David Ferguson: Melrose bulk up for frontal assault on title

SIZE does matter in rugby at all levels, and while coaches like Craig Chalmers are desperate to return the game in Scotland to a more flowing, skilful style, the reality is that little success is garnered without some genuine bulk in a team.

That, at least, is what Chalmers has been studying over the summer having come back from the World U20s Championship in Argentina with the sobering knowledge of just how much more physical some of the world leading nations are compared with teams that come out of Scotland.

His Melrose have been among the most consistent title contenders in recent years in the Scottish club game, but one has to go back to 1998, when Chalmers was still playing, to unearth the last championship trophy taken home to the Greenyards. Why has the team failed to cross the finish line since? Chalmers points to that need for size.

"We have been consistent challengers, but the fact we haven't actually won the title is really down to the fact that we haven't been consistently good over the course of the season," Chalmers said.

"There are different reasons for that, but one is that we have very good forwards, good rugby players, but haven't had the size that Currie and Ayr have had across the pack. We have strengthened the pack this year by bringing in props Nicky Little from Hawick and Gary Holborn from Jed, and we've also got a New Zealander Hayden Mitchell to bolster the second row, because we've had to ask a few back rows to play there for us in the past.

"But guys like Gary Elder, Tim Miskelly and Grant Runciman have also been working very hard over the summer putting weight on and, hopefully, that will help us to compete well against the bigger packs in the league. We should be a bit beefier up front now.

"You have to have size, but you also have to be able to use that size to your advantage. It's still where the game is won and lost, up front, and you have to be able to compete in the front five, and be able to grind it out sometimes.

"We want to play exciting, attractive, open rugby and we have shown that we can do that against anybody, but while we've ground out some results we haven't done that bit consistently and maybe that's where we need to see a change."

This afternoon will provide the perfect test of that as league champions Currie arrive at the Greenyards with last season's cup semi-final defeat at the ground still tucked away in the memory banks for extra motivation. Ironically, Ally Donaldson's men have been moving away from a pack-dominated style of rugby and, with the back division they are sending out today, they are clearly again set on showing strength across the park.

Invariably, however, it will be the all-consuming forward contest that determines which set of backs has the opportunity to play on the front foot and continue from where they left off in good pre-season form.

This Premier One Championship is hugely unpredictable because of the quality of players signed up over the summer, the vagaries of which draft pros may be available and when, and the influence they wield, and the usual obstacles of injuries.

Ayr travel to Hawick this afternoon, for example, with both teams missing their talismanic stand-offs, Rory Hutton's return to the Greens from the pro game delayed by a holiday while Frazier Climo, the Ayr controller, is not yet back from a summer in New Zealand. He is expected to return to Millbrae after an apparent struggle with 'paperwork', one presumes related to his visa.

Damien Kelly, the Ayr captain, is back in training this week after toe surgery in June, but he could miss the first couple of weeks, which means the home match with Melrose next week too.

Melrose are one team that appears to be bubbling with good health, Chalmers insisting that selection this week was something of a nightmare as everyone was fit and all had performed well in their pre-season defeat of Tynedale.

"There is a lot of talk about the need to start well this season, particularly because of the split after 11 games," he said, "and so I'm pretty pleased that we have a fit squad. Even Fraser Thomson is back earlier than I thought he would be after shoulder surgery, so it has been really, really tough to pick the starting side and the squad for this weekend, which is great for competition.

"We have lost our opening game on a few occasions, and it's not the be-all and end-all, but playing the league champions at home first-up will set the tone for the campaign.

"If we can get off to a flyer against Currie then it will do the boys' confidence no end of good, and sets up a massive game at Ayr. They will all be massive games though because everyone's aim is to get into the top eight. Our aim is to be in the top four after the first 11 games and then go into the last seven with a championship to play for."

He added: "I believe that the squad we have got is capable of winning the league, but other coaches will be saying the same. It is about how you start, get points on the board and build the confidence. Last year we didn't take chances in some big games and that was what let us down. That's the lesson.

"But we're going into this season very positive. The guys have trained hard and there might be some moans about starting earlier, but it gives us another week playing in better conditions hopefully."

COACHES

Craig Chalmers, John Dalziel and Bill Noble.

CAPTAIN

Scott Wight.

INS

Ewan Ford (Kelso), Gary Holborn (Jed-Forest), Hayden Mitchell (from New Zealand), Nicky Little (Hawick), Ruaridh McLeod (Stewart's Melville).

OUTS: James King (Edinburgh), Lindsey Gibson and Nick Mactaggart (Hawick), Luke Pettie and Bruce Dick (Gala).

PRO DRAFT

Dave McCall (Glasgow), Alex Blair, Mark Robertson, Fraser Brown, Ross Ford, Phil Godman (all Edinburgh).

LAST SEASON

Third in league and cup runners-up.