“The decision is made and we have to move on and look at new horizons. What it has highlighted for me is that the work we need to do to keep players in Edinburgh and Glasgow is important.”

Asked whether he was surprised that Gray had opted for Sale, over one of the more successful English or French clubs, he said: “Sale is a growing club and it does have potential. I know not just the Scottish boys but a lot of the young lads there with potential, and I’m not really surprised at anything these days.”

John Barclay, Chris Cusiter and Johnnie Beattie are three more top Warriors internationalists out of contract next year and, while Robinson reiterated his belief that work would be done to keep them, he focused on Cusiter as an example of how it is good for some players to leave Scotland, learn more about the game, and then bring that knowledge back to Scotland.

Barclay is known to be thinking about his future and there is growing speculation that the openside flanker is also set to leave the Warriors next summer.

The 25-year-old may fit into the category Robinson was reffering to – players who might benefit from a change of scene and experience in England or France, in particular.

Mike Blair, the Edinburgh scrum-half, is another who is in the sights of foreign clubs, who has not yet re-signed at the capital club, and around whom there is speculation of a move away. Robinson spoke about working hard to persuade Blair to stay in Scotland when he took over as Edinburgh coach in 2007/8 but, yesterday, he avoided the issue of who he felt should stay or go.

“I look at the individual players, and age of players,” he said, “and for some players it is right that they leave. I also support the fact that it is an individual’s choice and we can’t forget that. This is not my choice, or Sean Lineen’s choice to make.

“It takes a brave guy to make that [Gray’s] choice and he should be supported. It’s a choice he feels is right for him and he’s taking ownership of that, and he should get a pat on the back for knowing his own mind and making that decision. But players like Ruaridh Jackson and Rob Harley have re-signed, and players in Edinburgh have, and you take each one as an individual.”

Robinson was in Glasgow to help to launch the Heineken Cup in Scotland and he insisted that a backlash from the disappointment the national team suffered at the World Cup might provide extra motivation for the country’s two pro teams on the European stage, starting with this weekend’s fixtures.

“I hope that the Scottish players are frustrated with what happened in the World Cup and are able to take out some of that in their performances this and next weekend. That’s what I’ll be looking at from them.

“This is the best tournament for a club side, with wall-to-wall coverage this weekend. The number of supporters prepared to travel, like those coming to Glasgow from Bath, has really added to the tournament.

“But also the quality of the tournament, with some games last year absolutely top-class.

“One of the best was the Edinburgh-Northampton game. That was an absolute belter and, then you look at what happened at the end with Northampton and Leinster in the final, and think back to what Edinburgh did to Northampton that day...”

Addressing the question of how Edinburgh and Glasgow can improve on recent disappointing pool efforts, Robinson added: “We have to shake off this ‘unlucky losers’ tag and it’s about performing for 80 minutes. It’s about winning and that’s the great opportunity the guys have. Use this chance now. Two cracking games back-to-back.”

The reality of how that is achieved and the need for investment Robinson avoided, feigning ignorance that the national team had received increased funding under him while the pro teams have stayed virtually frozen. But, when pushed, he admitted that, for the pro teams to bridge the gap to the top European clubs, they do require increased investment.

For example, Glasgow may face World Cup-winning stand-off Stephen Donald in the Bath team this weekend.

Robinson added: “For both teams it’s about getting the best players for what money they get. I can only comment for myself and when I was working with Edinburgh I wanted to get a couple of foreign players to come back and I support that for both sides, because you want to be able to compete with these teams.

“I am not in control of the finances but you have to be able to work with what you are given and it’s about bringing the right people in.”